Adware Medic found a stink on the machine:
2015-01-11 09:48:46: ----- Scan Started -----
2015-01-11 09:48:47: Scanning with signatures version 47
2015-01-11 09:49:05: searchtab : /Users/alanfraser/Library/Safari/Extensions/searchtab.safariextz
2015-01-11 09:49:05: ----- Scan Ended -----
2015-01-11 09:49:37: +++++ Attempting to remove adware +++++
2015-01-11 09:49:37: /Users/alanfraser/Library/Safari/Extensions/searchtab.safariextz
2015-01-11 09:49:37: +++++ Adware removal complete +++++
I have searched and I'm still not sure of the exact nature of the stink (i.e. what was it doing). It remains to be seen whether this will affect the reliability of Safari which has sucked great jagged boulders since installing the OS X Yosemite version.
It's also not clear how any stinkware got onto the machine as it's well-defended ... but apparently not well enough defended to stop the current stink. It was probably pretending to be something else but no further information at this time.
The reason for the article is that Adware Medic is a free download and is supported by donations. It could be a good tool for your utility box. I also use Avast! for virus scanning, the firewall is active and the machine runs in 'stealth mode' (i.e. it won't return pings). Maybe that stuff isn't necessary but I've never had a virus in over thirty years online so I'll continue running whatever I think I need to keep them out. The current stink wasn't a virus, it was more like a leech.
Update:
searchtab.safariextz is said to be rebuilt by Safari every time it launches and has something to do with speeding up the launch. Why that should be identified as a stink by Adware Medic is unclear. Possibly it had been compromised.
2015-01-11 09:48:46: ----- Scan Started -----
2015-01-11 09:48:47: Scanning with signatures version 47
2015-01-11 09:49:05: searchtab : /Users/alanfraser/Library/Safari/Extensions/searchtab.safariextz
2015-01-11 09:49:05: ----- Scan Ended -----
2015-01-11 09:49:37: +++++ Attempting to remove adware +++++
2015-01-11 09:49:37: /Users/alanfraser/Library/Safari/Extensions/searchtab.safariextz
2015-01-11 09:49:37: +++++ Adware removal complete +++++
I have searched and I'm still not sure of the exact nature of the stink (i.e. what was it doing). It remains to be seen whether this will affect the reliability of Safari which has sucked great jagged boulders since installing the OS X Yosemite version.
It's also not clear how any stinkware got onto the machine as it's well-defended ... but apparently not well enough defended to stop the current stink. It was probably pretending to be something else but no further information at this time.
The reason for the article is that Adware Medic is a free download and is supported by donations. It could be a good tool for your utility box. I also use Avast! for virus scanning, the firewall is active and the machine runs in 'stealth mode' (i.e. it won't return pings). Maybe that stuff isn't necessary but I've never had a virus in over thirty years online so I'll continue running whatever I think I need to keep them out. The current stink wasn't a virus, it was more like a leech.
Update:
searchtab.safariextz is said to be rebuilt by Safari every time it launches and has something to do with speeding up the launch. Why that should be identified as a stink by Adware Medic is unclear. Possibly it had been compromised.
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