"Malware Blocked" popup stuck on screen

Thank you MrHoffman! It took a few tries and reboots, but that pop-up is finally gone. I removed Clean My Mac as well as all of the Epson and Brother files.

This "Malware Blocked" pop-up showed up out of the blue yesterday when I started up my MacPro. My current and 2 previous laptops were purchased directly from Apple as one- or two-year-old refurbished units, and have just been for my personal use. These older items would have been migrated over along the way from one computer to the next. So I'm at a loss as to how the DGAgent.app got downloaded.

Thank you Grant Bennet-Alder. I have no idea what that dummy.txt file is about. Should I just delete it?

MrHoffman, of course you are right regarding it being a MacBook Pro.

In looking into the file system I have found the culprit. The DGAgent.app turns out to be from Drive Genius. See attached screen shot. I'll get rid of all the Drive Genius files. The files and app have been around on my computers since 2011. Strange that the malware pop-up just decided to show up yesterday.

[Edited by Moderator]

The DGAgent app being reported by this is usually associated with a Mac owned or managed by an organization; a business or school, etc. Is this Mac associated with a school or business?

Some items that I’d consider: remove the Clean My Mac add-on cleaner app, and — if you’re not using a Brother printer or an Epson printer — I’d remove that software. If you are using either or both, look for updates. Add-on cleaner apps can introduce issues, as well.

There’s some very old apps installed here.

MrHoffman has provided great advice above.

I am concerned by the file named dummy.txt, with no other identifying information as to who put it there.

[In my opinion] that should not be in the folder you found it in, and could conceivably provide a pathway for trouble.

Concerning the very old version of DGAgent, I agree that it should be removed or brought up to date.

AI assist found some additional DGAgent suggestions [that could very well be inaccurate] :

"Accessibility Permissions

Starting with macOS 27, users may need to grant Accessibility permissions for DGAgent.app to function correctly. This change is part of Apple's updated privacy policies.

Troubleshooting

If issues arise with DGAgent.app, such as crashes or failure to monitor applications, it may be necessary to check the installation and configuration settings or consult the Digital Guardian Agent user guide for troubleshooting steps.

DGAgent.app is essential for maintaining data security and compliance in macOS environments, making it a vital tool for organizations focused on protecting sensitive information."[sic]

I’d go on an Intel app check, and start pruning the soon-unsupported apps, or updating or replacing the apps still needed.

Or I’d backup* once or maybe twice, and migrate docs and data and settings and not apps into a new macOS install, and then re-install current versions of the necessary apps.

*backups being the only way to mark data as being valuable

doft12 wrote:

Thank you Grant Bennet-Alder. I have no idea what that dummy.txt file is about. Should I just delete it?

That's what i would do if I found that file in that location.

If it really needs it to be there for some reason, then

something else will break and you can follow up without that sketchy file in place.

doft12 wrote:

Thank you MrHoffman! It took a few tries and reboots, but that pop-up is finally gone. I removed Clean My Mac as well as all of the Epson and Brother files.

Good that its going again.

This "Malware Blocked" pop-up showed up out of the blue yesterday when I started up my MacPro.

FWIW, you have a MacBook Pro, not a Mac Pro. A Mac Pro is a large pedestal box that sits under your desk, or in a server rack.

My current and 2 previous laptops were purchased directly from Apple as one- or two-year-old refurbished units, and have just been for my personal use. These older items would have been migrated over along the way from one computer to the next.

That this Mac was upgraded over the years was quite clear.

So I'm at a loss as to how the DGAgent.app got downloaded.

I’d be curious about how that file got installed; about whether it’s old and crufty, or new. I’d look for it in the file system, and then look for it in your backups to see how long it’s been around.