Problem
When using your Mac, you are told by a program called MAC Security that you have viruses and that you must pay for the product in order to remove them. This is actually a fake antivirus that lies about your system security in order to get your money and is actually a variant of the MAC Defender trojan.
Solution
To remove the MacSecurity malware, you can download our Removal Tool or follow these instructions:
- Click the Spotlight magnifying glass icon (top right of the screen) or press cmd + Space.
- Type in Activity Monitor and press Enter.
- Make sure the dropdown (near the top right of the window) is set to All Processes.
- In the list, click on MAC Security.
- Click the Quit Process button.
- Click Force Quit.
- Go to your Applications folder.
- Delete the MAC Security file and empty the trash.
- Click the Apple icon in the top left of the screen, then click System Preferences.
- Click Accounts.
- Click on your username on the left.
- Click the Login Items tab.
- If MAC Security is there click on it, then click the minus (-) button.
It is recommended that you Disable Automatic File Opening in Safari to prevent this happening again.
Thank you, thank you, thank you:-)
So cool, i am glad to have come across your very informative and helpful blog…thank you again 🙂
Thank you. What an annoying, dodgy little programme.
No problem. If you have any other Mac problems, then use the Contact button. Thanks for reading.
thank you x a billion!!!!
thanks, that was easy. Now if you only had weight loss advice that was so easy
I don't have a "MAC Security" listed under Activity Monitor when I enter it into the magnifying glass. Help!
Very cool. Very clear. Very easy. Thanks man!
THANK UUUUU!!!!! :*]
@Sylvia: Is "MAC Security" the name of the application that you are trying to remove?
Thank you so much you are a genius…. i was about to have a nervous breakdown because my mac is my life thank you thank you thank you!!!!1
Thank You very much!
Call me "H." After realizing that MAC Security was a virus, (making adult sites pop up) I thought to install a more trusted antivirus: Symantec Norton for mac. While I used its sweep program in an attempt to clean out the virus, it failed, saying there was nothing. Meanwhile, I did use it to block all outgoing internet functions, catching several applications trying to use the internet. It now repeatedly catches Finder from performing a function. Before that, some other function coming from the user "_securityagent" was also caught. I force quit that user in Activity Monitor, but I dont think that solved my problems. Are the actions of Finder normal? Should I still be suspicious?
A million thanks!
~H
Awesome information!!! Thank you so much!!
Helped me a lot!
Danny
Thanks Carl. Just checking. I know I will be coming to this site for my basic computer troubles.
Thank you so very much ~H
Devious little beasties. Thank you for your help! Gone gone gone!ps…Sylvia…keep looking for the "active list" in the activity monitor!
@Holden: Finder accessing the internet is normal. Also _securityagent is part of the Mac operating system so there should be nothing to worry about if you've followed the instructions.
You are my HERO!
Thank you very much. This has been very helpful!
Legend.
You sir, made my evening. Thank you so much!
OMG thank you so much!
thankyou this man.
Thanks man. Stuff like this used to be so easy when i had a windows pc. Now i'm a bit lost when things like this pop up on my macbook! Ur a star.
Help! I don't have Mac Security listed under Activity Monitor! What should I do? I dragged all the Mac Security icons to the trash, but they won't delete! Help!
^Click the Finder icon in the dock (smiley face).Then in the top left click Finder -> Secure Empty Trash.
Like the others, thanks very much! I didn't have "Mac Security" as the file name; I had "MacGuard". It still disappeared.
Thank you!! It looked like such a legit fix for my screen going dark- then it's asking for a serial # and kept opening on start up. Your post was excellent!
Thank you so much!