Malicous hacking via "mac cleaner"

[Robert Brown (RLBrown)]

Hello SVMUG members and friends,

The link below is to a Mac Insider article that details an ongoing attack on Mac Users.

There are good software packages that can reduce clutter in your file system. You can find these in the Apple App Store. However, many users will search online for “Mac cleaner” or similar search word variations. The search results could lead the user into a nasty trap. Hackers have set up a web page that looks like an official Apple support page and promises you can clean your Mac for free by following a few simple instructions. The instructions show the user how to open the terminal app and then paste in a set of commands from the hackers. Users, perhaps feeling comfortable with the appearance of a page purporting to be Apple Support, follow the instructions. This installs malicious software, giving the hacker remote access to the user’s computer.

No search engine can guarantee that the search results will not include bad actors. The fact that it is possible to buy a high position in search results does not help. I myself tend to scroll past the “sponsored” results, as such always seem a little icky. But the basic defense is not to ever use the terminal unless you really understand the commands, and to only install software from a trusted source. macOS tries to enforce this, but commands entered in the terminal bypass these protections. 

Robert Lawson Brown mail

                                                           

[Jose Francisco Medeiros]

Thank you Robert, great information. Will malware bytes detect and remove the remote control software?

Jose F. Medeiros 

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[Robert Brown (RLBrown)]

On Jan 30, 2026, at 6:28 PM, Jose Francisco Medeiros <jose.m...@gmail.com> wrote:

Will malware bytes detect and remove the remote control software?

— According to their documentation, it will remove remote control software.