We Have Detected A Serious Security Problem Scam (Mac)
Written by Tomas Meskauskas on (updated)
What is We Have Detected A Serious Problem?
Similar to Immediately Call Apple Support, MAC OS Is Infected With Viruses, AppleCare And Warranty, and many others, "We Have Detected A Serious Problem" is a fake error message displayed by malicious sites.
Users typically visit these sites inadvertently - they are redirected by PUPs (potentially unwanted programs) or intrusive advertisements delivered by other dubious sites. PUPs generally infiltrate systems without permission. In addition to causing redirects, they gather sensitive information and deliver intrusive ads.
"We Have Detected A Serious Problem" states that the Mac OS is potentially infected and encourages users to perform a full system scan. This error message is fake - there are no system infections.
Criminals use "We Have Detected A Serious Problem" to generate revenue by promoting potentially unwanted programs (such as, for example, MacKeeper and Advanced Mac Cleaner). The scam model is very simple. Promoted PUPs are supposed to remove infections.
After running them and performing a 'system scan', users are presented with a false list of potential infections (that, again, do not exist). To "remove" them, users must purchase full versions of the potentially unwanted programs. In this way, criminals trick unsuspecting users into paying for nothing - these anti-virus programs are fake.
They simply imitate a system scan and, in fact, do not protect against threats. For these reasons, the "We Have Detected A Serious Problem" error should be ignored - leave this error-displaying sites immediately. Bear in mind, however, that some of these programs use scripts that prevent users from closing browsing tabs/windows.
In these cases, close web browsers via Activity Monitor or simply restart the system. After re-running the browser, do not restore previous sessions, since the malicious sites will be re-opened. If you have installed apps promoted by "We Have Detected A Serious Problem", immediately eliminate them.
Potentially unwanted applications gather IP addresses, URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries, and other similar information. Collected data is likely to contain private details that PUP developers later share with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals), who misuse private information to generate revenue.
Therefore, the presence of data-tracking apps can lead to serious privacy issues or even identity theft. PUPs are also designed to deliver coupon, banner, pop-up, and other intrusive ads. To achieve this, developers employ tools that enable placement of third party graphical content on any site.
Intrusive ads overlay visited website content (thereby diminishing the browsing experience), and might also redirect to malicious sites and run scripts designed to download/install malware. Therefore, even a single click can result in high-risk computer infections. We strongly recommend that you eliminate all potentially unwanted programs immediately.
| Name | "We Have Detected A Serious Security Problem" 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. |
Research shows that many PUPs are virtually identical. By offering "useful features", potentially unwanted programs attempt to give the impression of legitimacy and trick users to install, however, these apps are designed only to generate passive revenue for the developers.
Rather than delivering any real value for regular users, PUPs pose a direct threat to your privacy and Internet browsing safety.
How did potentially unwanted programs install on my computer?
To proliferate PUPs, developers typically employ intrusive advertisements and "bundling" (stealth installation of third party apps with regular software/apps). Developers conceal "bundled" apps within various sections (usually "Advanced/Custom" settings) of the download or installation processes.
They do not disclose this information properly. Furthermore, and adding complications, some users click advertisements and skip download/installation steps. In doing so, they expose their systems to risk of various infections and compromise their privacy.
How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?
The main reasons for computer infections are poor knowledge and careless behavior. The key to safety is caution. Therefore, pay close attention when browsing the Internet and downloading/installing software.
Intrusive ads typically seem legitimate, however, they are easy to distinguish, since most lead to dubious sites (e.g., gambling, adult dating, pornography, etc.) In these cases, immediately check the list of installed applications/browser plug-ins and eliminate any suspicious entries.
It is also very important to select the "Custom/Advanced" settings, closely analyze each step, and cancel all additional applications.
We advise you to avoid using third party downloaders/installers, since criminals monetize them using the "bundling" method (they promote rogue apps). Therefore, software should be downloaded from official sources only using direct download links.
Text presented in "We Have Detected A Serious Problem" scam:
Potential threats detected
WARNING!
As a result of our vulnerability analysis, we have detected a serious security problem and your Mac OS X 10_10 may be subject to an attack by Meltdown, Specter and its variations. These can even compromise the kernel of the machine.
You must perform an immediate scan with the tool we have prepared to correct this problem.
Your System: Mac OS X is at risk
List of potential threats:
Trojan DNS IRC
Adware.X.Look2me
Trojan.Qoologic - Key Logger
Trojan.Fakealert
Trojan virtumonde
Trojan DNS IRC
To avoid more damage click on ‘Scan Now’ immediately. Our deep scan will provide help immediately!. Update your computer and eliminate potential threats.
Appearance of "We Have Detected A Serious Problem" scam (GIF):
Instant automatic Mac malware removal:
Manual threat removal might be a lengthy and complicated process that requires advanced IT 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 seven days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.
Quick menu:
- What is We Have Detected A Serious Problem?
- STEP 1. Remove PUP 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 programs removal:
Remove PUP-related potentially unwanted applications from the "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 adware-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 exact 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 exact 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 correctly, your Mac should be clean of infections. To ensure 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 the 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 its virus definition database and click the "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.
Remove malicious extensions from Internet browsers
Remove malicious Safari extensions:
Open the 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 regular browser operation.
- If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Safari.
Remove malicious extensions from Google Chrome:
Click the Chrome menu icon 
(at the top right corner of Google Chrome), select "More Tools" and click "Extensions". Locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, select these entries and click "Remove".
- If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Google Chrome.
Remove malicious extensions from Mozilla Firefox:
Click the Firefox menu 
(at the top right corner of the main window) and select "Add-ons and themes". Click "Extensions", in the opened window locate all recently-installed suspicious extensions, click on the three dots and then click "Remove".
- If you continue to have problems with browser redirects and unwanted advertisements - Reset Mozilla Firefox.
Outstanding!
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