Apple Phishing Season Is Here And Users Are At Risk

With the release of the latest Iphone7, Apple has again become the center of attention, making people look for their web pages more while surfing online. Having realized this, cyber criminals have created multiple phishing web pages that have different aims, all of them malicious. We at SensorsTechForum have decided to follow up on that and see what exactly is behind the cyber-criminals’ mind.

SIDENOTE: This post was originally published in September 2016. But we gave it an update in August 2019.

What Risks Are Out There

Phishing pages may be created with different levels of risk in mind – it depends on what the cyber-criminals are thinking.

One phishing web page may promise to users that they may receive a free iPhone if they fill out their personal details. There are other phishing web pages that may be presented to users of Apple devices, claiming that there is a problem with their phone, MacBook or other Apple device and adding a tech support caller number like the one on the picture below:

This is known as tech support scam, and it aims to get users to make expensive phone calls to non-existent tech support representatives, resulting in having to pay large phone bills.

The most dangerous type of phishing web pages, however, are the ones that are infested with malware, such as applied-app-iPhone(.)com that attempted to infect us with an obfuscated malware, via a malicious JavaScript.

Such web links are a very often met method of infections, and they may not only be phishing for information and display fraudulent claims, but they may also infect your computer with ransomware viruses, banking malware, Trojans and other viruses.

During our researcher we have also stumbled upon multiple phishing web pages that were not only fake but some of them represent an actual threat to computers:

This is just a very small portion of of the domains that are fake and phish for different information. Most of them were representing fake iCloud web pages that aim to steal login details from Apple iCloud accounts:

However, there were also other interesting web pages, like the “revolutionary” fake iPhone finding web page, that claims it can locate your iPhone:

How to Protect Yourself from Phishing

It is important to know how to protect yourself from phishing web pages. To do that, besides having a reliable anti-malware program and a browser extension that actively blocks phishing web pages, you should also know how to identify a phishing web page. Websites such as Scamadviser offer protection against phishing pages by simply telling you how risky a web page you are visiting actually is. Not only this, but you should also take a look at the URL of the web page and check in on websites such as CqCounter to establish the actual owner of the domain, it’s location and even it’s ISP and IP addresses as well as other domains associated with it.

Ventsislav Krastev

Ventsislav is a cybersecurity expert at SensorsTechForum since 2015. He has been researching, covering, helping victims with the latest malware infections plus testing and reviewing software and the newest tech developments. Having graduated Marketing as well, Ventsislav also has passion for learning new shifts and innovations in cybersecurity that become game changers. After studying Value Chain Management, Network Administration and Computer Administration of System Applications, he found his true calling within the cybersecrurity industry and is a strong believer in the education of every user towards online safety and security.

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REMOVE IT NOW (MAC)

with SpyHunter for Mac

Apple Phishing may remain persistent on your system and may re-infect it. We recommend you to download SpyHunter for Mac and run free scan to remove all virus files on your Mac. This saves you hours of time and effort compared to doing the removal yourself.

Free Remover allows you, subject to a 48-hour waiting period, one remediation and removal for results found. Read EULA and Privacy Policy

Preparation Phase:

Before starting to follow the steps below, be advised that you should first do the following preparations:

• Backup your files in case the worst happens.
• Make sure to have a device with these instructions on standy.
• Arm yourself with patience.

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Step 1: Uninstall Apple Phishing and remove related files and objects

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Manual Removal Usually Takes Time and You Risk Damaging Your Files If Not Careful!

We Recommend To Scan Your Mac with SpyHunter for Mac

Keep in mind, that SpyHunter for Mac needs to purchased to remove the malware threats. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA and Privacy Policy

1. Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:

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2. Find Activity Monitor and double-click it:

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3. In the Activity Monitor look for any suspicious processes, belonging or related to Apple Phishing:

Tip: To quit a process completely, choose the “Force Quit” option.

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4. Click on the "Go" button again, but this time select Applications. Another way is with the ⇧+⌘+A buttons.

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5. In the Applications menu, look for any suspicious app or an app with a name, similar or identical to Apple Phishing. If you find it, right-click on the app and select “Move to Trash”.

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6. Select Accounts, after which click on the Login Items preference. Your Mac will then show you a list of items that start automatically when you log in. Look for any suspicious apps identical or similar to Apple Phishing. Check the app you want to stop from running automatically and then select on the Minus (“-“) icon to hide it.

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7. Remove any left-over files that might be related to this threat manually by following the sub-steps below:

• Go to Finder.
• In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
• Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
• If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.

In case you cannot remove Apple Phishing via Step 1 above:

In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:

Disclaimer! If you are about to tamper with Library files on Mac, be sure to know the name of the virus file, because if you delete the wrong file, it may cause irreversible damage to your MacOS. Continue on your own responsibility!

1. Click on "Go" and Then "Go to Folder" as shown underneath:

2. Type in "/Library/LauchAgents/" and click Ok:

3. Delete all of the virus files that have similar or the same name as Apple Phishing. If you believe there is no such file, do not delete anything.

You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:

→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons

Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.

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Step 2: Remove Apple Phishing – related extensions from Safari / Chrome / Firefox

Remove an extension from Safari and reset it.Remove a toolbar from Google Chrome Remove a toolbar from Mozilla Firefox

1. Start Safari

2. After hovering your mouse cursor to the top of the screen, click on the Safari text to open its drop down menu.

3. From the menu, click on "Preferences"

4. After that, select the 'Extensions' Tab

5. Click once on the extension you want to remove.

6. Click 'Uninstall'

A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation to uninstall the extension. Select 'Uninstall' again, and the Apple Phishing will be removed.

How to Reset Safari
IMPORTANT: Before resetting Safari make sure you back up all your saved passwords within the browser in case you forget them.

Start Safari and then click on the gear leaver icon.

Click the Reset Safari button and you will reset the browser.

1. Start Google Chrome and open the drop menu

2. Move the cursor over "Tools" and then from the extended menu choose "Extensions"

3. From the opened "Extensions" menu locate the add-on and click on the garbage bin icon on the right of it.

4. After the extension is removed, restart Google Chrome by closing it from the red "X" in the top right corner and start it again.

1. Start Mozilla Firefox. Open the menu window

2. Select the "Add-ons" icon from the menu.

3. Select the Extension and click "Remove"

4. After the extension is removed, restart Mozilla Firefox by closing it from the red "X" in the top right corner and start it again.

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Step 3: Scan for and remove Apple Phishing files from your Mac

When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as Apple Phishing, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. SpyHunter for Mac offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.

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Click the button below below to download SpyHunter for Mac and scan for Apple Phishing:

Download

SpyHunter for Mac

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