Downloaded a torrent of cracked software – think my Mac is now infected
So I downloaded a torrent of Apple Final Cut Pro.
There was a quick pop of either Terminal or Green looking terminal. The said application (green Terminal) opened and close, opened and close, and so on for a short period of time. It looked fishy so I didn't know whether it's a virus or not.
Can someone help me. Am I safe? Should I factory reset?
You are not safe. Your personal documents, contacts, and private information are at risk.
The behaviour you are seeing is not part of Apple's Final Cut Pro. The odd terminal like behaviour suggests you do have a rogue process or application on your Mac.
Search for a guide about how to remove malware and viruses from your Mac.
The same behavior happened to me even though it was a validly signed copy of Final Cut Pro.
Run spctl on the app using spctl --assess --verbose /path/to/app in Terminal. If it outputs "Mac App Store", you are safe, because the file hasn't been tampered with.
Downloading a torrent is never a good move. It's highly likely your computer's been compromised. Here are some steps to take (in listed order) to take cautionary action.
- Delete the torrent and all of its files from your computer.
- Put up a firewall by going to System Preferences > Security and Privacy > Firewall > Turn On Firewall (you may have to get access with an administrator username and password).
- Enable FileVault, which encrypts your hard drive, by navigating to System Preferences > Security and Privacy > FileVault. Again, administrator keys may be required. Be sure to remember the password you use to encrypt the disk.
- If your computer is actively being jeopardized, a factory reset is in order. Follow this guide to restore your computer. You'll need your FileVault password, and administrator keys.