An open community 
of Macintosh users,
for Macintosh users.

FineTunedMac Dashboard widget now available! Download Here

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
mac keeper
#47834 02/06/18 12:13 AM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
jaybass Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
OS 10.12.6

Quite often Mackeeper will appear uninvited asking me to download. Today it appeared and said I had 3 viruses and to remove them I should download Mackeeper.

I have ClamXAV and it didn't find anything. What is the story with Mackeeper and is there a way of preventing it from appearing?

Whilst I'm here, is there any way of allowing folders to be located anywhere on the desktop?

jaybass


OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD
Re: mac keeper
jaybass #47836 02/06/18 01:35 AM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Not that it's anywhere near guaranteed, but have you got Safari > Preferences > Security > Block pop-up windows checked?

If "Yes", I don't know if there's any way to keep those MacKeeper pop-ups from popping up other than by not visiting the websites at which they pop up, but I do know, not from personal experience, happily, but from any number of past mentions at FTM, that MacKeeper is to be avoided.

I think this will allow you to place folders anywhere on your desktop and have their positions survive a restart: in Finder, hit command-J and select "Sort by: None".

If that works for you as it does for me, newly created folders and other new items will line up along the right edge of your screen from where they can be moved anywhere.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: mac keeper
jaybass #47842 02/06/18 11:27 AM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 7
Malwarebytes may be able to detect something. It has a free version, so it won't cost you anything.


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: mac keeper
artie505 #47843 02/06/18 12:20 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
jaybass Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
Thanks for for that tip i.e. finder>command-J "sort by none" did the trick.

Safari>prefs>Block pop-up windows is already checked.

Jon, I have found ClamXAV has notified me immediately of any malware etc but thanks for the suggestion.

jaybass


OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD
Re: mac keeper
jaybass #47914 02/10/18 04:56 AM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 1
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 1
Originally Posted By: jaybass
OS 10.12.6

Quite often Mackeeper will appear uninvited asking me to download. Today it appeared and said I had 3 viruses and to remove them I should download Mackeeper.

I have ClamXAV and it didn't find anything. What is the story with Mackeeper and is there a way of preventing it from appearing?


It appears when you browse the Web because unethical Web owners place ads on their Web sites that open scary-looking but fake virus warnings urging you to download MacKeeper.

You can ignore these warnings; they are phony.

The makers of MacKeeper have already been sued twice, and lost twice, for fake virus warnings. They just pay the fines and move on, because fake virus warnings are a huge, huge moneymaker, and getting sued is simply part of the cost of doing business.


Photo gallery, all about me, and more: www.xeromag.com/franklin.html
Re: mac keeper
tacit #47920 02/10/18 02:49 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
jaybass Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
I read that Safari prefs>privacy>manage website data, type Mackeeper in the small window and it appears in the window below with the option to 'remove' I did that but it returned shortly aferwards. Perhaps whoever does the sueing should increase the fines to make it impracticable...if they have that much authority.

jaybass


OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD
Re: mac keeper
jaybass #47921 02/10/18 03:02 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 14
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 14
Originally Posted By: jaybass
I read that Safari prefs>privacy>manage website data, type Mackeeper in the small window and it appears in the window below with the option to 'remove' I did that but it returned shortly afterwards.

Does this mean that the issue is more than MacKeeper pop-ups continually reappearing? Is the problem that you have installed MacKeeper and now need to get rid of it?


ryck

"What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" The Doobie Brothers

iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2020), 3.8 GHz 8 Core Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM, 2667 MHz DDR4
OS Ventura 13.6.3
Canon Pixma TR 8520 Printer
Epson Perfection V500 Photo Scanner c/w VueScan software
TM on 1TB LaCie USB-C
Re: mac keeper
ryck #47922 02/10/18 04:18 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
Online
Moderator

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
MacKeeper is notoriously difficult to delete and unless carefully and thoroughly expunged is reputed to leave bits parts and pieces around that apparently sometimes recreate/redownload/reinstall MacKeeper or at the very least have a deleterious effect on system performance. The removal instructions on MacKeeper's web site are generally conceded to be incomplete at best. A Google or DuckDuskGo search on how to remove MacKeeper will return a LOT of hits from places like OS X Daily, MacWorld, iskeysoft, YouTube, WikiHow, the Official Appple Support Communities, and many more. One of those links should exorcise the demon.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: mac keeper
jaybass #47923 02/10/18 04:35 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Originally Posted By: jaybass
I read that Safari prefs>privacy>manage website data, type Mackeeper in the small window and it appears in the window below with the option to 'remove' I did that but it returned shortly aferwards. Perhaps whoever does the sueing should increase the fines to make it impracticable...if they have that much authority.

jaybass

All you're doing with that exercise is searching your cookies for MacKeeper cookies and deleting them (only to see them return on their own).

That has nothing to do with MacKeeper's possible presence on your Mac. (Evercookies?)


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: mac keeper
joemikeb #47924 02/10/18 04:43 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 4
Originally Posted By: joemikeb
MacKeeper is notoriously difficult to delete and unless carefully and thoroughly expunged ...

I've been impressed by AppCleaner's ability to isolate and eliminate an app and most if not all its associated bits and pieces which one might not otherwise be able to isolate. On a couple of occasions there have been several residual items which a careful search can isolate and one can deal with them on an individual basis.

AppCleaner may still have a free version available. Check it out. It's available via the App Store or directly from FreeMacSoft.


Re: mac keeper
grelber #47927 02/10/18 04:53 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
Online
Moderator

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Originally Posted By: grelber
I've been impressed by AppCleaner's ability to isolate and eliminate an app and most if not all its associated bits and pieces which one might not otherwise be able to isolate. On a couple of occasions there have been several residual items which a careful search can isolate and one can deal with them on an individual basis.
AppCleaner is excellent but, in the name of protecting itself from malware, MacKeeper intentionally hides or disguises some components and others are a hodge podge of bits parts and pieces of other apps so conventional app removal techniques, even installation tracking daemons, are know to fail. mad


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: mac keeper
joemikeb #48077 03/01/18 01:44 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Like most other malware, it is known to pick random filenames when installing its components, to make them difficult to find and remove. And yes, it can sometimes "grow back" things you have deleted.

Some of the more virulent varieties require a reboot in safe mode to pull out the bits.

It has a lot of variations, I suspect the producers of the app have business arrangements with some of their clients, on a "find a creative way to install us and keep us installed and we'll pay you more" basis, and that's lead to an unusually large number of creative and persistent varieties of installations.

Not all web pages that push it are in on the joke though. Most ad banner pushing services have a rotating and changing catalog of ads, you don't see the same ad in the same spot on the page every time you load it. Businesses buy slots from the advertisers and get themselves into the rotation, and are billed by the number of "impressions" they are given - i.e. the number of times your ad is displayed on someone's screen. The advertisers have little incentive to police their ads because they're making money displaying them, malware isn't affecting their client (the web site) or their other client (the malware maker) so they're somewhat insulated from complaints.

Eventually a website owner will get enough complaints to threaten or drop the banner provider (who is paying the web site to display their banners, that's one way websites cover their operating costs) but they just move on to another web site, there's a lot of suckers to pick from. It's not a problem that's going to go away anytime soon.

Bigger sites get in the news for serving up malware, because they've got a much larger audience, the audience expects better from them, and as such they tend to keep a close eye on their advertisers. (and if they drop one, that's a major loss of business for the advertiser, so they are more likely to watch what they provide also) But it still happens from time to time.






I work for the Department of Redundancy Department
Re: mac keeper
artie505 #48137 03/05/18 10:52 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
jaybass Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
artie, I don't think I mentioned that I downloaded DetectX Swift and have not had a pop-up since.

That was Feb18th so it has proved itself so far and the price is very reasonable.

jaybass


OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD
Re: mac keeper
jaybass #48142 03/06/18 06:58 AM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Thanks for the update, jaybass.

Can you tell us how DetectX Swift silenced those Mackeeper pop-ups?

Did it locate a rogue file or function or was it something else altogether?


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: mac keeper
artie505 #48153 03/07/18 12:14 AM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
jaybass Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2


OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD
Re: mac keeper
jaybass #48156 03/07/18 03:43 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
Online
Moderator

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
I just attempted to go to the DetectX web site and ran into this warning either from Safari Technology Preview or OpenDNS (I couldn't tell which) based on the WOT (Web Of Trust) rating for the site. I read the developers comments in jaybass' link but those are self serving and therefore not necessarily trustworthy. Until the developer can clear this up with WOT and others, I won't be installing DetectX. That's a shame as it looks like an interesting tool.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: mac keeper
joemikeb #48157 03/07/18 03:53 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
I just followed the links to the dev's website on MacUpdate's DetectX and DetectX Swift pages (OpenDNS) and didn't get your pop-up.

Same with links provided by Google.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: mac keeper
artie505 #48162 03/07/18 07:29 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
jaybass Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
To change the subject, Do I need SIP enabled?
jaybass.


OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD
Re: mac keeper
joemikeb #48163 03/07/18 07:49 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
jaybass Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
I just went to DetectX web site (twice) using safari and I never received any warning.

Considering this software is about 5 years old, unsupported, and free, why would the

developer make remarks that could be contrued as seIf serving?

Reviews are good.

jaybass


OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD
Re: mac keeper
artie505 #48165 03/07/18 08:53 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
Online
Moderator

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Originally Posted By: artie505
I just followed the links to the dev's website on MacUpdate's DetectX and DetectX Swift pages (OpenDNS) and didn't get your pop-up.

Same with links provided by Google.

Are you using OpenDNS? That could be the source, I didn't take the time to go exploring to find out where the message originated. It could also be originating with Safari Technology Preview Release 50 (Safari 11.2, WebKit 13606.1.5) as Apple is always testing new security options. The WOT rating is current.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: mac keeper
jaybass #48166 03/07/18 08:56 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Moderator
Online
Moderator

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 16
Originally Posted By: jaybass
To change the subject, Do I need SIP enabled?

SIP is intended to protect your computer from viruses and other exploits modifying the OS to open it up for installing malware without your knowledge. If you disable SIP and your computer catches a virus or other exploit you have only yourself to blame. If you do disable SIP I would have a clean copy of MacOS available on a drive not connected to your computer available just in case.


If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?

— Albert Einstein
Re: mac keeper
joemikeb #48167 03/07/18 10:23 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
jaybass Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
I read conflicting opinions on a forum and apparently, it only needs disabling when installing certain kinds of software...did I get thay right?

It is now enabled.

jaybass


OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD
Re: mac keeper
joemikeb #48169 03/08/18 09:11 AM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Originally Posted By: joemikeb
Originally Posted By: artie505
I just followed the links to the dev's website on MacUpdate's DetectX and DetectX Swift pages (OpenDNS) and didn't get your pop-up.

Same with links provided by Google.

Are you using OpenDNS? That could be the source, I didn't take the time to go exploring to find out where the message originated. It could also be originating with Safari Technology Preview Release 50 (Safari 11.2, WebKit 13606.1.5) as Apple is always testing new security options. The WOT rating is current.

I'm using OpenDNS and DID NOT get your pop-up, and since jaybass - same 10.12.6 as me - didn't either, STP looks to be "at fault". (I'm in Safari 11.0.3 as compared to your 11.2.x)

More: I just switched from OpenDNS to Google's servers and still didn't get the pop-up.

Last edited by artie505; 03/08/18 09:42 AM.

The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: mac keeper
jaybass #48170 03/08/18 09:19 AM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Online

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 15
Originally Posted By: jaybass

I'm confused, jaybass.

Your initial post sounded like your problem was that you were getting MacKeeper pop-ups soliciting you to download it while you were browsing, but now it sounds like you used DetectX to uninstall it.

Did I misunderstand you?


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: mac keeper
artie505 #48171 03/08/18 02:13 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
jaybass Offline OP
OP Offline

Joined: Aug 2009
Likes: 2
Yes, Mackeeper was continually popping up asking to be downloaded.

Whether or not I trashed/uninstaled it I can't remember but after downloading

DetectX Swift, I have not had a pop up since. If MacKeeper keeps popping up on

your computer, give it a try. I'm sure you have back ups.

That's quite a comprehensive explanation the developer gives.

jaybass


OS 13.6.4 iMac (Retina 5K, 27", 2017, 3.4 GHz Intel Core i5, 24 GB RAM, 2400 MHz DDR4. SuperDuper. 1 TB Lacie HD

Moderated by  alternaut, dkmarsh, joemikeb 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4
(Release build 20200307)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 7.4.33 Page Time: 0.050s Queries: 64 (0.037s) Memory: 0.7038 MB (Peak: 0.8686 MB) Data Comp: Zlib Server Time: 2024-03-28 22:11:46 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS