Do not download apps promoted via the security-protect.systems scam site

What is the security-protect[.]systems website?

security-protect[.]systems is a deceptive site, which runs various scams. At the time of research, this page promoted two schemes: one claiming that the user's iPhone has been infected; the other that cyber criminals have hacked the device and are monitoring them.

The goal of these scams is to endorse untrusted and malicious software. Typically, they proliferate fake anti-viruses, adware, browser hijackers, and other Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs). They can even spread malware (e.g., trojans, ransomware, etc.).

Most users access websites like security-protect[.]systems unintentionally via mistyped URLs, or redirects caused by intrusive advertisements or installed PUAs.

One of the scams run on security-protect[.]systems states that visitors' iPhones have been infected with four viruses. The fake malware infections can supposedly block the device, damage the SIM card, and delete users' important files.

To remove the nonexistent viruses, the scheme instructs to download/install the recommended application. The other scam run on this web page claims that hackers are watching the users via their iPhones. Allegedly, the cyber criminals have gained access to the mobile phones by hacking their connections.

The scheme warns against closing security-protect[.]systems, as the hackers will expose personally identifiable information, send the browsing history and front-facing camera photos to users' contacts. This scam likewise urges users to download/install the promoted app.

As mentioned, all of the information provided by security-protect[.]systems is false. The web page cannot be trusted, and should be closed. Scams prompted on sites like security-protect[.]systems usually promote various PUAs, often appearing legitimate and offering "useful" features, which are seldom operational.

Fake anti-virus tools are prime examples of these PUAs. They require activation (i.e., purchase) to perform their functions, yet following activation, they remain nonoperational.

PUAs have other unmentioned, dangerous functions. Some can force-open misleading, deceptive, and malicious pages (e.g., security-protect[.]systems). Adware-types deliver intrusive advertisement campaigns. The delivered ads diminish the browsing experience and pose a threat to device/user safety.

When clicked, the intrusive ads redirect to dangerous websites and might be able to stealthily download/install software.

Other PUAs called browser hijackers operate by modifying browser settings and restricting/denying access to them to promote fake search engines. The promoted web searchers can rarely provide search results, and so they redirect to Google, Bing, Yahoo, and other legitimate search engines.

Furthermore, most PUAs have data tracking capabilities. They can monitor browsing activity (URLs visited, pages viewed, search queries typed, etc.) and gather sensitive information extracted from it (IP addresses, geolocations, and personally identifiable details). PUA developers monetize the collected data by sharing it with and/or selling it to third-parties (potentially, cyber criminals).

To summarize, presence of unwanted software on devices can lead to system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft. Therefore, remove all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins immediately upon detection.

Threat Summary:

Name	security-protect.systems pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Mac malware, Mac virus
Fake Claim	One scam variant claims that users' iPhones are infected; the other - that hackers are watching users via their mobile phones.
Promoted Unwanted Application	Various dubious applications
Serving IP Address	104.26.9.195
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.

Yourlandsecurity[.]com, penit[.]xyz site, and customers-info[.]space are some examples of sites akin to security-protect[.]systems. The internet is full of misleading and deceptive content, which is designed to gain and subsequently abuse users' trust.

Popular scam models are: warnings that the device is infected or at risk, alerts that software is outdated or missing, fake prize giveaways, "amazing" offers and deals, etc. Regardless of what these websites claim, their purpose is identical: to generate profit at users' expense.

Due to the widespread nature of online scams, exercise caution when browsing.

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.

Installed programs must be activated and updated with tools or implemented functions that are provided by the official developers. No other third party, unofficial tools should be used.

Note that it is illegal to activate licensed software with ‘cracking’ tools. Files and programs should be downloaded from official websites and via direct download links. Avoid third party installers and the tools/sources mentioned above.

Do not open website links or files in irrelevant emails that are received from unknown, suspicious addresses. These bogus emails are often disguised as official and important. Regularly, scan your computer with reputable, up-to-date antivirus or anti-spyware software.

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 one of the scam variants promoted on the security-protect[.]systems website:

Your iPhone has been infected by the viruses (4)!

 

AppleCare
Protection plan
If not resolved immediately, the viruses could block the mobile phone, damage the SIM card and delete all important files.

 

To remove the virus immediately:

 

Step 1: Click the button below

 

Step 2: Download the "CybRo" on next page to completely eliminate the virus

 

Important: Please act in 59 seconds

 

remove viruses

I do not want to repair my device

Appearance of another scam promoted on security-protect[.]systems:

Text presented in this variant (pop-up):

(17) System notifications
Read important notices about your iOS device.

OK

Appearance of this scam variant background page:

Text presented in this page:

Apple security

Hackers are watching you!

Your iPhone connection has been hacked and someone is watching on you! Please do not close this page. If you don't fix this in two minutes, the hacker will reveal your identity and send your browsing history and front-facing camera photos to everyone in your contacts!

 

1 seconds 35 seconds

Recovery method：

Step 1: Click the "Connection Protection" button below.

Step 2: You will be redirected to the App Store.

Step 3: Install and run the recommended protection app to recover your iPhone.

Protect your connection

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 "security-protect[.]systems"?
• 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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