Apple Security Center

Apple Security Center is a re-branded version of Mac Protector and related rogue security programs. Apple Security Center and its kin all specialize in attacking Mac-based computers through the use of threat alerts and browser hijacks to expose you to dangerous websites. You should avoid giving away sensitive information or money to the criminals behind Apple Security Center and delete Apple Security Center from your system with an appropriate anti-malware scanner.

Apple Security Center: Not from Apple and Not a Security Program

Apple Security Center is a clone of other Mac-specific threats like Mac Protector, Mac Security and MAC Defender. Most rogue security programs like Apple Security Center contaminate new systems via fake online system scanners or Trojans hosted at malicious websites. Disabling scripts on less trustworthy websites and keeping active anti-malware programs up to date will let you avoid most routes of potential Apple Security Center infection.

If you do get infected by Apple Security Center, the rogue security program will insert itself into your Login Items to run automatically during startup. From this privileged spot, Apple Security Center will fake the features of an anti-virus program while attacking your web browser and creating pop-ups.

Apple Security Center lacks a Dock icon that would let you remove Apple Security Center easily; it's strongly recommended that you use specialized anti-malware application to uninstall Apple Security Center. Manual removal of Apple Security Center and similar rogue security programs has been known to result in other system problems.

As of May 2011, Apple Security Center is a newer example of a threat and may avoid being detected by out of date scanners. You should always update your anti-malware scanner before you run it, but this is particularly true when trying to remove Apple Security Center.

Some Apple Security Center Pop-ups to Dance Around

You should be aware of Apple Security Center's fake warnings lest you mistake them for genuine ones; some of the primary Apple Security Center alerts can be seen below:

Virus Found
Infected file detected:
Virus: Dialer
File: Safari

Virus Found
Infected file detected:
Virus: Worm
File: clri

Virus Found
Infected file detected:
Virus: Worm
File: Software Update

The system is infected
Your system is infected. It's highly recommended to cleanup your system to protect critical information like credit card numbers, etc.

Unregistered Copy
Sorry, the copy of your program is unregistered. Register to have an ability to cleanup your system.

Apple Security Center can't detect Trojans, viruses or other threats, so you can ignore these messages. Avoid trusting any website that they redirect you towards; Apple Security Center is likely to use them to redirect you to Apple Security Center's website to steal your credit card information.

You may also find that your browser redirects you to pornographic websites; this is another attack caused by members of the Apple Security Center rogue security programs family. Deleting Apple Security Center will cause these hijacks to stop occurring.

Lastly, remember that any website related to Apple Security Center may attack your computer with more kinds of malicious programs even if you don't download anything deliberately. If you find yourself accidentally exposed to such a website while changing your settings back to normal, you should immediately scan your computer to make sure that another Apple Security Center-carrying Trojan hasn't made its way aboard.