Do not download apps promoted through security-info.space scam site

What is the security-info[.]space site?

Security-info[.]space is a deceptive website running various scams. At the time of research, this page promoted a scheme targeting iPhone users (however, it may be accessed via other Apple devices as well). This scam claims that malware has been detected on visitors' mobile phones - by "Apple Security".

It must be emphasized that this site is in no way associated with the genuine Apple Inc. Furthermore, no website can detect threats or issues present on their visitors' systems; hence, any that make such claims are scams.

This kind of scheme aims to trick users into downloading/installing and/or purchasing untrustworthy products. Typically, they endorse fake anti-virus tools, adware, browser hijackers, and other PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Applications).

These scams have also been observed proliferating malware (e.g., trojans, ransomware, etc.). Users seldom access scam webpages intentionally; most enter them via mistyped URLs, or redirects caused by intrusive adverts or installed PUAs.

When the security-info[.]space site is accessed, it presents visitors with a pop-up window. The text presented in it states that malware has been found on users' devices. The pop-up urges to click "OK" to begin the repair process.

The message on the background page elaborates that 129 viruses have been detected on visitors' iPhones. The fake infections have supposedly led to the calendar being hijacked, the device's battery being damaged, and download of stored photographs being initiated.

The scam instructs installing the recommended AdBlocker and virus protection tool - to eliminate the nonexistent malware infections. Afterwards, users are told to run the app and follow the steps provided by it - to remove the fake viruses and restore the device.

As mentioned in the introduction, all of the information provided by security-info[.]space is false. Hence, is it is strongly advised against downloading/installing and/or purchasing content promoted through it.

Potentially unwanted applications are commonly distributed via online schemes. This software appears legitimate and offers various functionalities, which are rarely operational. Fake anti-viruses are prime examples of this type of PUAs.

They require activation (i.e., purchase) to perform the advertised features, yet following activation - the functions remain nonoperational.

Furthermore, PUAs often have unmentioned, heinous abilities. Some can force-open untrustworthy and malicious sites (e.g., security-info[.]space). Adware-types deliver intrusive advertisement campaigns. The delivered ads diminish the browsing quality and pose a threat to device/user safety.

Once clicked on, intrusive adverts redirect to dangerous webpages, and may be able to stealthily download/install software. Browser hijackers are another type of PUAs; they operate by making modifications to browser settings and limiting/denying access to them - in order to promote fake search engines.

The promoted web searchers are usually unable to provide search results, so they redirect to Google, Yahoo, Bing, and other legitimate search engines. What is more, most PUAs can track data.

Information of interest includes: browsing and search engine histories, IP addresses, geolocations, and personally identifiable details. The gathered data is then shared with and/or sold to third-parties (potentially, cyber criminals).

In summary, the presence of unwanted apps on devices - can lead to system infections, severe privacy issues, financial losses, and identity theft. To ensure device integrity and user privacy, all suspect applications and browser extensions/plug-ins must be eliminated immediately upon detection.

Threat Summary:

Name	security-info.space pop-up
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Mac malware, Mac virus
Fake Claim	Scam claims malware has been detected on users' devices.
Detection Names	alphaMountain.ai (Suspicious), Full List (VirusTotal)
Serving IP Address	104.21.95.209
Related Domain	security-check[.]space, customer-protection[.]space
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.

Iosdfnc[.]com, optavut[.]com, landoseseq[.]com, and security-protect[.]systems are some examples of deceptive pages similar to security-info[.]space. There are thousands of scam websites online, and they use varied tactics to gain and subsequently abuse users' trust.

Popular scam models include: warnings that the system is infected, alerts that an essential piece of software is outdated/missing, fake prize giveaways, ludicrous deals, and so forth. Regardless of what schemes claim, offer, request, or demand, the end-goal is the same - to generate revenue at user expense.

Due to how widespread misleading, deceptive, and malicious material is on the Internet, it is highly recommended to exercise caution when browsing.

How did potentially unwanted applications install on my computer?

Select PUAs have "official" download webpages, which are commonly promoted by deceptive/scam sites. These applications can also be downloaded/installed together with other products.

This false marketing method of packing regular software with unwanted or malicious additions - is called "bundling". Rushed download/installation processes (e.g., ignored terms, skipped steps, etc.) increase the risk of unintentionally allowing bundled content into the system.

Intrusive advertisements are employed to proliferate PUAs as well. Upon being clicked, the ads can execute scripts to make downloads/installations without user permission.

How to avoid installation of potentially unwanted applications?

It is important to research products to verify their legitimacy before download/installation and/or purchase. Additionally, all downloads must be done from official and trustworthy sources.

Since dubious download channels, e.g., unofficial and free file-hosting websites, Peer-to-Peer sharing networks, and other third-party downloaders - often offer hazardous and bundled content.

When downloading/installing, it is recommended to read terms, study all available options, use the "Custom" or "Advanced" settings, and opt-out from supplementary apps, tools, features, etc.

Intrusive adverts appear legitimate and harmless; however, they redirect to unreliable and questionable sites (e.g., gambling, adult-dating, pornography, and so on).

In case of encounters with ads and/or redirects of this kind, the system must be inspected and all suspicious applications and browser extensions/plug-ins detected - removed from it without delay.

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 displayed by security-info[.]space website:

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

Appearance of security-info[.]space website's background page:

Text presented in this page:

Apple Security
Tuesday
13 April 2021

(129) Viruses have been detected on your iPhone - hackers hijacked your calendar, infected your battery and trying to steal your photos.

 

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 AdBlocker 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.

 

01 minutes and 57 seconds

 

Remove Virus

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 "security-info[.]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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