Silent Mac Attack: 7 WARNING SIGNS Every Solopreneur Needs to Know NOW!

Introduction to Malware Risks on Mac

Are you a solopreneur using a Mac? Today’s topic might surprise you: how to spot signs that your Mac might be infected with malware. We all know the importance of online safety, but even with anti-malware software, your Mac can still be at risk.

But fear not! By the end of this episode, you will be a malware-spotting ninja, ready to keep your Mac safe and your business thriving.

I’ll unpack all of this after the intro.

Welcome to Episode 100

Hello, hello, and welcome to Episode 100 of the Macpreneur podcast. Yes, it’s 100.

Whether it’s your first time or you’re a long-time listener, I appreciate that you carve out some time in your busy solopreneur schedule. I’ve created Macpreneur to help as many solopreneurs as possible save time and money running their businesses on their Mac.

Mac Productivity Tips

Now, in order to give you the most relevant Mac productivity tips and information, I need to know how well you’re currently dealing with the three killers of Mac productivity: unnecessary clicks, repetitive typing, and file clutter.

For that, just visit macpreneur.com/tips and answer a few questions, which will take you less than two minutes.

After submitting your answers, you will receive personalized time-saving tips based on your results. 

Once again, visit macpreneur.com/tips and start boosting your efficiency today.

Understanding Mac Malware

Now, even with XProtect built into macOS and third-party anti-malware software, your Mac can still get infected.

I explain why in episode 98, so if you missed it, I recommend checking it out. 

In the previous episode, episode 99, I guided Macpreneurs like you through a Mac security checklist aimed at raising the bar to prevent your Mac from being compromised.

However, malware is becoming more and more sophisticated, and it’s essential to know the warning signs of infections before it’s too late. 

My goal with today’s episode is to arm you with the necessary knowledge by sharing 7 signs that your Mac might be infected with malware. 

Knowing these can help you act quickly to protect your data and your business.

Sign 1: Browser Issues

Ok, sign number 1: browser issues. Malware can alter your browser settings, such as changing your homepage or redirecting you to unfamiliar websites.

One of my clients got bitten by that in Google Chrome, and the problem, luckily, was only happening for a main profile. So, in her case, the solution was simply to wipe the Google Chrome profile that she was using and then create a new one.

Now, frequent browser crashes can also be a symptom, and the first line of defense to prevent that from happening is to make sure that your browser is fully up to date and also to install a content blocker.

Sign 2: Unexpected Pop-ups

Sign number two: unexpected pop-ups and advertisements.

If you start seeing an unusual number of pop-up ads, even when you’re not browsing the internet, this could indicate adware or other malware.

And if you see a ransom note asking you to pay a certain amount of bitcoins or other cryptocurrency to get your data back, first double-check whether it’s true or not.

For that, visit the Documents folder and all the folders that you synchronize with your cloud backup services of choice, such as iCloud Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, and so on.

Try to open any of your business-critical documents and see if they are indeed unreadable.

Next up, check your Time Machine backup disk, which may or may not have been affected too.

If you can restore data from the Time Machine Backup, then you’re lucky.

Otherwise, your only other solution would be to restore from an offsite or a cloud backup.

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Sign 3: Unfamiliar Applications

Sign number three: unfamiliar applications.

If you notice new applications that you didn’t install, it’s possible that malware has added them to your system.

In this case, simply putting those applications in the trash is usually not enough, since the malware at the root of it tends to hide itself deep into the system and respawn after each subsequent reboot.

Sign 4: Strange System Behavior

To deal with that, it’s the same as the next sign, sign number four: strange system behavior.

Your Mac might open applications or files without your initiation, and you may notice high CPU usage and the fan running excessively.

These can also be signs that a malware infection is working in the background.

The first thing to do is to launch Activity Monitor, which is available inside a folder called Utilities, inside the Applications folder.

You will see different tabs in Activity Monitor, the first one being for the CPU usage. Sort by the column named ‘% CPU’ to check which processes consume the most, and then you could Google the names of the top ones if you don’t recognize them.

The second tab is memory, and there’s the same thing. Look at what consumes the most, and then go through all the others.

Even though it’s possible to kill a rogue process, it’s highly likely that it will relaunch itself automatically, either almost immediately or after the next reboot.

And so, the second thing to do, and to double-check, is what gets launched at login.

If your Mac is running macOS 13 Ventura or later, open System Settings, then General, then Login Items.

And on macOS 12 Monterey or earlier, open System Preferences, visit ‘Users and groups’, then ‘Login items’.

If you don’t see anything out of the ordinary there, the malware could be hidden further, which is a bit too technical to get into for this podcast.

More often than not, malware scanners will check those hidden folders for you.

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Sign 5: Slow Performance

Sign number five: slow performance.

The Mac might become noticeably slower, with apps taking longer to load and the system generally lagging.

You will also often notice this kind of beach ball icon in place of your cursor.

This can be due to malware consuming resources in the background.

To address this issue, follow the same procedure as mentioned before. First, open Activity Monitor, and then check the Login Item.

Sign 6: Unusual Network Activity

Sign number six: unusual network activity.

If your internet connection seems slower than usual and you notice data being transmitted when you’re not using the internet, this might be due to malware communicating with its command servers.

To check for this, open Activity Monitor again and navigate to the last tab called Network

Sign 7: Unexpected Webcam or Microphone Activity

Sign number 7, the last one: Unexpected webcam or microphone activity.

If you notice that your webcam light is turning on and off without your initiation, or if you hear your microphone activating randomly, it could indicate that a malicious application is accessing these devices.

Since macOS 12 Monterey, you will see an orange dot in the top right corner of the menu bar next to the icon for Control Center whenever an app accesses the microphone.

Just click on the Control Center icon, and it will show you the name of the app in question.

To double-check all the apps that have access to your camera and microphone, or on macOS 13 Ventura or later, open System Settings, then ‘Privacy & Security’, then open the Microphone and Camera sections.

On macOS 12 Monterey or earlier, open System Preferences, then Security & Privacy, then, on the Privacy tab, open the Microphone and Camera section.

Conclusion and Recap

So before concluding this episode, there’s one more thing I’d like to mention. Most attacks are opportunistic, which means that everyone is at risk, and it usually takes one small mistake or misjudgment on your part to fall victim.

Never let your guard down and remember, the more pressured you will be to do something, the more likely it is a trap.

So to recap, we’ve gone through 7 alarming signs that your Mac might be infected with malware: browser issues, unexpected pop-ups, unfamiliar applications, strange system behavior, slow performance, unusual network activity, and finally, unexpected webcam or microphone activity.

Recognizing these signs early can save you a lot of trouble and keep your solo business secure.

On top of that, it’s possible to minimize the risk of your Mac getting compromised.

How? By going through the checklist that I’ve covered in episode 99.

So if you haven’t downloaded it yet, remember to visit macpreneur.com/msc for Mac Security Checklist.

If you need help going through it, just listen to or watch episode 99.

Your future self and your clients will thank you later for taking proactive steps against cyber threats.

Final Thoughts and Next Episode Preview

If you’ve enjoyed this episode, please share it with a fellow solopreneur and DM me on Instagram. My handle is @MacpreneurFM.

So that’s it for today.

In the next episode, I will discuss what to do in case your Mac gets lost or stolen.

So make sure to subscribe or follow this podcast to get it automatically next week.

And until next time, I’m Damien Schreurs, wishing you a great day.

Outro

Thank you for listening to the Macpreneur Podcast. If you’ve enjoyed the show, please leave a review and share it with a friend right now.

Post-show

One last thing before the next episode, if you’ve been there with me and you’ve listened to the Macpreneur Podcast since episode one or episode 20 or episode 50, or even episode 90, it doesn’t matter. 

I’d love to have your feedback. 

What do you love about the show? What would you like me to cover on the show? 

And so for that, just send me an email at damien(at)macpreneur.com.

And, uh, I’d be super happy to collect your feedback and if you leave me your name and if you’re okay with me mentioning your name on the show, yeah, I can read this feedback in the next episode. 

Thanks. See you next week.