Avoid downloading suspect content advertised on vpnshieldplus2.com

What is vpnshieldplus2[.]com?

Like countless others available online, vpnshieldplus2[.]com is a deceptive/scam website. It endorses untrusted software through the use of scare tactics. Usually, these web pages operate by warning that devices are infected and offering products, allegedly capable of eliminating the threat.

No site can detect threats/issues present on systems. Any that make similar claims cannot be trusted, and the same applies to content promoted on them.

In fact, any such content is often bogus, nonoperational, and possibly harmful. Few users access these scam web pages intentionally - most are redirected by intrusive ads or by Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs) already infiltrated into the device.

This scam is primarily targeted towards iPhone users, however, vpnshieldplus2[.]com is often entered via other Apple products as well. Visitors first see a pop-up window. The message is disguised as a system notification, claiming that malware has been detected on the device.

Users are urged to press the "OK" button to initiate the repair process. After this is done, the background page comes into focus. The text therein clarifies that three fake viruses have been detected on the iPhone. Supposedly, the telephone's battery has already suffered damage and, unless this threat is removed, additional damage is imminent.

Then, vpnshieldplus2[.]com lists steps on how to fix this problem. Firstly, users are instructed to tap the button presented below ("Download and Install"), and then they are instructed to install the recommended VPN, which is a "free" tool from the AppStore.

Lastly, users are to run this app and follow further instructions (given by the application) about how to remove the malicious software.

To further the impression of urgency, this scam also displays a countdown, which is intended to scare users into thoughtless action. If these directions are followed, users can end up installing an untrusted app. Websites making these false claims must never be trusted.

As well as deploying intrusive ads, PUAs also cause redirects to deceptive/scam sites, however, these applications can force-open a much wider variety of untrusted and malicious pages. Some of the apps can run intrusive advertisement campaigns.

I.e., they deliver unwanted and harmful ads, which significantly diminish the browsing experience and possess certain dangerous capabilities. Another type of unwanted application can make unauthorized changes to browsers and limit/deny access to their settings.

PUAs of all types commonly have data tracking capabilities. They record users' browsing habits (URLs visited, search queries typed, etc.) and gather their personal information (IP addresses, geolocations and personal details). This private data can then be shared with third parties (potentially, cyber criminals), seeking to generate revenue by misusing it.

In summary, PUAs can lead to browser/system infiltration and infections, financial loss, serious privacy issues and even identity theft. To protect device and user safety, all suspect applications must be removed immediately upon detection.

Threat Summary:

Name	vpnshieldplus2.com pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Mac malware, Mac virus.
Fake Claim	Scam claims the user's iPhone is infected with malware.
Detection Names	Full List (VirusTotal)
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. ▼ 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.

safari-extension[.]com, bestantius[.]com, mobileapplesecurity[.]com are some examples of scams similar to vpnshieldplus2[.]com.

These websites work primarily via scare tactics and social engineering methods. To elaborate, they warn/alert/congratulate visitors about something and then encourage them to performing specific actions such as downloading/installing applications or updates, purchasing content, and so on.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

PUAs are commonly proliferated via the download/install set-ups of other software. The deceptive marketing technique of pre-packing regular products with unwanted or malicious content is called "bundling".

Rushing download/installation processes (e.g. ignoring terms, using pre-set options, skipping steps and sections, etc.) increases the risk of inadvertently allowing bundled applications onto systems, thereby endangering them with potential system infiltration and infections.

Some PUAs have "official" promotional web pages, where they are typically endorsed as "free" and "useful". Intrusive advertisements also spread unwanted apps. When clicked, these ads can execute scripts to download/install PUAs, without users' consent.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

You are advised to research all content to verify its legitimacy, prior to downloading/installing. Use official and verified download sources, as opposed to unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks (BitTorrent, eMule, Gnutella, etc.) and other third party downloaders.

Treat download and installation processes with caution. Read the terms, explore all available options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings and opt-out of downloading/installing supplementary apps, tools, features, and so on.

Intrusive advertisements may seem normal and innocuous, however, they can generate redirects to dubious web pages (e.g. pornography, adult-dating, gambling and similar). If you encounter ads/redirects of this kind, check the system and immediately remove all dubious applications.

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 the pop-up window displayed by vpnshieldplus2[.]com:

Apple Security  Monday
9 December 2019

(1) SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
Malware detected. Hit OK to repair.
OK

Screenshot of vpnshieldplus2[.]com background page:

Text presented in this page:

Apple Security Monday
9 December 2019
(3) Viruses has been detected on your iPhone and battery has been infected and damaged.

If you do not remove this malware now, it may cause more damage to your device. How to fix this:

Step 1: Tap the button below & install the recommended VPN and virus protection tool free from the AppStore.

Step 2: Run the app, follow on screen instructions to remove malware and repair your phone remotely.
1 minutes and 21 seconds
Download and Install
Detected By (c) Apple.

To enable pop-up blocking, fraudulent website warnings, and remove web browsing data in mobile Apple devices, follow these steps:

First, go to "Settings", and then scroll down to find and tap "Safari".

Check if the "Block Pop-ups" and "Fraudulent Website Warning" toggles are enabled. If not, enable them immediately. Then, scroll down and tap "Advanced".

Tap "Website Data" and then "Remove All Website Data".

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 "vpnshieldplus2[.]com"?
• 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 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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