11 New Messages
Digest #9665
Messages
Sun Jul 21, 2013 3:38 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Randy B. Singer" randybrucesinger
This is what I just posted yesterday about the FBI ransom scam to another list:
There is a new, fairly common scam going around. Though it is alarming to encounter, it isn't as big a deal as it seems at first.
You will visit a site, and you will get a message saying that your browser has been disabled by the FBI, and unless you pay a ransom you won't get functionality back. You will find that you apparently can't regain control of your browser.
The message does not come from the FBI, and paying the ransom won't help. The good news is that no malicious software has been downloaded onto your Macintosh, and it is fairly easy to regain control of your browser.
See:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57593943-263/how-to-tackle-javascript-based-ransomware-sites/
In most cases you can simply switch to the Finder, choose Force Quit from the Apple menu, and force quit your browser.
If you are using Safari you should choose Reset Safari from the Safari menu while within Safari.
This is not a "virus", and indeed there is no software that has been downloaded to your computer. Reset Safari and you are entirely good.
___________________________________________
Randy B. Singer
Co-author of The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th, and 6th editions)
Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance
http://www.macattorney.com/ts.html
___________________________________________
There is a new, fairly common scam going around. Though it is alarming to encounter, it isn't as big a deal as it seems at first.
You will visit a site, and you will get a message saying that your browser has been disabled by the FBI, and unless you pay a ransom you won't get functionality back. You will find that you apparently can't regain control of your browser.
The message does not come from the FBI, and paying the ransom won't help. The good news is that no malicious software has been downloaded onto your Macintosh, and it is fairly easy to regain control of your browser.
See:
http://reviews.
In most cases you can simply switch to the Finder, choose Force Quit from the Apple menu, and force quit your browser.
If you are using Safari you should choose Reset Safari from the Safari menu while within Safari.
This is not a "virus"
____________
Randy B. Singer
Co-author of The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th, and 6th editions)
Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance
http://www.macattor
____________
Sun Jul 21, 2013 4:31 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"OBrien" conorboru
On Sun, 21 Jul 2013 12:31:39 -0700, Jim Hamm wrote:
> As a side note I noticed there was an email address to forward spam to at
> the Federal Trade Commission. Wonder what that would do?
I have an action set up in my mail app that forwards all messages that I mark as spam to my local ISP and to the FTC. I don't know what the FTC might do with it, but my ISP uses the info to help tweak their spam filters.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
O'Brien ––– –... .-. .. . -.
> As a side note I noticed there was an email address to forward spam to at
> the Federal Trade Commission. Wonder what that would do?
I have an action set up in my mail app that forwards all messages that I mark as spam to my local ISP and to the FTC. I don't know what the FTC might do with it, but my ISP uses the info to help tweak their spam filters.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
O'Brien ––– –... .-. .. . -.
Sun Jul 21, 2013 5:42 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Jim McGarvie" jgarv2002
My new MBP Retina crashes periodically with the "Your mac osx startup disk has no more space available for application memory" message. Part, if not all, of the problem may be that SafariDAVClient often consumes over 100% of the CPU and a few GB of RAM.
I've done quite a bit of research online and the consensus seems to be that SafariDAVClient is involved with syncing Safari bookmarks with iCloud, and a common recommendation is to disable bookmark syncing in System Preferences. Well, maybe that advice is a little outdated because bookmark syncing isn't one of the options in my Systems Preferences iCloud menu, but Safari is and I disabled that. Also on my iDevices. No help.
Since I switched to Chrome some time ago I deleted the Safari app (which required a special program), and deleted the safari bookmarks.plist file.
Just now I checked the Activity Monitor and there it was again. So there must be more to this than meets the eye. How can I drive a stake through the heart of SafariDAVClient?
Thanks.
Best,
Jim
I've done quite a bit of research online and the consensus seems to be that SafariDAVClient is involved with syncing Safari bookmarks with iCloud, and a common recommendation is to disable bookmark syncing in System Preferences. Well, maybe that advice is a little outdated because bookmark syncing isn't one of the options in my Systems Preferences iCloud menu, but Safari is and I disabled that. Also on my iDevices. No help.
Since I switched to Chrome some time ago I deleted the Safari app (which required a special program), and deleted the safari bookmarks.plist file.
Just now I checked the Activity Monitor and there it was again. So there must be more to this than meets the eye. How can I drive a stake through the heart of SafariDAVClient?
Thanks.
Best,
Jim
Sun Jul 21, 2013 6:04 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Ardell Faul" computer_monitor_service_company
I have had several Windows users who got this and actually paid he
ramsom with the belief that it would fix their computer. Then a few
days later when their computer still doesn't work it starts to dawn on
them that there is no mechanism for the ransom holders to actually fix
their computer and they have been scammed. This virus is really a nasty
one in Windows, though. It is designed to be Always On Top, so you
can't get to any applications directly, even with the 3-fingered-salute,
Ctrl+Alt+Del.
Ardell Faul
Computer Monitor Service Inc.
Ardell's Laptop and PC Repair
10816 E. Mission Ave.,
Spokane Valley, Wa. 99206
ardell@icehouse.net
509-891-5188
On 7/21/2013 1:20 PM, Dane Reugger wrote:
>
> Even though it's a simple javascript I would
> still consider it ransomware as you must disable it or pay.
>
>
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
ramsom with the belief that it would fix their computer. Then a few
days later when their computer still doesn't work it starts to dawn on
them that there is no mechanism for the ransom holders to actually fix
their computer and they have been scammed. This virus is really a nasty
one in Windows, though. It is designed to be Always On Top, so you
can't get to any applications directly, even with the 3-fingered-salute,
Ctrl+Alt+Del.
Ardell Faul
Computer Monitor Service Inc.
Ardell's Laptop and PC Repair
10816 E. Mission Ave.,
Spokane Valley, Wa. 99206
ardell@icehouse.
509-891-5188
On 7/21/2013 1:20 PM, Dane Reugger wrote:
>
> Even though it's a simple javascript I would
> still consider it ransomware as you must disable it or pay.
>
>
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sun Jul 21, 2013 6:30 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Bob Cook" cookrd1
There was a Mac Geek Gab podcast that talked about this as one of their
items within the last six months or so. I don't remember the details,
except the fix was involved and, in this particular case, did not involve
Safari. I think it was episode 430 on this page:
http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/features/mac_geek_gab_free/P20
-Bob
On Sun, Jul 21, 2013 at 8:42 PM, Jim McGarvie <jim@mcgarvie.us > wrote:
> **
>
>
> My new MBP Retina crashes periodically with the "Your mac osx startup disk
> has no more space available for application memory" message. Part, if not
> all, of the problem may be that SafariDAVClient often consumes over 100% of
> the CPU and a few GB of RAM.
>
> I've done quite a bit of research online and the consensus seems to be
> that SafariDAVClient is involved with syncing Safari bookmarks with iCloud,
> and a common recommendation is to disable bookmark syncing in System
> Preferences. Well, maybe that advice is a little outdated because bookmark
> syncing isn't one of the options in my Systems Preferences iCloud menu, but
> Safari is and I disabled that. Also on my iDevices. No help.
>
> Since I switched to Chrome some time ago I deleted the Safari app (which
> required a special program), and deleted the safari bookmarks.plist file.
>
> Just now I checked the Activity Monitor and there it was again. So there
> must be more to this than meets the eye. How can I drive a stake through
> the heart of SafariDAVClient?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Best,
>
> Jim
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
items within the last six months or so. I don't remember the details,
except the fix was involved and, in this particular case, did not involve
Safari. I think it was episode 430 on this page:
http://www.macobser
-Bob
On Sun, Jul 21, 2013 at 8:42 PM, Jim McGarvie <jim@mcgarvie.
> **
>
>
> My new MBP Retina crashes periodically with the "Your mac osx startup disk
> has no more space available for application memory" message. Part, if not
> all, of the problem may be that SafariDAVClient often consumes over 100% of
> the CPU and a few GB of RAM.
>
> I've done quite a bit of research online and the consensus seems to be
> that SafariDAVClient is involved with syncing Safari bookmarks with iCloud,
> and a common recommendation is to disable bookmark syncing in System
> Preferences. Well, maybe that advice is a little outdated because bookmark
> syncing isn't one of the options in my Systems Preferences iCloud menu, but
> Safari is and I disabled that. Also on my iDevices. No help.
>
> Since I switched to Chrome some time ago I deleted the Safari app (which
> required a special program), and deleted the safari bookmarks.plist file.
>
> Just now I checked the Activity Monitor and there it was again. So there
> must be more to this than meets the eye. How can I drive a stake through
> the heart of SafariDAVClient?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Best,
>
> Jim
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sun Jul 21, 2013 6:33 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Jim McGarvie" jgarv2002
Thanks, Bob. I'll check it out.
Jim
On Jul 21, 2013, at 6:30 PM, Bob Cook <cookrd1@discoveryowners.com > wrote:
> There was a Mac Geek Gab podcast that talked about this as one of their
> items within the last six months or so. I don't remember the details,
> except the fix was involved and, in this particular case, did not involve
> Safari. I think it was episode 430 on this page:
> http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/features/mac_geek_gab_free/P20
>
> -Bob
>
>
> On Sun, Jul 21, 2013 at 8:42 PM, Jim McGarvie <jim@mcgarvie.us > wrote:
>
>> **
>>
>>
>> My new MBP Retina crashes periodically with the "Your mac osx startup disk
>> has no more space available for application memory" message. Part, if not
>> all, of the problem may be that SafariDAVClient often consumes over 100% of
>> the CPU and a few GB of RAM.
>>
>> I've done quite a bit of research online and the consensus seems to be
>> that SafariDAVClient is involved with syncing Safari bookmarks with iCloud,
>> and a common recommendation is to disable bookmark syncing in System
>> Preferences. Well, maybe that advice is a little outdated because bookmark
>> syncing isn't one of the options in my Systems Preferences iCloud menu, but
>> Safari is and I disabled that. Also on my iDevices. No help.
>>
>> Since I switched to Chrome some time ago I deleted the Safari app (which
>> required a special program), and deleted the safari bookmarks.plist file.
>>
>> Just now I checked the Activity Monitor and there it was again. So there
>> must be more to this than meets the eye. How can I drive a stake through
>> the heart of SafariDAVClient?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Jim
>>
>>
>
Jim
On Jul 21, 2013, at 6:30 PM, Bob Cook <cookrd1@discoveryow
> There was a Mac Geek Gab podcast that talked about this as one of their
> items within the last six months or so. I don't remember the details,
> except the fix was involved and, in this particular case, did not involve
> Safari. I think it was episode 430 on this page:
> http://www.macobser
>
> -Bob
>
>
> On Sun, Jul 21, 2013 at 8:42 PM, Jim McGarvie <jim@mcgarvie.
>
>> **
>>
>>
>> My new MBP Retina crashes periodically with the "Your mac osx startup disk
>> has no more space available for application memory" message. Part, if not
>> all, of the problem may be that SafariDAVClient often consumes over 100% of
>> the CPU and a few GB of RAM.
>>
>> I've done quite a bit of research online and the consensus seems to be
>> that SafariDAVClient is involved with syncing Safari bookmarks with iCloud,
>> and a common recommendation is to disable bookmark syncing in System
>> Preferences. Well, maybe that advice is a little outdated because bookmark
>> syncing isn't one of the options in my Systems Preferences iCloud menu, but
>> Safari is and I disabled that. Also on my iDevices. No help.
>>
>> Since I switched to Chrome some time ago I deleted the Safari app (which
>> required a special program), and deleted the safari bookmarks.plist file.
>>
>> Just now I checked the Activity Monitor and there it was again. So there
>> must be more to this than meets the eye. How can I drive a stake through
>> the heart of SafariDAVClient?
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> Jim
>>
>>
>
Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:07 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"ed-reiff" ed-reiff
--- In macsupportcentral@
>
> On Sun, 21 Jul 2013 12:31:39 -0700, Jim Hamm wrote:
> > As a side note I noticed there was an email address to forward spam to at
> > the Federal Trade Commission. Wonder what that would do?
>
> I have an action set up in my mail app that forwards all messages that I mark as spam to my local ISP and to the FTC. I don't know what the FTC might do with it, but my ISP uses the info to help tweak their spam filters.
>
>
> . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
>
> O'Brien â€"â€"â€" â€"... .-. .. . -.
>
Your spam may not be everyone else's spam.
Ed
Sun Jul 21, 2013 11:56 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
cheeky_chas
This message is not a joke and I have read all of the previous quips from the past, I would be grateful for a serious answer:
I am seeing what appears to be a small insect moving around inside the screen of my iMac (latest version).
The ''creature'' has changed size and appears bigger.
I had read about this some years ago as being a bug of the digital kind not a real insect but what do I do to rid my Mac of this? I have looked online but most advice assumes that one is talking about a real insect, which I am convinced is not so.
When replying, if you are aware of this phenomenon, I would be grateful to know of any other effects on the computer , as I am having a problem at present with Eye TV.
Thank you to anyone who can help - Randy are you there?
Charles.
I am seeing what appears to be a small insect moving around inside the screen of my iMac (latest version).
The ''creature&
I had read about this some years ago as being a bug of the digital kind not a real insect but what do I do to rid my Mac of this? I have looked online but most advice assumes that one is talking about a real insect, which I am convinced is not so.
When replying, if you are aware of this phenomenon, I would be grateful to know of any other effects on the computer , as I am having a problem at present with Eye TV.
Thank you to anyone who can help - Randy are you there?
Charles.
Mon Jul 22, 2013 12:02 am (PDT) . Posted by:
cheeky_chas
Further to my last message - please ignore the comment relating to Eye TV - fixed.
Charles.
On 22 Jul 2013, at 07:56, ck368@me.com wrote:
> This message is not a joke and I have read all of the previous quips from the past, I would be grateful for a serious answer:
>
> I am seeing what appears to be a small insect moving around inside the screen of my iMac (latest version).
>
> The ''creature'' has changed size and appears bigger.
>
> I had read about this some years ago as being a bug of the digital kind not a real insect but what do I do to rid my Mac of this? I have looked online but most advice assumes that one is talking about a real insect, which I am convinced is not so.
>
> When replying, if you are aware of this phenomenon, I would be grateful to know of any other effects on the computer , as I am having a problem at present with Eye TV.
>
> Thank you to anyone who can help - Randy are you there?
>
> Charles.
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Charles.
On 22 Jul 2013, at 07:56, ck368@me.com wrote:
> This message is not a joke and I have read all of the previous quips from the past, I would be grateful for a serious answer:
>
> I am seeing what appears to be a small insect moving around inside the screen of my iMac (latest version).
>
> The ''creature&
>
> I had read about this some years ago as being a bug of the digital kind not a real insect but what do I do to rid my Mac of this? I have looked online but most advice assumes that one is talking about a real insect, which I am convinced is not so.
>
> When replying, if you are aware of this phenomenon, I would be grateful to know of any other effects on the computer , as I am having a problem at present with Eye TV.
>
> Thank you to anyone who can help - Randy are you there?
>
> Charles.
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Mon Jul 22, 2013 12:58 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Randy B. Singer" randybrucesinger
On Jul 22, 2013, at 12:02 AM, ck368@me.com wrote:
> Further to my last message - please ignore the comment relating to Eye TV - fixed.
But you still have "the bug", or is that fixed too?
____________
Randy B. Singer
Co-author of The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th, and 6th editions)
Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance
http://www.macattor
____________
Mon Jul 22, 2013 1:02 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Randy B. Singer" randybrucesinger
On Jul 21, 2013, at 11:56 PM, ck368@me.com wrote:
> I am seeing what appears to be a small insect moving around inside the screen of my iMac (latest version).
Is this it?
----------
____________
Randy B. Singer
Co-author of The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th, and 6th editions)
Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance
http://www.macattor
____________
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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