This article has been created in order to give you insight on how to quickly remove the Mokes Mac Trojan from your Mac effectively.
The Mokes Mac Trojan is a very dangerous threat to all Mac computers as it can install itself silently and lead to data theft. Active infections can be made without any apparent symptoms and depending on the specific hacker instructions different actions can take place. This is the reason why affected users should remove it immediately.
Threat Summary
| Name | Mokes Mac Trojan |
| Type | Mac OS Trojan |
| Short Description | The Mokes Mac Trojan can spy on the victims and steal their files. |
| Symptoms | The victims may not experience any apparent signs of infection. |
| Distribution Method | Phishing Email Messages and Sites |
| Detection Tool | See If Your System Has Been Affected by malware Download Malware Removal Tool | User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Mokes Mac Trojan. |
The Mokes Mac Trojan is a dangerous virus made for Apple’s desktop operating system — it is alternatively known under its signature name of Backdoor.OSX.Mokes.a.
This particular threat is a modified version of the Windows and Linux version which has been changed to affect MacOS. It is spread by using a new distribution technique that relies on phishing email messages and sites. The hackers behind the campaign manipulate the victims into thinking that they need to update their security certificates. This particular campaign is effective as the virus is merely linked in the contents and the download will be triggered by a script. This is an alternative to the traditional deployment technique which relies on the direct execution of an attached file in the email messages.
There is no information at the moment regarding the hacking group. It is very possible that the criminals are experienced enough to have created this virus modification. When the virus infection is started the main engine will start a complex sequence.
The Mokes Mac Trojan will install itself as a persistent threat by copying itself to the following locations:
$HOME/Library/App Store/storeuserd
$HOME/Library/com.apple.spotlight/SpotlightHelper
$HOME/Library/Dock/com.apple.dock.cache
$HOME/Library/Skype/SkypeHelper
$HOME/Library/Dropbox/DropboxCache
$HOME/Library/Google/Chrome/nacld
$HOME/Library/Firefox/Profiles/profiled
When this process has completed the main Mokes Mac Trojan engine will start a remote connection to a hacker-controlled server. This is done by constantly sending out and listening out for a certain type of network packet with the aim of keeping the connection stable for as long as possible. The network is maintained in an encrypted form and done over port 443 which is reserved for the WWW web service. Apart from this the Trojan engine is capable of capturing audio, taking screenshots, accessing all mounted removable storage devices and network shares and etc. The detailed analysis shows that the virus will search the system for any office document files — spreadsheets, text documents, presentations and etc. This means that the Mokes Mac Trojan can be used for spying and espionage purposes as the file search can be modified at any time. The virus analysis of the captured samples shows that the temporary data that are to be uploaded will be created in distinct log files:
$TMPDIR/ss0-DDMMyy-HHmmss-nnn.sst (Screenshots)
$TMPDIR/aa0-DDMMyy-HHmmss-nnn.aat (Audiocaptures)
$TMPDIR/kk0-DDMMyy-HHmmss-nnn.kkt (Keylogs)
$TMPDIR/dd0-DDMMyy-HHmmss-nnn.ddt (Arbitrary Data)
Martin Beltov
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
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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.
Step 1: Uninstall Mokes Mac Trojan and remove related files and objects
1. Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:
- 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 Mokes Mac Trojan 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:
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.
Step 2: Remove Mokes Mac Trojan – 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
Step 3: Scan for and remove Mokes Mac Trojan files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as Mokes Mac Trojan, 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.
