Trojans found on cookie list/ anti virus didn't detect files

[Alexth]

I have an intel 2010 iMac with os x version 10.6.8 installed. I seldom go on websites other than major news sites and a few music sharing sites (beatport. purevolume, ect). I do not download from these sites and I have always been very cautious about my web surfing. That was until today when I walked into my room to find my cousin looking at PORN on my mac! Specifically, xnxx and xvideos. I have found these plug-ins (Zmdn.com, Atwola.com, Skinvideo.com, Tacoda.com, Imrworldwide.com, Mochiads.com, Specificclcik.com, and above all BLINKX.COM) on my cookie list and I am unable to remove them. Even after I removed all other cookies from the list. More frustrating is that both my anti-virus apps, ClamXav and Sophos, did not detect these trojans. Here’s my questions.


How do I remove unwanted and infected plug-ins from my cookie list?

How do I detect trojans, since my anti-virus app seem to be useless.

Will this windows guy finally have to upgrade to Yosemite for this fix?


Thanks!

 

[bobtomay]

First, cookies are not plugins.
Second, cookies are not trojans.
Third, which is why they would not be detected as such by any anti-virus.
Fourth, they are cookies - that's it.

Next, not even sure if you are really talking about the cookies have not been removed or if you are merely referring to the auto-fill in the address bar - which would have nothing whatsoever to do with whether or not the cookies have been removed.

Need to tell us what browser and exactly where it is that you see these items.

Such as if using Safari - open Safari - Preferences - Privacy - Details - and remove cookies from there - now I'm using Yosemite and it's been way too long since I used 10.6 to remember if they'll be in exactly that place or not.

 

[Alexth]

Probably should have mentioned I am using Safari. I guess I really should update my system, It's way outdated.

I found these "plug-ins" under safari< preferences< security and then under cookies. I removed all cookies from the list and these remained after the action. I also tried removing one at a time. They are listed as "plug-ins" instead of "cookies" under the name of the actual cookie.

These trojans are listen on my cookie list. Why are they remaining on the list after I told Safari to "remove all cookies". Doesn't that mean the files (Trojans) are somewhere on my mac?

Thank you for the help.

 

[Dogbreath]

Alex...please reread bobtomay's reply. Concentrate on the first few lines. Cookies are not Trojans. Try resetting Safari or download Onxy and run it using Automation mode.

 

[bobtomay]

They are still "cookies" - they are not plugins.

The info that particular cookie is storing is typically giving permission to play videos in Safari. The "plugin" the cookie is giving permission to is actually Flash Player in most cases.

Download Onyx here - get the correct one for your version of OS X - head for the Automation tab, check off everything under the Cleaning and Maintenance sections and call it a day.

 

[IWT]

And maybe I can be permitted to add: get rid of Sophos certainly, and ClamXav probably. You don't need AV software.

I don't know if the following are still (or ever were) available for Snow Leopard; but Ghostery, Adblocker and AdwareMedic will protect you from unwanted adds, unwanted tracking or, in the case of AdwareMedic, remove same. As I say, not sure if they're available for 10.6.8. All free though, so worth a try...?

Ian

 

[Dogbreath]

I can vouch for Ghostery and Adblocker. I still run Snow Leopard (10.6.8) and those apps install and work just fine. I can't speak for AdwareMedic simply because I haven't downloaded/tried it.

 

[johnodd4]

Ok Mac for dummy's time.

The plugins cannot be removed because they are active when safari starts up congratulations you now have to reinstall mac os x snow leopard they will not be removed or deleted because they are in use.

sorry

 

[caribiner23]

As an aside, I was in seminar yesterday sponsored by Sophos (data security company), and they told us that you are more likely to get a trojan or malware from a small business site than a porn site.

They've found that 80% of infected sites they've found on the internet are small businesses, explained by the fact that smaller businesses don't have the wherewithal to stay ahead of vulnerabilities in their websites, and often get hijacked or implanted with malware. (Of course, this was part of a sales presentation too. )

The presenter stopped just awkwardly short of saying we should be going to porn sites, LOL.

 

[harryb2448]

Well a buck is a buck is a buck.