Terminal Would Like To Control This Computer POP-UP Virus (Mac)

What is "Terminal would like to control this computer"?

"Terminal would like to control this computer" is a fake pop-up window/message that asks Mac users permission for "Terminal" to control the computer using accessibility features. Many users encounter this pop-up on their Macs, however, it is merely a scam and should be ignored. Access should be denied.

If permission is given, the "Terminal would like to control this computer" pop-up will allow an app to access Security & Privacy preferences. As the name of the targeted settings suggests, this permission might cause various problems relating to security and privacy. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you deny "Terminal" to access any preferences.

This pop-up window is triggered by adware installers that often demand permission to access browsers - these apps are then able to change browser settings, thereby causing unwanted redirects to dubious websites.

Many other adware-type apps are available that also distribute fake pop-up system windows. Ignore these fake pop-ups and remove all potentially unwanted apps (PUAs) that might be causing them immediately.

Most PUAs (including adware) deliver advertisements, such as banners, pop-ups, surveys, coupons, and similar. When clicked, they usually cause redirects to untrustworthy (potentially malicious) websites or execute scripts that download/install more unwanted apps.

Furthermore, these ads are often displayed using tools that enable placement of third party graphical content on any site and conceal underlying content. Another downside of these apps is that they collect browsing-related data: IP addresses, search queries, URLs of visited websites, and so on.

Developers share this data with third parties (possibly also cyber criminals) who misuse it to generate revenue. These actions can lead to privacy, browsing safety issues, or cause even more serious problems such as identity theft.

Threat Summary:

Name	"Terminal would like to control this computer" 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 seven days free trial available. Combo Cleaner is owned and operated by Rcs Lt, the parent company of PCRisk.com read more.

Do not trust any fake system pop-ups, especially those requesting logins/passwords. Most pop-ups of this type are displayed by adware-type or other potentially unwanted apps.

Developers trick people into downloading and installing PUAs by promoting them as useful tools (or similar), however, they deliver none of the functionality promised and cause problems relating to browsing safety and online privacy. Most PUAs have just one purpose: to generate revenue for the developers.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

Users often install PUAs unintentionally via third party software (when developers use the "bundling" method) or through dubious ads. Bundling is a deceptive marketing method used to trick users into installing PUAs by hiding them in "Custom", "Advanced", and other similar options/settings of the download/installation procedures.

Developers do not properly disclose information regarding the presence of these apps. Despite this, the main reason for inadvertent installations are skipped download/installation steps (leaving default settings unchanged).

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

Download software using trustworthy, official websites, and other channels. That does not include torrent clients or other third party downloaders, since these are often monetized by promoting PUAs using the aforementioned bundling method. Do not rush installations without first checking all available options and settings.

Check "Custom", "Advanced" and other options/settings, deselect unwanted applications, and only then finish the download/installation. Many ads redirect users to untrustworthy websites (gambling, adult dating, pornography, and so on).

If you continually encounter these ads (or redirects caused by them), check the list of installed applications (extensions, add-ons, and plug-ins) on your browser. Remove dubious entries. Check for unwanted/unknown apps and remove them immediately. Also apply this to installed programs on your operating system.

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 a fake system pop-up window:

"Terminal" would like to control this computer using accessibility features.
Grant access to this application in Security & Privacy preferences, located in System Preferences.

Screenshot of adware installer that displays this fake system pop-up:

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 "Terminal would like to control this computer"?
• 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 that display "Terminal would like to control this computer" pop-up 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 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.

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