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How to Prevent Pornographic Virus Alert From Apple

In this guide, we’ll explain where this “pornographic virus alert” came from and how to safely remove it from your Mac for free.

Author:Daniel BarrettMay 20, 20227684 Shares548829 Views
Most people are quick to worry about virus alerts, so scammers take advantage of them with fake alerts. This is the case with the recent “pornographic virus alert” messages that claim to come from Apple.
Apple doesn’t issue virus alerts like this, so you need to be very wary.
This guide will explain where this “pornographic virus alert” came from and how to safely remove it from your Mac for free.

What Is the Pornographic Virus Alert?

While browsing the internet on your Mac, you might see a sudden popup that says “VIRUS ALERT FROM APPLE” or “PORNOGRAPHIC VIRUS ALERT FROM APPLE.” This warns you that your computer is “blocked” because it sent viruses over the internet, uses hacked or illegal software, accessed illegal pornography, or similar.
The alert usually appears as a popup dialog window at the top of your browser, alongside blocks of text in the background warning you about strange activity on your computer. You may also hear a robotic voice warning you that you need to contact “Apple” immediately.

Does My Mac Have a Virus From Pornography?

Despite the claims of any popup, it’s improbable that you got a computer virus from watching pornography on your Mac. In fact, “pornography virus alerts” even show up when no one has ever viewed pornography on your Mac.
As we already mentioned, this isn’t a real virus alert; it’s a scam.
Everything mentioned in a “pornography virus alert” is designed to scare you into calling the fake Apple support number it displays. These scare tactics could include:
  • Claiming you’ve broken the law
  • Warning that your Mac is blocked
  • Accusing you of sharing viruses from your Mac
  • Playing a robotic voice that tells you to call Apple
This fake “virus alert” may even start downloading files to your Mac, which it does to slow your Mac down. It could even freeze your Internet browser to show that your Mac is blocked.

How to Remove Pornographic Virus Alerts on Your Mac

Let’s look at the steps to close out and prevent these alerts from happening in the future.

Pornographic Virus Alert From Apple? Close Your Browser

First, you’ll want to close out the fake alert so you can use your computer properly. The easiest way to do this is by completely closing your browser, whether you use Safari, Chrome, or something else.
To quit the current app on your Mac, press Cmd + Q. This will close Safari and Firefox instantly, but you’ll have to hold it to close Chrome. Then, re-open your browser, and you should be in a new window away from the earlier nonsense.

Stop Suspicious Processes in Activity Monitor

After closing your browser, your Mac should start working at its average speed again. However, if you have a virus, there could be other processes running in the background that also slow it down.
Press Cmd + Space, then search for and open Activity Monitor to stop these processes.
Please do some research on any suspicious processes before you stop them. For example, in Activity Monitor, find any suspicious-looking processes using a high % CPU, then select them and click the Stop icon to quit them.
RELATED:How To Remove The Pornographic Virus Alert From Microsoft

Check for Unwanted Software

These pornographic virus alerts aren’t related to anything on your computer most of the time. However, because they load from bad online ads, you don’t have much control over them.
However, it’s still good to check for unwanted software when you see these alerts. There’s a chance it appeared from something you installed on your computer or a browser extension or plugin.
Head to the Applications folder in Finder to see what you have installed and remove anything you don’t recognize or need anymore. Sort by Date Modified to show apps you installed recently, which are more likely to cause the problem.

Pornographic Virus Alert From Apple? Scan for Malware

A website abusing JavaScript to spam you with fake pornographic alerts isn’t a virus. However, it’s not a bad idea to scan for malware while checking your system for something unsavory.
We recommend using the free version of Malwarebytes for Mac to run a scan and see if it finds anything. If this is your first time using the software, it will prompt you to start a free trial of Malwarebytes Premium. This isn’t necessary for a quick scan, but it won’t hurt either.

Update macOS and All Your Mac Apps

It’s essential to keep your Mac up to date to ensure you benefit from the latest security improvements to macOS. Apple updates its list of known malware and computer viruses with each update while patching up potential security flaws.
To update your Mac, click the Apple icon in the top-left corner, then go to System Preferences > Software Update.
You should also take the time to update all the apps on your Mac.
To update apps you got from the App Store, open the App Store and click Update in the sidebar. Then choose to Update All.
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