Prevent scams caused by Stydbui websites
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on
(updated)
How to remove "Stydbui" from Mac computers
What is "Stydbui"?
Stydbui is a family of scam websites, which operate by deceiving visitors into downloading/installing untrustworthy applications. This variation endorses the Smart Mac Booster Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA). Stydbui warns users of a virus, which it has supposedly detected on the MacOS (Mac Operating System). Note, however, that no site can find issues/threats on users' devices: all such claims and problems detected are false. Software advertised on these web pages cannot be trusted - it is often bogus and nonoperational. Few visitors to Stydbui access it intentionally, most are redirected by PUAs already present on the system.
When opened, Stydbui displays a pop-up window with a message informing the user that a website visited earlier has infected the MacOS with a virus. It urges the user to press "OK" to begin the repair process. After the pop-up is closed, Stydbui shows another web page, which repeats the initial alert and recommends a full system scan to detect and eliminate the dangerous files/applications. It also lists the visitor's device details: brand, OS version, browser, IP address, internet provider, and location. Following these recommendations, it initiates a fake scan. This results in "detection" of a virus called "Bankworm", which is described as high-risk. Stydbui offers the Advanced Mac Cleaner application for removal of this threat. The app is apparently free and top-rated. In fact, the "REMOVE VIRUS NOW" button redirects users to the promotional web page of Smart Mac Booster. Download of this application leads to download of the maccleaner.pkg file, known for proliferation of PUAs. Fake Mac cleaners and optimizers are not uncommon. For example, MacCleansePro, K9-MacOptimizer, and Advanced Mac Booster are all similar to Smart Mac Booster. Software of this type usually requires activation to perform its functions promised (i.e., requires purchase to become operational). Despite any purchases made, however, these applications often remain nonfunctional. Therefore, do not download/install maccleaner.pkg or Smart Mac Booster due to the various risks posed.
In general, PUAs are all similar, and some are identical. They may seem legitimate and offer "useful" features to lure users to install. In fact, their functions rarely work as advertised and, in most cases, do not work at all. The only purpose of all unwanted content is to generate revenue for the developers. Regular users receive no value. As well as causing various problems, these apps also endanger device and user safety. PUAs redirect to sale-based, untrustworthy, deceptive/scam and even malicious websites. They can deliver intrusive advertisement campaigns (pop-ups, banners, coupons, etc.). Others hijack browsers and promote fake search engines. Unwanted applications possess data tracking capabilities. They monitor users' browsing habits (URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, etc.) and collect personal information (IP addresses, geolocations, and other details). This sensitive data is then shared with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals) seeking to misuse it for financial gain. In summary, PUAs can cause browser/system infiltration and infections, and lead to serious privacy issues, financial loss and even identity theft. Therefore, immediately remove all dubious applications and/or browser extensions present on the device.
| Name | Stydbui pop-up |
| Threat Type | Mac malware, Mac virus. |
| Fake Claim | The error message alerts that the system is infected/damaged and encourages users to download a system cleaning tool. |
| Detection Names | Fortinet (Spam), Spamhaus (Spam), Full List (VirusTotal) |
| Serving IP Address | 176.119.1.201 |
| Related Domains | Full list below. |
| Promoted Unwanted Application | Smart Mac Booster |
| Symptoms | Your Mac becomes slower than normal, you see unwanted pop-up ads, you are redirected to dubious websites. |
| Distribution methods | Deceptive pop-up ads, free software installers (bundling), fake Flash Player installers, torrent file downloads. |
| Damage | Internet browser tracking (potential privacy issues), display of unwanted ads, redirects to dubious 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. |
The internet is rife with deceptive websites, most of which share common traits. Badmonday, Sundayfunny, and Firdayfun are some examples of scam website families identical to Stydbui. These web pages typically use scare tactics to encourage users into downloading/installing and purchasing the products they promote. The advertised applications are generally fake and nonoperational. Users access these web pages through redirects generated by intrusive advertisements or by PUAs.
How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?
PUAs proliferate through the download/install set-ups of other software. This deceptive marketing technique of packing regular products with unwanted or malicious content is called "bundling". Rushing download/installation processes (e.g. ignoring terms, skipping steps, using pre-set options, etc.) increases the risk of allowing bundled software onto systems inadvertently. Certain PUAs (e.g. Smart Mac Booster) have "official" download websites. They can also infiltrate devices via intrusive ads. When clicked, these might execute scripts designed to download/install PUAs without users' consent.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications
Research all content, before downloading/installing. Use only official and verified download channels. Download sources such as Peer-to-Peer sharing networks (BitTorrent, Gnutella, eMule, etc.), unofficial and free file-hosting sites, third party downloaders and similar are untrustworthy and should be avoided. Treat download/Installation processes with caution. Read the terms, study all available options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings and opt-out of downloading/installing supplementary apps, tools, features, etc. Intrusive ads often seem normal and innocuous, however, they can redirect to dubious web pages (e.g. gambling, pornography, adult-dating and many others). If you experience ads/redirects of this kind, inspect the device and remove all suspicious applications and/or browser extensions/plug-ins without delay. If your computer is already infected with PUAs, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate them.
Text in the pop-up window:
VIRUS FOUND
A website you visited today has infected your Mac with a virus.
Press OK to begin the repair process.
Second web page displayed by Stydbui:
Text presented in this page:
VIRUS FOUND
A website you have visited today has infected your Mac with a virus. A full system scan is now required to find and remove harmful files or applications from your Mac OS X 10_13_6 device.
DEVICE INFORMATION
Brand: Apple
Device: Mac OS X 10_13_6
Browser: Safari 12.0.1
IP: 85.206.10.62
Provider: Telia Lietuva, AB
Location: - LT
Scan Now
Stydbui fake scan:
Text presented in this page:
DOWNLOAD REQUIRED
Please download the Advanced Mac Cleaner application to remove Bankworm from your Mac.
VIRUS INFORMATION
Virus Name: Bankworm
Risk: HIGH
Infected File: /os/apps/worm.icv
VIRUS REMOVAL
Application: Advanced Mac Cleaner
Rating: 9.9/10
Price: Free
REMOVE VIRUS NOW
Appearance of Stydbui scam (GIF):
List of domains related to the Stydbui scam family:
| stydbui106.live | stydbui29.live | stydbui55.live |
| stydbui11.live | stydbui30.live | stydbui58.live |
| stydbui113.live | stydbui32.live | stydbui59.live |
| stydbui114.live | stydbui33.live | stydbui63.live |
| stydbui117.live | stydbui34.live | stydbui65.live |
| stydbui12.live | stydbui36.live | stydbui77.live |
| stydbui13.live | stydbui40.live | stydbui80.live |
| stydbui14.live | stydbui41.live | stydbui81.live |
| stydbui15.live | stydbui42.live | stydbui92.live |
| stydbui18.live | stydbui49.live | stydbui93.live |
| stydbui26.live | stydbui5.live | stydbui98.live |
Smart Mac Booster installation setup:
Smart Mac Booster application:
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 "Stydbui"?
- 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 unwanted applications promoted via Stydbui pop-up scam using Combo Cleaner:
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 stydbui pop-up 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.
Stydbui pop-up removal from Internet browsers:
Remove malicious extensions from Safari:
Remove stydbui pop-up 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 stydbui pop-up 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 stydbui pop-up 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.
Outstanding!
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