# Winfixer spyware and Safari on a Mac

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winfixer-spyware-and-safari-on-a-mac/340238>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 16, 2006, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winfixer-spyware-and-safari-on-a-mac/340238 "2006-01-16T17:05:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Anaptyxis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anaptyxis/32/3171_2.png) [@Anaptyxis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaptyxis)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2006, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winfixer-spyware-and-safari-on-a-mac/340238/1 "2006-01-16T17:05:39Z")

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So I’m on a Mac running 10.3.9, using Safari 1.3.2. I have cause to head on over to a webpage I’ve visited many times (hosted by [fortunecity.com](http://fortunecity.com)). Immediately it becomes clear that [Winfixer spyware](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=345617) has somehow hijacked the webpage. I keep getting Javascript windows asking me if I want to install Winfixer. Well, obviously I don’t, as a) it’s spyware, b) I’m on a Mac, and c) it’s spyware, for chrissakes! So I keep clicking “cancel” in these dialog boxes, but finally it presents me with a box where there is only one option: clicking “OK” to install. Well, _that_ ain’t happening. But now that dialog box is the active window, and I can’t close it without clicking “OK”. So far the only solution I can think of is to Force Quit Safari, which is a drag because I lose all my current session cookies and have to re-log in a bunch of places. Anyone have a better strategy?

I just updated Safari, too. And of course Apple has no helpful comment on how to keep this crap from coming up. :mad:

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**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2006, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winfixer-spyware-and-safari-on-a-mac/340238/2 "2006-01-16T17:45:17Z")

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Just click okay. It’s not going to do anything to your Mac.

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**Author:** ![sunfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@sunfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunfish)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winfixer-spyware-and-safari-on-a-mac/340238/3 "2006-01-16T17:50:20Z")

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Do you have pop-up windows blocked, and JavaScript disabled (Preferences \> Security \> uncheck the JavaScript box)? That should help.

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**Author:** ![Anaptyxis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anaptyxis/32/3171_2.png) [@Anaptyxis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaptyxis)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2006, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winfixer-spyware-and-safari-on-a-mac/340238/4 "2006-01-16T20:53:42Z")

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> [@Absolute](#):
>
> Just click okay. It’s not going to do anything to your Mac.

Intellectually I know it, but… but it still feels like enabling them! 😃

As for Javascript, yeah, I do have it running. Hate having to toggle things on and off to keep the baddies from bugging me, but if that’s what it takes.

Thanx for the responses.

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**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2006, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/winfixer-spyware-and-safari-on-a-mac/340238/5 "2006-01-17T05:37:01Z")

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Look into downloading PithHelmet for Safari. It blocks ads, popups, all kinds of annoyances. The latest update broke it for a couple of days and I definitely noticed the difference.