Spyware on Mac: How to Find & Remove Them from Your MacBook? [Security & Privacy Tips for macOS Users]

The threat of Mac malware cannot be ignored, among which spyware is particularly dangerous because it can seriously endanger users' privacy and personal lives. Spyware attacks may reveal your browsing habits, personal data, passwords and credit card information, with unimaginable consequences.

In early 2024, 35 countries signed a statement with multiple tech giants calling for a response to the growing use of cyberspy tools, including spyware that can be used to eavesdrop on phone calls, steal photos, and monitor individuals via remote control of cameras and microphones. .

This shows that spyware is still a major security risk. Statista data shows that TrackViewPro is the most widely used spyware in 2022, while the well-known Pegasus is mainly used by intelligence agencies in 2023.

Our team of experts will guide you on how to find malware on your Mac, how to identify spyware, and how to completely remove it. Let's get started!

What is spyware?

Spyware is a type of malware designed to collect private information from an individual or organization. This information may include passwords, usernames, financial details, private conversations, browsing habits, webcam images, microphone recordings, location information, and more. The collected data may then be used for various illegal purposes.

For a long time, many people believed that Macs were not affected by viruses and malware. However, this is a misunderstanding. Despite its good security features, Apple computers can also be a victim of spyware attacks.

There are many types of spyware, including:

• Trojan: This malware is masquerading as a legitimate program to access your data and implant more malicious content on your Mac.
• Adware: This software collects user information and displays banners and pop-up ads that may cause you to infect more malware.
• Cookie Tracker: These code snippets track your online habits, such as the searches you perform and the websites you visit.
• Keylogger: These computer programs record keys to capture confidential information such as login information, passwords, and credit card details.
• Screen Crawler: This data collection method takes screenshots of your device to monitor your activity.

How to tell if your Mac is infected with spyware?

If you suspect your screen is being monitored, please pay attention to the following signs to confirm whether your Mac is infected with spyware:

• Homepage changes without your authorization
• Change default search engines and other applications without your permission
• New settings, extensions and toolbars that are inexplicably installed
• Continuously appearing advertising banners and pop-ups
• Suspicious security alert will pop up even if you don't scan your Mac
• Cannot access personal files
• Your contact receives spam from one of your email accounts
• Mac performance is slower than usual
• Unexplained peaks in resource use

If you encounter any of the above situations, you should consider using one of the solutions we suggest in the later section. However, if you haven't encountered any of these issues, there are some steps you can take to avoid infection with spyware: Always use the latest version of the operating system, download the official app from the Mac App Store, and use a password manager to encrypt your login information.

In addition, you should use a VPN (such as the one included in the MacKeeper Cleanup Utility) to protect your online activities. Here is how to use VPN Private Connect for MacKeeper on your Mac:

1. Open the MacKeeper application on your device.
2. From the left sidebar, select Private Connect under Private Connect from the left sidebar.
3. Expand the VPN Server Location drop-down menu.
4. Select your preferred server location.
Click
5. to open .

How to find spyware on macOS?

Consider using antivirus software such as MacKeeper to find spyware on your Mac:

1. Open the MacKeeper application on your computer.
2. Select Antivirus software under Safe from the sidebar.
3. Click the Start scan button and wait for the scan to complete.
4. Because adware is a kind of spyware, now go to Advertising software clearer, which is also under Security in the left sidebar.
5. Click to start scanning and wait for the scanning to complete.

Continue reading to learn how to delete spyware found on your Mac.

How to clear spyware from your Mac?

Now that you know how to check for spyware on your Mac, learn how to clean it up permanently. You can achieve this in two ways:

1. Manual scan
2. Scan with anti-spyware

1. Manual scan

Manually finding spyware on your Mac involves performing multiple actions on your computer. While it is not a 100% efficient system, it is a viable alternative to anti-spyware tools.

First, update macOS to the latest version:

1. Click the Apple icon in the menu bar.
2. Select System Settings… from the drop-down menu.
3. Select General from the sidebar, and then click Software Update.
4. Click Upgrade now.

Then, use Finder to find suspicious programs:

1. Open Finder and select Application from the sidebar.
2. Click the Group Icon, and select Add date to sort your application by date.
3. Check the results to detect any potentially malicious applications.

Finally, run the Activity Monitor to detect unfamiliar processes:

1. Open Finder and select Application from the left menu.
2. Find and double-click the UtilitiesFolder.
3. StartActivity Monitor.
4. Select the Memory tab, and then click the arrow next to the Memory column to sort the results by memory usage.
5. Check the most memory-consuming process to find suspicious software.

2. Scan with anti-spyware

However, if you are looking for an effective and fast way to remove spyware from your Mac, you should consider getting malware removal tools like MacKeeper's antivirus software. It will help you clear any malicious content on your Apple device—as follows:

1. Start on your MacMacKeeper.
2. Select the Antivirus software tab from the left sidebar.
3. Click the Start scanning button.
4. Waiting for the scan to complete.
5. If your Mac is infected, you will see a list of threats.
6. Select all the items found and click Move to Quarantine button.
7. Click Restart to restart the application.
8. Click Quarantine and select all infections from the list.
9. Click Delete and confirm.

How to protect your Mac from spyware?

If you want to keep your Mac safe from spyware, it is very important to take precautions instead of waiting until the infection occurs. Please follow these tips to prevent future malware attacks:

1. Update your macOS and enable automatic updates
2. Delete suspicious browser extensions
3. Use powerful antivirus software

1. Update your macOS and enable automatic updates

Keep macOS updates are essential to prevent security vulnerabilities and spyware infections. The best way to ensure this is to enable automatic system updates.

1. Click the Apple icon in the menu bar.
2. Select System Settings… from the drop-down menu.
3. Select General from the left menu, and then click Software Update.
4. Click Upgrade now to update to the latest macOS version.
5. Click Question mark icon next to Automatically update
.
6. Open Installing macOS update toggle switch, and then click Done
.

2. Delete suspicious browser extensions

If you notice unfamiliar extensions in your browser, this may indicate that spyware exists on your Mac. You can resolve this issue by accessing the browser's extension management panel and removing any unrecognized extensions.

We will provide step-by-step guides for different browsers below:

• 2.1 Safari
• 2.2 Chrome
• 2.3 Firefox
• 2.4 Opera

2.1 Remove suspicious browser extension from Safari

Please follow these steps to remove suspicious browser extensions from Safari:

1. Open Safari on your Mac.
2. Safari from the menu bar, and then select Settings.
Go to
3. Extensions Tab.
View suspicious extensions.
Click the
5. Uninstall button to delete it from Safari.

2.2 Remove malicious browser extension from Chrome

The following is how to delete the malicious Google Chrome browser extension:

Open the
1. Chrome app on your Mac.
In the upper right corner, click the
2. three vertical dots icon.
Select
3. Extensions from the drop-down menu, and then select Manage extensions.
Find any suspicious extensions in a new window.
On the extension, click
5. Delete .
Click
6. again to delete to confirm.

2.3 Remove untrusted browser extensions from Firefox

The following is how to delete Firefox's untrusted browser extension:

1. Open the Firefox app on your device.
2. In the upper right corner, click the Hamburger button .
3. Select Addresses and Themes from the drop-down menu.
4. Go to Extensions Tab.
5. Check the list and find any untrusted extensions you want to delete.
6. Click the Three dot icon and select Delete .
7. Click again to delete to confirm.

2.4 Uninstall unwanted browser extensions from Opera

The following are the simple steps to uninstall unnecessary browser extensions from Opera:

1. Open Opera on your Apple device.
2. In the lower left corner, click Three dot icon .
3. When you open the sidebar settings, scroll down and click Extensions under Opera Tools .
4. In the new window, find any unwanted extensions.
5. Click Delete , and then click again in the confirmation dialog box.

3. Use powerful antivirus software

It is very important to take steps to prevent malware (including spyware) from infecting your Mac. Installing antivirus software is the best way to do this. Not only does it allow you to remove spyware from your Mac after it has penetrated into your system, it can also detect and block potential threats from entering your device.

MacKeeper is the best choice for antivirus software, as it contains a range of useful tools. Its antivirus software features provide real-time custom scanning and send alerts when serious problems are detected.

Try it for yourself.

Detect spyware on your Mac and delete it permanently

Spyware can take different forms. When a keyboard recorder, Trojan, adware, or cookie tracker infects your Mac, it can endanger all information you store on it and your online activities. To ensure your security and privacy, you should follow some guidelines such as using antivirus to detect, block and remove spyware threats, keep macOS updated, download apps only from official websites, and remove suspicious browser extensions.

In addition, it is also important to install a VPN on your Mac (e.g. MacKeeper's VPN Private Connect) which will help you hide your IP address and encrypt your data. By doing so, you can protect your information from being accessed by malicious actors.

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