# Yikes! Longtime Mac user has...not a virus, but something... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 24, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-longtime-mac-user-has-not-a-virus-but-something/693967 "2014-07-24T20:05:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-longtime-mac-user-has-not-a-virus-but-something/693967/1 "2014-07-24T20:05:28Z")
I’ve been using Macs since 1988. In all that time, I’ve got exactly one virus…and that was in the very early days. WDEF, as I recall, and the only effect it had was to make copies between floppy disks go more slowly (that’s how long ago it’s been). But lo and behold, my work Mac now has some sort of…adware, I guess. When I click on an item on Amazon, a new page opens up with the URL [onlinessurveyscenter.co](http://onlinessurveyscenter.co). What’s worse, audio starts playing…a woman with an annoying voice urging me to take a survey. This happens with every single click I make on Amazon, and it also happens occasionally when I’m on other sites. I don’t have the first clue as to how to go about removing this, simply because it’s a problem I’ve never had to address before. Can any kind soul make a suggestion as to what I might do? Thanks in advance. P.S. iMac 21" running on OS 10.6 ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-longtime-mac-user-has-not-a-virus-but-something/693967/2 "2014-07-24T20:41:43Z")
See here: [The Safe Mac Adware Removal Guide](http://www.reedcorner.net/arg/) ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2014, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-longtime-mac-user-has-not-a-virus-but-something/693967/3 "2014-07-24T22:00:56Z")
There’s a very good chance that it’s your [router](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6165336?tstart=0) that has been compromised, not your Mac! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-longtime-mac-user-has-not-a-virus-but-something/693967/4 "2014-07-25T21:56:51Z")
What browser are you using? Because that is where the problem is, you have some kind of redirect in your browser. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2014, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-longtime-mac-user-has-not-a-virus-but-something/693967/5 "2014-07-25T22:21:25Z")
Adware that aggressive could easily be playing with viruses too. Try the removal guide. Better yet, get a good Mac Internet Security Suite. Even Apple recommends that now. If it’s your work Mac, does your IT department have security software they can install for you? (I can pause here for the laughter to stop if needed.) Once the s/w is installed, run a full scan. It should find any problems, and help you clean and remove them. ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2014, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-longtime-mac-user-has-not-a-virus-but-something/693967/6 "2014-07-25T23:02:58Z")
Do you have any browser extensions installed? Some adware peddlers have been buying up extensions and putting this sort of thing in them. If you do get a security application (and I’m not aware of Apple recommending any), get one from the App Store. There are a bunch of sketchy ones around that are basically malware. ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2014, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-longtime-mac-user-has-not-a-virus-but-something/693967/7 "2014-07-26T19:01:18Z")
> [@The\_Librarian](#): > > What browser are you using? > > Because that is where the problem is, you have some kind of redirect in your browser. I’m using Safari, the latest version that’s compatible with OS 10.6. > [@ddsun](#): > > Adware that aggressive could easily be playing with viruses too. Try the removal guide. Better yet, get a good Mac Internet Security Suite. Even Apple recommends that now. > > If it’s your work Mac, does your IT department have security software they can install for you? (I can pause here for the laughter to stop if needed.) Once the s/w is installed, run a full scan. It should find any problems, and help you clean and remove them. We’re a small office, so there’s no IT department per se. Our web guru is very good, but he’s more of a Windows than a Mac guy. What’s baffling is that, as I said, I have had nearly zero problems of this nature in over 26 years of using a Mac. I’m certainly extremely careful to avoid mail attachments from people I don’t know, but of course it’s possible I got careless at some point. > [@tellyworth](#): > > Do you have any browser extensions installed? Some adware peddlers have been buying up extensions and putting this sort of thing in them. I have just a couple, IIRC. 1Password is one of them. Not much else. I’ve been using 1Password both at home and at work for at least a couple of years without incident. Thanks, DCinDC, for the link to The Safe Mac Adware Removal Guide. I went to that page and downloaded the Applescript, but it was so crazy at work Friday afternoon that I didn’t get a chance to try it. Interestingly, when I tried a few Amazon links earlier in the day, the survey didn’t pop up. However, it popped up as a result of several other pages I visited. Thanks everyone…I appreciate all the help. I’ll report back Monday after I’ve had a chance to run the Adware Removal Applescript. ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2014, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-longtime-mac-user-has-not-a-virus-but-something/693967/8 "2014-07-26T23:41:59Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > I have just a couple, IIRC. 1Password is one of them. Not much else. Disable them anyway, and see if it stops. Also try a different browser. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2014, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-longtime-mac-user-has-not-a-virus-but-something/693967/9 "2014-07-28T20:35:50Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > But lo and behold, my work Mac now has some sort of…adware, I guess. When I click on an item on Amazon, a new page opens up with the URL [onlinessurveyscenter.co](http://onlinessurveyscenter.co). What’s worse, audio starts playing…a woman with an annoying voice urging me to take a survey. This happens with every single click I make on Amazon, and it also happens occasionally when I’m on other sites. Your Amazon profile could be hacked. ---
**Author:** ![DChord568](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@DChord568](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DChord568)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-longtime-mac-user-has-not-a-virus-but-something/693967/10 "2014-07-30T17:39:54Z")
Update… I tried the linked adware removal Applescript, but it found nothing, and the problem persists across multiple websites. For now I’m solving it by switching from Safari to Chrome. I see on today’s Macintouch website that other Mac users have been similarly afflicted as of late. The same linked removal tool was listed as a resource, but that’s all so far. I suspect others will have additional suggestions in the coming days. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2014, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-longtime-mac-user-has-not-a-virus-but-something/693967/11 "2014-07-30T17:58:04Z")
I never have this kind of problem with my Commodore 64. Just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2014, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-longtime-mac-user-has-not-a-virus-but-something/693967/12 "2014-07-30T20:49:07Z")
> [@DChord568](#): > > For now I’m solving it by switching from Safari to Chrome. If that works, it rules out several possibilities. Did you try disabling all extensions in Safari? ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/yikes-longtime-mac-user-has-not-a-virus-but-something/693967/13 "2014-08-01T16:27:09Z")
> [@tellyworth](#): > > If that works, it rules out several possibilities. > > Did you try disabling all extensions in Safari? I’d say that Mac users have just been introduced to the wonderful world of browser hijackers. Easily one of the most obnoxious forms of malware. It most likely came bundled with some program you bought. (My personal term for those sorts of tag-along programs is “crapware,” since 99+% of it is garbage.)