There’s a new scam making the rounds that Mac users should know about. Fake websites, often designed to look like official Apple pages, are prompting users to open Script Editor directly from the browser with a pre-filled AppleScript. If you see this, don’t do it.
Security researchers at Jamf Threat Labs documented an attack where a convincing Apple-themed page claimed to help “reclaim disk space” and prompted users to allow Script Editor to open. The script looked legitimate, but running it would download and install malware called Atomic Stealer.
The good news is that macOS 26.4 now flags these scripts with a warning that they’re from an unidentified developer, which should help catch more people before they run something harmful. It’s a good reminder to keep your Mac updated.
The rule is simple: never run an AppleScript unless you wrote it yourself or got it from a source you trust. If a website asks to open Script Editor or any other app, click Cancel. No legitimate webpage needs to run scripts on your Mac.
(Featured image based on an original by iStock.com/Prostock-Studio)
