How to avoid visiting pages like socerapp.xyz

What is kind of page is socerapp.xyz?

Socerapp[.]xyz is a deceptive website designed to display a fake system notification claiming that a network has been hacked. The purpose of this scam is to trick users into installing an application that is supposed to fix the aforementioned problem. We have discovered this pop-up scam while examining shady ads and websites using rogue advertising networks.

Socerapp[.]xyz scam website in detail

Socerapp[.]xyz displays a fake system pop-up claiming that there are numerous important system notifications regarding the safety of the iOS device. It also shows a message claiming that the iPhone connection has been hacked, and if this problem is not fixed in two minutes, hackers will send browsing history and photos to all contacts.

It is important to know that Apple never uses such security alerts on its iOS devices. System notifications displayed by pages like socerapp[.]xyz must be ignored. We have learned that this particular site promotes an application called Trash Killer.

Threat Summary:

Name	socerapp.xyz pop-up scam
Threat Type	Phishing, Scam, Mac malware, Mac virus
Fake Claim	Network connection has been hacked
Detection Names	Avira (Phishing), BitDefender (Phishing), ESET (Phishing), Google Safebrowsing (Phishing), Full List (VirusTotal)
Promoted Unwanted Application	Trash Killer
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.

Similar scams in general

Typically, scam websites like socerapp[.]xyz are disguised as legitimate Apple, Microsoft, or other pages. They claim that a device (phone or computer) is infected, hacked, damaged, etc. Pretty often, they display fake technical support numbers. Examples of similar scams are "Hacker Is Tracking You!", "Your iPhone Was Hacked", "MALWARE DETECTED Action Required".

How did I open a scam website?

Websites that display fake pop-ups are promoted via other pages that use shady advertising networks, fake "Download," or other buttons. Also, they are promoted using search engine poisoning techniques and untrustworthy applications. In all cases, these sites get opened/visited unintentionally.

How to avoid visiting scam pages?

Do not visit questionable websites or download files/applications from them. Avoid opening downloads from P2P networks, third-party downloaders, and similar sources. Always download apps and files from official pages and use direct links.

Do not click on advertisements and fake buttons displayed by dubious web pages. Check downloaders and installers for unwanted applications before downloading or installing any software (especially when software is free). If your computer is already infected, we recommend running a scan with Combo Cleaner Antivirus for macOS to automatically eliminate all threats.

Text in the fake system notification pop-up:

(17) System notifications

Read important notices about your iOS device
[OK]

Screenshot of the deceptive message in the background page:

Text in this message:

Apple security
Hackers are watching you!
Your Apple 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!
minute 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 Apple iPhone.
Protect your connection

Promoted application:

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 "socerapp.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.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is a pop-up scam?

It is a deceptive message (for example, a fake system notification) designed to trick a visitor into performing certain actions. Typically, websites displaying pop-up scams use scare tactics.

What is the purpose of a pop-up scam?

Scammers use pop-up scams to distribute malicious applications, extract sensitive information, obtain remote access to computers, and other malicious purposes.

Why do I encounter fake pop-ups?

Typically, pop-up scams are encountered after clicking fake buttons or ads on shady websites or visiting shady pages that use rogue advertising networks. Also, websites that display pop-up scams are promoted using search engine poisoning techniques or untrustworthy applications.

Will Combo Cleaner protect me from pop-up scams?

Combo Cleaner is designed to scan every visited website and detect untrustworthy pages. It can detect websites that display pop-up scams and restrict access to those pages.

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