“Apple Security Trojan Warning” Scam

 

“Apple Security Trojan Warning”

If you’ve encountered an “Apple Security Trojan Warning” message then you most likely are dealing with a Browser Hijacker (and not a real Trojan Horse.) Browser Hijackers are programs that seek to infiltrate one’s browser program (for example, Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Firefox, etc.) and take control over some of its settings, usually, for the purposes of web advertising and generating income for the program’s developer.

Recently, we have spotted a newly released Hijacker that goes under the name of “Apple Security Trojan Warning” and within the next lines, we will try to give you some basic, yet essential information regarding the potentially unwanted program.The most typical aspects and traits of these programs in general are that they normally seek to alter some elements of the user’s browser. Usually, those include changes of the new tab page, of the default search engine or of the homepage of the browser. Some Hijackers are also known to display intrusive advertising content as well as trigger unwanted page redirects. All of this can be highly frustrating, specially for anyone who frequently needs to use their browser program for work as many of you probably do. What also needs to be remembered here is that in certain cases, a Hijacker might actually lead to certain security hazards and make your system more susceptible to attacks from hackers. Due to those characteristics of most Browser Hijackers, these programs are generally considered to be undesirable and unwanted. In fact, many people (researchers included) refer to them as malware or as viruses, even though Hijackers, typically, aren’t actual PC viruses.

Can such a program be useful?

One thing to note here is that a number of applications that might be deemed Hijackers are actually legitimate software tools and do indeed offer some sort of function or feature that could benefit the user. That said, the intrusive and browser-modifying part of the program is what leads people to see it as unwanted and potentially hazardous. However, this scenario is more of an exception – more often than not, Browser Hijackers lack any sort of beneficial feature to make it worth keeping them on the PC. After all, normally, the main purpose of a programs from the Hijacker type is to provide income for its creators by utilizing different web-advertising methods that often make the application unbearably annoying and irritating (and in some instances, a security risk).

What dangers might come from a Hijacker?

It is rather rare for a program like “Apple Security Trojan Warning” to cause any direct damage to the user’s system. However, the changes to the browser and the potential redirects and advertising materials could compromise the safety of the computer and make it more open to actual malware attacks from viruses such as Ransomware, Trojan horses, Spyware, etc. Additionally, a lot of Hijackers are known to collect private data from the users’ browsers which is later used for target-advertising, effectively boosting the overall profit from the program. In addition to that, Hijackers could also affect the performance of the computer they are installed on, making it operate slower and become sluggish (errors and freezes are also not impossible). All in all, probably not the best type of program to have installed on your computer unless you want to risk having the system infected by some nasty Ransomware or Trojan or have your private browser data collected without your permission.

Tips for preventing Hijacker installation

It is certainly way easier to avoid landing a Hijacker than it is to have it removed. That said, we have the removal part covered inside our “Apple Security Trojan Warning” removal guide below, in case you need such instructions. However, it’s still better to ensure that no more unwanted applications get on your computer rather than having to uninstall them afterwards (as removing Hijackers is often more complicated then uninstalling a regular program). In order to stop potentially undesirable programs like “Apple Security Trojan Warning” coming your way, you’d need to be careful with your web activities. Any site or online content that appears fishy and suspicious ought to be avoided. The same applies to messages and e-mails that you might receive, if they contain links or data attachments which you cannot verify as safe and reliable. Also, do not trust or interact with any browser ads and offers which are obviously fake or sound too good to be legitimate (not too difficult to spot those). Also, it is always a good idea to have a specialized anti-malware tool to help you increase the security levels of your machine. Also, keep an eye out for bundled applications within other programs as this is a very frequently employed technique for spreading Hijackers. If you are on your way to install some new program and it has some optional installs, take a look at them and maybe even carry out a quick online research on them in order to see if they aren’t some sort of undesirable programs. If they seem shady or if you simply don’t think that you need them, uncheck them to avoid having those applications installed.

Note: Know that oftentimes the bundled software options are available only in the Custom/ Advanced settings menu, which is why it is inadvisable to opt for the Quick/ Default installation option.

SUMMARY:

Name	“Apple Security Trojan Warning”
Type	Browser Hijacker
Detection Tool

“Apple Security Trojan Warning” Scam Removal

Search Marquis is a high-profile hijacker – you might want to see if you’re not infected with it as well.
You can find the removal guide here.