Critical Virus Alert on Mac: What Does This Warning Popup Mean & How to Get Rid of It?

"Serious Virus Alert" repeatedly popped up by Mac computers? Don’t panic! This article will guide you to identify and clear such malicious pop-ups.

The good news is that these alerts are fake phishing scams. As long as you don't interact with it, it should be fine. The bad news is that hijacked browsers or malware may send these notifications, so you need to fix this issue immediately.

This article will explain what "severe virus alerts" are on your Mac and how to clear them.

What is the "Serious Virus Alert" on Mac?

"Severe Virus Alert" notification is a false virus alert designed to trick you into believing that your Mac is malware. They will urge you to take action to “fix” issues, such as asking you to download the software, renew your subscription, or call your support number for help. The purpose of these alerts is to steal your credit card information and personal data, or to infect your device with malware.

How does the "Serious Virus Alert" scam work?

"Severe Virus Alert" on Mac utilizes website notification settings for Safari and other web browsers. Potentially unwanted software (PUP), although not a virus, is very similar, also displays these alerts. Interaction with these alerts can lead to entry into a fake website designed to steal personal information or install malware.

Common browser hijackers and PUPs will pop up fake virus alerts, including:

• Safe Finder
• Advanced Mac Cleaner
• MyMacUpdater
• Advanced Mac Tuneup
• Search Marquis
• Shlayer
• AnySearchManager

What are the signs of "serious virus alert" scam?

False warnings such as "severe virus alerts" and "Apple security alerts" mimic system notifications or legitimate security software to create suspicion and fear. They also use social engineering techniques, forcing you to pay for the "solution" or download "free" software with malware.

The typical signs of "severe virus alert" scam are as follows:

• Continuously display of alarms: The alarm will appear repeatedly even after the alarm is turned off.
• Emergency Wording: Alarms use emergency words to create panic.
• Looks similar to legal notifications: These alerts display icons that will make you mistakenly think they come from a System Settings app or some well-known security solution (such as McAfee).
• Loading suspicious website: Selecting an alert will open a fake scan website that shows that your Mac has been infected.
• Request personal data: This website will ask you to provide sensitive information such as a password or credit card number.
• Show download prompt: The system will prompt you to download the "anti-virus solution", but in fact it is a masquerading malware.

How to clear the "Serious Virus Alert" pop-up window from your Mac?

Your Mac displays a "Serious Virus Alert" pop-up because you allow malicious websites to send notifications or install harmful browser extensions. Typically, you can clear these virus popups by resetting your web browser to default settings. If this doesn't solve the problem, you need to find and uninstall any unwanted applications that generate false alarms.

To clear the "Serious Virus Alert" pop-up on your Mac, you must:

• Restore your web browser to factory settings
• Disable push notifications for suspicious applications
• Find and delete malware that sends false alarms
• Delete residual files generated by unwanted software
• Remove malware with trusted antivirus solutions

1. Restore browser settings

Factory resetting of a web browser is the most effective way to fix tampered website notification settings or remove malicious extensions that cause severe virus alerts on your Mac.

Here is how to restore Google Chrome to factory default settings:

1. Select the three points in the upper right corner of the Chrome window, and then select Set .
Select
2. Reset settings Sidebar option, and select on the right side of the window to restore the settings to their original default value .
Select the
3. Reset settings button in the confirmation pop-up window.

Here is how to restore Mozilla Firefox to factory default settings:

1. Select the three stacked lines in the upper right corner of the Firefox window, and then select Help. Select
More troubleshooting information
2. option. Select
Refresh Firefox
3. button.

Here is how to restore Apple Safari to factory default settings:

Exit Safari
1. and go to your desktop. Select
Go to>Go to folder
2. on the menu bar. In the Go to Folder dialog box, type
~/Library/Safari/
3. , and press Return. In the Finder window that appears, delete every item except the
Bookmarks.plist
4. file. Open another "Go to Folder" dialog box and visit
~/Library/Containers/
5. . Type
Safari
6. in the search field in the upper right corner, and delete all files and folders displayed in the search results. Access
~/Library/Saved Application State/
7. and delete the folder marked com.apple.Safari.savedState.

The following is how to restore the Opera browser to its factory default settings:

1. Select Opera > Settings on the Opera menu bar.
2. Scroll down and select Advanced.
3. Scroll down again and select to restore the settings to their original default value .

2. Close push notifications on your Mac

If your Mac still displays "critical virus alert" even after resetting your browser, you must check and disable push notifications related to any suspicious applications.

The following is how to disable push notifications for fake apps on your Mac:

1. Open Apple menu and select System settings .
2. Select Notification on the sidebar.
3. View the list under App Notifications . Select an app you don't remember installing or any app that resembles the icon displayed in the critical virus alert. If you are unsure, check it online.
4. Turn off the toggle switch next to Allow notifications on the following screen.
5. Repeat this for any other exceptional applications encountered.

Here is how to prevent fake applications from running when Mac boots up:

1. Go to General>Login in the system settings.
Highlight the application in the login list and select the
2. minus sign (—) icon.
Scroll down to
3. Allow running in the background section, if the app is listed below, turn off the switch next to it.

3. Delete malware related to "Serious Virus Alert" scam

In addition to preventing unwanted software from sending false alerts, malicious applications must also be uninstalled from Mac. Keeping installed malware puts the system at security risks.

Here is how to remove malicious applications from your Mac:

1. Open Finder and select Application on the sidebar.
2. View the app list and find any suspicious apps.
3. Move these items to Wastebasket.

If you have trouble deleting the application, force stop any background processes related to it through Activity Monitor and try again.

Here is how to stop malicious application processes through Mac's Activity Monitor:

1. Open Startup and select Other>Activity Monitor.
2. Find any process related to the application. To speed up, you can use the search column in the upper right corner to filter the process by name.
3. Highlight the process and select the Stop button.
4. Select Forcibly exit .

Next, check for any configuration profiles that the program may have been added to your Mac. If left alone, these configuration files may continue to reinfect the system software.

Here is how to check and remove fake configuration profiles from your Mac:

1. Open System settings and select Privacy and Security on the sidebar.
2. Scroll down to the right side of the window and select Profile .
3. Highlight any suspicious profiles and select the minus sign (—) icon to delete it.

4. Delete the residual files generated by the "Serious Virus Alert" notification

After uninstalling a malicious application, the files may remain in various directories. You must delete any remaining files to protect your Mac.

The following is how to delete residual files generated by fake applications on your Mac:

1. Open Finder, select on the menu bar to go to >Go to folder , and then access the following folder:
   • /Library/LaunchAgents
   • /Library/LaunchDaemons
   • ~/Library/LaunchDaemons
   • ~/Library/Preferences/
   • ~/Library/Caches/
   • ~/Library/Application Support/
2. Check for any exception content in each directory, such as files and folders of the application you uninstalled.
3. Move any suspicious items to Trash.

5. Scan your Mac with antivirus software and delete unwanted programs

If your Mac keeps popping up severe virus alerts and finds that the manual deletion process is too cumbersome, or you want to prevent similar phishing scams or malware from penetrating into your system, try using MacKeeper. It is an Apple notarized security solution that provides real-time virus scanning and deletion.

The following is how to use MacKeeper's anti-virus feature to delete unwanted programs on your Mac:

1. Download MacKeeper and open it.
2. Select to start scanning under Anti-Virus.
3. According to the instructions to delete unwanted software.

MacKeeper provides additional security and privacy features including personal data breach checks, VPN online activity protection, and 24/7 security expert support.

Conclusion

False virus alerts can be scary, but it is important to stay calm and take the right steps. In most cases, resetting the browser can stop notifications. If your Mac continues to display "Serious Virus Alerts", follow the malware removal instructions above and should help you eliminate any potential threats. Installing MacKeeper can enhance device security and prevent current and future threats.

Frequently Asked Questions about "Serious Virus Alert" Scam on Mac

1. Is the serious threat warning on my Mac real?

No. Most of these warnings are scams designed to trick you into downloading malware or leaking personal information.

2. Why do I suddenly receive a "Serious Virus Alert" pop-up?

You may have visited a damaged website, installed a browser hijacker, or downloaded a malicious application that triggered these alerts.

3. Why do I keep receiving "serious virus alerts"?

You are receiving a severe virus alert on your Mac because the malware or browser settings that triggered them have not been completely removed.

4. How to stop "Serious Virus Alert" on Mac?

First reset browser settings. If it is invalid, manually disable push notifications, delete any unwanted programs and delete suspicious files. Another option is to use trusted anti-virus utilities like MacKeeper.

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