Avoid downloading dubious software promoted by paluns.xyz

What is the paluns[.]xyz site?

paluns[.]xyz is a deceptive website designed to promote various scams. At the time of research, this site ran desktop and mobile version scams. One of the schemes warned users of viruses (actually nonexistent) on their devices,  which is something no web page can detect.

Others claimed that a VPN app is necessary to continue watching videos online. All of the information provided by paluns[.]xyz is false and designed to trick visitors into downloading/installing dubious software (e.g. fake anti-virus tools, adware, browser hijackers, etc.).

Typically, sites such as paluns[.]xyz are entered unintentionally - most users are redirected to them by intrusive advertisements or Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs) already installed onto their devices.

One of the scams promoted by paluns[.]xyz is a variant of the "Your Apple iPhone is severely damaged" scheme. It claims that the browser has been seriously damaged by numerous viruses (in this case, "browser Trojan viruses"). These infections have supposedly originated from recently visited, corrupted websites.

To prevent the fake threats from affecting users' "Facebook account, Whatsapp messages, photos and private applications", they are instructed to download/install the VPN application endorsed by paluns[.]xyz. The other two scams run on this site present users with practically identical messages.

These schemes urge them to download/install a free VPN to continue watching content in safe mode. Some versions claim that users are unable to watch the video due to restrictions in their respective countries. As mentioned, the information provided by paluns[.]xyz is deceptive.

Furthermore, products obtained from this website are often nonoperational (i.e. unable to perform the promised functionality) and/or have dangerous capabilities, which can cause serious issues. Note that, as well as promoting dubious/harmful software, these online scams can abuse people's trust in other ways as well.

To summarize, trusting paluns[.]xyz and similar web pages can result in system infections, financial loss, serious privacy issues and even identity theft.

One of the main causes of rogue redirects to paluns[.]xyz and other dubious websites are PUAs, however, these apps can also have additional capabilities.

Adware-types deliver intrusive advertisements that diminish the browsing experience - once clicked, they can redirect to hazardous sites and some can stealthily download/install rogue software (e.g. PUAs). Browsers hijackers modify browser settings to promote fake search engines.

The promoted web searchers are rarely capable of providing unique results, and so they tend to redirect to Google, Yahoo, Bing and other legitimate search engines. Furthermore, most PUAs (regardless of type) can track browsing-related data. Information of interest includes (but is not limited to) URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries typed, IP addresses and geolocations.

The collected data is usually shared with and/or sold to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals). Therefore, you are strongly advised to eliminate all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins immediately upon detection.

Threat Summary:

Name	paluns.xyz pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Mac malware, Mac virus.
Fake Claim	Device is infected with multiple viruses or a VPN is necessary to continue watching online videos.
Detection Names	Forcepoint ThreatSeeker (Suspicious), Full List (VirusTotal).
Related Domains	support.paluns[.]xyz
Promoted Unwanted Application	Various dubious applications.
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.

apps-notification.com, securityvpnapp.com, and driveandparkgame.com are some examples of other scam websites similar to paluns[.]xyz.

These online schemes use a wide variety of scam models in an attempt to encourage users into downloading/installing and/or purchasing untrusted or malicious software, revealing personal information (e.g. names, emails, banking and/or credit card details), calling fake support/service helplines, allowing remote access and control over their device, paying bogus fees, and so on.

Regardless of what these deceptive web pages offer, claim, request or demand, their purpose is identical: to generate revenue for the scammers/cyber criminals behind them.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

Some PUAs have "official" download pages, which are often promoted by scam websites. These applications can also be downloaded/installed with other products. This deceptive marketing tactic of packing regular software with unwanted or malicious additions is called "bundling".

Rushing download/installation processes (e.g. skipping steps and sections, etc.) increases the risk of inadvertent installation of bundled content. Intrusive ads proliferate PUAs as well. When clicked, the advertisements can execute scripts to make stealthy downloads/installations.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications

You are advised to research all software before download/installation or purchase. Use only official and verified download channels. Untrusted sources such as unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks and other third party downloaders commonly offer bundled content.

When downloading/installing, it is important to read the terms, study all possible options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings and opt-out of additional apps, tools, functions, etc. Intrusive advertisements typically seem innocuous, however, they can redirect to highly dubious sites (e.g. gambling, pornography, adult-dating, and so on).

If you encounter ads/redirects of this type, check the system and remove all dubious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins immediately. 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 by the paluns[.]xyz scam:

Apple Security
Sunday 12 July 2020
WARNING! Your Apple iPhone is severely damaged by 13 viruses!

 

We have detected that your Browser is (62%) DAMAGED by BROWSER TROJAN VIRUSES picked up while surfing recent corrupted sites.
Immediate action is required to prevent it from spreading and infecting sensitive data like your Facebook account, Whatsapp messages photos and private applications.
Here is how you can solve this in just a few seconds (Step by Step)

 

Step 1: Tap REMOVE VIRUS to install VPN from the App Store.

 

Step 2: Open the app to activate the latest update and remove any older (Infected) versions.

Appearance of another mobile variant of the paluns[.]xyz scam:

Text presented in this variant:

VPN Update

 

VPN Update
Please Download The Free VPN App To Continue Watching in safe mode

 

Install

Appearance of the desktop version of the paluns[.]xyz scam:

Text presented in this variant:

Pop-up:

 

Attention! This video is unavailable due to your country restrictions.
Update your VPN to continue watching.

 

----------------------

 

Background:
    
VPN Update
Please Download The Free VPN App To Continue Watching in safe mode

An application promoted by one of the paluns[.]xyz scam variants:

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 "paluns[.]xyz"?
• 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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