Unwanted Ad Popups

Question

Level 1

10 points

Unwanted Ad Popups

I was desperately looking for driver software for a Logitech camera. I thought I was downloading a driver and now I'm getting little ad popups on the upper right of my computer. They happen about ever 10 minutes and they look exactly like Mac popups. The usual one is telling me to download logitech anti-virus from logitechdriversupport.com I've completely closed Safari and run Chrome to no avail. I ran Avast security and it said I have no viruses or malware. I ran another mac cleaning program and it found nothing. I've looked for malware apps that were mentioned in google to no avail. I've sorted my applications folder for recent apps and it's not there. I also don't see anything unrecognized in Applications.

Any help with this would be appreciated.

Posted on Mar 21, 2023 11:10 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

D.I. Johnson

Level 7

24,149 points

Mar 21, 2023 2:14 PM in response to danbaumbach

That appears to be a notification from Safari. I believe you can shut that down from within the browser preferences.

Launch Safari.

Then click Safari > Preferences... > Websites.

Scroll the listing on the left to Notifications.

Find the logitechdriversupport.com website on the right and choose "Deny"

Please see: Customize website notifications in Safari on Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Mar 21, 2023 2:45 PM in response to danbaumbach

Are you sure Safari is Quit?

If you simply close the app's windows, it still runs in the background until it is Quit (⌘Q).

Tip – if the app's Dock icon has a small dot below it, then the app is still live.

Quit apps on Mac - Apple Support

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Answer 3

Mar 21, 2023 11:50 AM in response to danbaumbach

You should download and run Malwarebytes.

The application scans for adware and malware and is a popular tool among veteran users here in the Community. See if it can identify any malware you may have accidentally installed. The free version is probably all you need at this point to identify and quarantine potential problems.

Also, check System Preferences > Notifications for any apps listed that you don't recognize. You may be able to turn off the notification there.

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Answer 4

danbaumbach Author

Level 1

10 points

Mar 21, 2023 2:22 PM in response to D.I. Johnson

It's popping up when Safari is completely closed. I went to Notifications and blocked it and I blocked it in Safari.

The fact that it came up when Safari was closed makes me nervous, so I thought some bot might be running on my computer, but I can't identify it.

I've read about them online and they don't seem good but they don't seem bad, so at least I can stop worrying that I have malware.

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Answer 5

danbaumbach Author

Level 1

10 points

Mar 21, 2023 3:06 PM in response to D.I. Johnson

I'm aware of apps running suspended on a Mac. I closed Safari from the Safari menu and the dot wasn't there. Someone on another forum had me run Etrecheck and it showed everything I downloaded and nothing from logitechdriversupport was there.

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Answer 6

Allan Jones

Level 9

72,398 points

Mar 21, 2023 4:54 PM in response to danbaumbach

I thought I was downloading a driver and now I'm getting little ad popups on the upper right of my computer.

If you found the driver on a download hosting site instead of Logitech, you surely caught adware. Those sites make their money by giving you more that you thought you were getting.

Adware can be removed manually but the cleanest way is to use MalwareBytes. It excels at finding and evicting adware. The free version manually scans for adware when you tell it to. The pay-for version offers continuous realtime protection, intercepting incoming adware.

To avoid any more adware, get MalwareBytes ONLY from the developer's web site:

https://www.malwarebytes.com/mac

In the future BE CERTAIN you are getting a company's software only for the company's site. Avoid ALL download hosting sites.

I ran Avast security and it said I have no viruses or malware. I ran another mac cleaning program and it found nothing.

Those are totally unneeded, especially so-called "cleaning"apps, and will cause more problems that they fix. Macs, catlike, clean themselves.The macOS has been self-maintaining for over 20 years. To me that makes all apps that claim to clean more that one "S-word.".

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Answer 7

danbaumbach Author

Level 1

10 points

Mar 21, 2023 5:16 PM in response to Allan Jones

Malware bytes didn’t find anything either. I turned off all pop ups from these people in Safari and in Settings. I also deleted the cookie from the site. I ran EtreCheck and I didn’t see anything that I downloaded from the site. Weird.

I agree with you. I couldn’t find any drivers on Logitech’s site and I searched for drivers in google and while on the phone, I went to this site thinking that it was also Logitech. I wasn’t paying close enough attention. Malware bytes didn’t find anything either. I turned off all pop ups from these people in Safari and in Settings. I also deleted the cookie from the site. I ran EtreCheck and I didn’t see anything that I downloaded from the site. Weird.

I agree with you. I couldn’t find any drivers on Logitech’s site and I searched for drivers in google and while on the phone, I went to this site thinking that it was also Logitech. I wasn’t paying close enough attention.

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