APPLE.COM RECOMMENDS POP-UP Scam (Mac)

How to remove "APPLE.COM RECOMMENDS" from Mac?

What is "APPLE.COM RECOMMENDS"?

There are many fake messages such as virus and error alerts online. "APPLE.COM RECOMMENDS" is an example of a fake message. It informs MacOS users that Adobe Flash Payer is outdated and advises them to update the software. Note that most of these fake messages are displayed on untrustworthy, deceptive websites. There is a slight change that some people might visit these websites intentionally, however, they are usually redirected to them by potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) installed on their systems. Users often install PUAs inadvertently. Once installed, they go on to cause redirects to dubious websites, gather data, and serve users with advertisements.

The "APPLE.COM RECOMMENDS" scam is a simple pop-up window that appears when visiting a deceptive website. It contains a message implying that the current version of Adobe Flash Player is out-of-date and encourages users to update it to the latest version. Scammers use this fake notification as a means to trick people into installing various adware-type or browser-hijacking applications. Thus, updating Adobe Flash Player using the "APPLE.COM RECOMMENDS" scam leads to installation of the aforementioned apps. At time of research, this scam was used to promote the weknow.ac redirect, SafeFinder browser hijacker, and Mac Cleanup Pro unwanted application. To download applications or updates promoted using deceptive websites is not recommended. In this case, using these fraudulent websites can result in download and installation of the same PUAs that led you to such deceptive websites in the first place. If you ended up visiting this website unintentionally, it is very likely that your computer or web browser is already infiltrated with unwanted applications. To avoid having even more apps of this type being installed, simply close the website that promotes the "APPLE.COM RECOMMENDS" scam. If it cannot be closed in the normal way, use Activity Monitor and terminate the entire browser process from there. Either way, do not restore the previously-closed browsing session the next time you open your browser - this will return you to the original (or other) deceptive website.

In addition to unwanted redirects, PUAs gather data and feed users with intrusive ads. They collect IP addresses, search queries, geo-locations, URLs of visited websites and other data relating to users' browsing habits. Personal details might also be collected. Developers share this data with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) who misuse it to generate revenue. Apps that track data in this way can lead to problems with browsing safety, privacy, or identity theft. Another downside of having apps of this type installed is that most feed users with ads such as coupons, banners, surveys, pop-ups, and so on. These can be annoying, since they are usually displayed via tools that enable placement or third party graphical content on any site. Therefore, they conceal underlying content of any visited website. Furthermore, if clicked, they might open dubious, malicious websites or execute scripts designed to download/install additional unwanted apps. If you suspect that apps of this type are installed (or others), remove them immediately.

Threat Summary:

Name	"APPLE.COM RECOMMENDS" virus
Threat Type	Mac malware, Mac virus
Symptoms	Your Mac became slower than normal, you see unwanted pop-up ads, you get redirected to shady websites.
Distribution methods	Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake flash player installers, torrent file downloads.
Damage	Internet browsing tracking (potential privacy issues), displaying of unwanted ads, redirects to shady websites, loss of private information.
Malware Removal (Mac)	To eliminate possible malware infections, scan your Mac with legitimate antivirus software. Our security researchers recommend using Combo Cleaner. ▼ Download Combo Cleaner for Mac To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited three days free trial available.

"Error #31(0x1F)", "Error Code XLMR01F7985", "Windows Is Not Activated" are just some examples of other scams that trick people into installing unwanted, unnecessary apps. Fake messages displayed on untrustworthy websites should never be trusted. Apps that force people to visit websites displaying these scams are usually very similar. Most are promoted as 'legitimate', 'useful', and so on, however, these are merely attempts to trick people into installing them. When installed, they often go on to generate revenue for their developers and cause numerous problems for the victims.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

Some PUAs are promoted using their official websites, however, most users install them inadvertently by clicking untrustworthy, deceptive ads or when software developers use the "bundling" method. Bundling is a deceptive marketing method used by dubious software developers to trick users into downloading/installing unwanted apps together with other software. They do not disclose information about the inclusion of unwanted apps in installation/download set-ups: developers hide them in "Custom"/"Advanced" options or other settings of the installation or download set-ups. Furthermore, many users skip installation or download steps without checking the available settings - this is how most PUAs are installed. Therefore, these installations and downloads often occur due to lack of knowledge of these threats and carelessness.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

When downloading software, do not use untrustworthy/unofficial websites, third party software downloaders, peer-to-peer networks, or other such methods. Use only direct links and official websites. Never skip download/installation steps without checking "Custom", "Advanced" and other settings or options. Opt-out of offers to install or download unwanted software, and only then proceed to the next step or finish the download/installation process. Note that many intrusive ads redirect users to dubious and potentially malicious websites (such as gambling, pornography, adult dating, and so on). These are usually displayed on dubious, deceptive websites. Ads of this type should be avoided (not clicked). If you encounter unwanted redirects, we check installed applications (extensions, add-ons, and plug-ins) on your browser and remove any unknown/unwanted entries immediately. Additionally, check the list of installed programs on the MacOS. If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate them.

Text presented in "APPLE.COM RECOMMENDS" scam (pop-up):

APPLE.COM RECOMMENDS: Your current Adobe Flash Player version is out of date. Please update the latest version of Flash Player.

Screenshot of a website which has been opened after visiting a website promoting the "APPLE.COM RECOMMENDS" scam:

Instant automatic Mac malware removal: Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced computer skills. Combo Cleaner is a professional automatic malware removal tool that is recommended to get rid of Mac malware. Download it by clicking the button below:
▼ DOWNLOAD Combo Cleaner for Mac By downloading any software listed on this website you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. To use full-featured product, you have to purchase a license for Combo Cleaner. Limited three days free trial available.

Quick menu:

• What is "APPLE.COM RECOMMENDS"?
• STEP 1. Remove PUA related files and folders from OSX.
• STEP 2. Remove rogue extensions from Safari.
• STEP 3. Remove rogue add-ons from Google Chrome.
• STEP 4. Remove potentially unwanted plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox.

Video showing how to remove adware and browser hijackers from a Mac computer:

Potentially unwanted applications removal:

Remove potentially unwanted applications from your "Applications" folder:

Click the Finder icon. In the Finder window, select "Applications". In the applications folder, look for "MPlayerX", "NicePlayer", or other suspicious applications and drag them to the Trash. After removing the potentially unwanted application(s) that cause online ads, scan your Mac for any remaining unwanted components.

Remove "apple.com recommends" virus related files and folders:

Click the Finder icon, from the menu bar. Choose Go, and click Go to Folder...

Check for adware-generated files in the /Library/LaunchAgents folder:

In the Go to Folder... bar, type: /Library/LaunchAgents

In the “LaunchAgents” folder, look for any recently-added suspicious files and move them to the Trash. Examples of files generated by adware - “installmac.AppRemoval.plist”, “myppes.download.plist”, “mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist”, “kuklorest.update.plist”, etc. Adware commonly installs several files with the same string.

Check for adware generated files in the /Library/Application Support folder:

In the Go to Folder... bar, type: /Library/Application Support

In the “Application Support” folder, look for any recently-added suspicious folders. For example, “MplayerX” or “NicePlayer”, and move these folders to the Trash.

Check for adware-generated files in the ~/Library/LaunchAgents folder:

In the Go to Folder bar, type: ~/Library/LaunchAgents

In the “LaunchAgents” folder, look for any recently-added suspicious files and move them to the Trash. Examples of files generated by adware - “installmac.AppRemoval.plist”, “myppes.download.plist”, “mykotlerino.ltvbit.plist”, “kuklorest.update.plist”, etc. Adware commonly installs several files with the same string.

Check for adware-generated files in the /Library/LaunchDaemons folder:

In the Go to Folder... bar, type: /Library/LaunchDaemons

In the “LaunchDaemons” folder, look for recently-added suspicious files. For example “com.aoudad.net-preferences.plist”, “com.myppes.net-preferences.plist”, "com.kuklorest.net-preferences.plist”, “com.avickUpd.plist”, etc., and move them to the Trash.

 Scan your Mac with Combo Cleaner:

If you have followed all the steps in the correct order you Mac should be clean of infections. To be sure your system is not infected run a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus. Download it HERE. After downloading the file double click combocleaner.dmg installer, in the opened window drag and drop Combo Cleaner icon on top of the Applications icon. Now open your launchpad and click on the Combo Cleaner icon. Wait until Combo Cleaner updates it's virus definition database and click "Start Combo Scan" button.

Combo Cleaner will scan your Mac for malware infections. If the antivirus scan displays "no threats found" - this means that you can continue with the removal guide, otherwise it's recommended to remove any found infections before continuing.

After removing files and folders generated by the adware, continue to remove rogue extensions from your Internet browsers.

"APPLE.COM RECOMMENDS" virus removal from Internet browsers:

Remove malicious extensions from Safari:

Remove "apple.com recommends" virus related Safari extensions:

Open Safari browser, from the menu bar, select "Safari" and click "Preferences...".

In the preferences window, select "Extensions" and look for any recently-installed suspicious extensions. When located, click the "Uninstall" button next to it/them. Note that you can safely uninstall all extensions from your Safari browser - none are crucial for normal browser operation.

• If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Safari.

Remove malicious plug-ins from Mozilla Firefox:

Remove "apple.com recommends" virus related Mozilla Firefox add-ons:

Open your Mozilla Firefox browser. At the top right corner of the screen, click the "Open Menu" (three horizontal lines) button. From the opened menu, choose "Add-ons".

Choose the "Extensions" tab and look for any recently-installed suspicious add-ons. When located, click the "Remove" button next to it/them. Note that you can safely uninstall all extensions from your Mozilla Firefox browser - none are crucial for normal browser operation.

• If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Mozilla Firefox.

Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:

Remove "apple.com recommends" virus related Google Chrome add-ons:

Open Google Chrome and click the "Chrome menu" (three horizontal lines) button located in the top-right corner of the browser window. From the drop-down menu, choose "More Tools" and select "Extensions".

In the "Extensions" window, look for any recently-installed suspicious add-ons. When located, click the "Trash" button next to it/them. Note that you can safely uninstall all extensions from your Google Chrome browser - none are crucial for normal browser operation.

• If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Google Chrome.

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