Avoid being scammed by the global-support.space website

What is the global-support[.]space site?

Global-support[.]space (apple.global-support[.]space) is a deceptive website designed to promote scams. At the time of research, this site ran a scheme targeting iPhone users, yet the web page might be accessed on other Apple devices as well.

This scam claims that users' iPhones have been infected and damaged. According to the scheme, these fake viruses can be removed by installing a recommended anti-virus tool. No website can detect threats/issues present on devices, and any that make such claims are scams.

The purpose of this scheme is to endorse untrusted software products such as Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs). Most users enter deceptive sites inadvertently via mistyped URLs, through redirects caused by intrusive advertisements, or by PUAs. Note that global-support[.]space has been observed being promoted via deceptive Calendar events.

The text presented in the scam promoted on global-support[.]space states that three viruses have been detected on the visitor's iPhone. The nonexistent malware has supposedly damaged the phone's battery and may cause further damage, if it is not removed immediately. To fix the fake issues, the scheme instructs the visitor to install the free "virus protection tool" by pressing the "Download and Install" button. This dubious product will allegedly remove the malicious software and fully restore the mobile phone. All of the information provided by this scam is false - visitors' devices are neither infected nor damaged. These schemes typically endorse a variety of unreliable and even malicious applications. Therefore, you are strongly advised against trusting global-support[.]space and you should ignore its claims.

Deceptive/Scam websites often promote various PUAs. This software tends to appear legitimate and offers a wide variety of "useful" functions, however, despite how good the features may sound, they are usually nonoperational. Fake anti-virus tools are a prime example of this type of PUA.

They require activation (purchase) to perform the promised functions (e.g. malware removal, system optimization, etc.), yet even after activation these tools remain nonfunctional. In addition, unwanted apps have other unmentioned and harmful capabilities. Some PUAs can force-open untrustworthy, deceptive and malicious web pages (e.g. global-support[.]space).

Adware-types deliver pop-ups, banners, coupons, surveys and other intrusive ads. These diminish the browsing experience and, once clicked, redirect to dangerous sites. Some can stealthily download/install software.

Browser hijackers are other PUAs that make changes to browser settings and restrict/deny access to them to promote fake search engines. The promoted bogus search engines are rarely able to provide search results, and so they tend to redirect to Google, Bing, Yahoo and other genuine sites.

Furthermore, most PUAs have data tracking abilities. They can record browsing activity (URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries typed, etc.) and collect personal information extracted from it (IP addresses, geolocations and other details). This vulnerable data is then shared with and/or sold to third parties (potentially, cyber criminals).

In summary, the presence of unwanted software on devices can result in system infections, serious privacy issues, financial losses and even identity theft. To ensure device integrity and user safety, all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins must be removed without delay.

Threat Summary:

Name	apple.global-support.space pop-up scam
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Mac malware, Mac virus.
Fake Claim	Scam claims users' iPhones have been infected and damaged.
Promoted Unwanted Application	Various dubious applications.
Serving IP Address	172.67.132.10
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.

Security-update-required.com, brkdown.com and topdefence-formob.com are a few examples of other sites similar to global-support[.]space. The internet is rife with various scams, which use likewise different tactics.

Popular scam models include (but are not limited to) warnings that the device is infected or at risk, alerts that an essential piece of software is outdated or missing, fake prize giveaways and raffles, "unbelievable" deals and offers, etc.

Regardless of what these schemes claim, offer, request or demand, the purpose is always the same: to generate revenue for the scammers/cyber criminals behind them.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

PUAs are often downloaded/installed together with other products. This deceptive marketing technique of pre-packing regular software with unwanted or malicious additions is called "bundling". By rushing through download/installation of software (e.g. ignoring terms, skipping steps and sections, using "Quick/Express" settings, etc.) many users risk unintentionally allowing bundled content into their devices.

Intrusive advertisements proliferate PUAs as well. When clicked, the ads can execute scripts to download/install these applications without users' permission. Some PUAs have "official" download web pages from which they can be downloaded.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

You are advised to research all software before download/installation. Use only official and verified download channels. Unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks (BitTorrent, Gnutella, eMule), and other third party downloaders commonly offer harmful and bundled content, and are therefore untrusted and should be avoided.

When downloading/installing, read the terms, study all possible options, use the "Custom/Advanced" settings and opt-out of additional apps, tools, features, and so on. Intrusive advertisements typically seem legitimate, however, they can redirect to dubious and malicious sites (e.g. gambling, pornography, adult-dating, and many others). If you encounter ads or redirects of this kind, inspect 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 in the scam promoted on global-support[.]space website:

Apple Security

 

(16) Viruses have 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 virus protection tool for free from the AppStore.

 

Step 2: Run the app to remove all malware to repair your phone to 100%

 

1 minutes and 25 seconds

 

Download and Install

 

Detected By 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 "global-support[.]space"?
• 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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