Calendar spam has become an increasingly annoying issue across our mobile devices and computers. You may have suddenly found your iPhone, iPad or even Mac calendar flooded with suspicious event notifications you never signed up for. If so, you‘ve likely picked up a calendar virus.
While not catastrophic, having your calendar constantly popping up alerts for fake events is disruptive at best. According to research from Security.org, over 30% of mobile users have encountered device infections from shady apps or websites. Fortunately, removing these calendar viruses is straightforward once you know the proper steps.
What Are Calendar Viruses & How Do They Spread?
Calendar viruses refer to malicious calendar subscriptions added without consent. They usually popup on sketchy sites prompting you to "Add" or "Subscribe" to a calendar. If clicked, spam events instantly barrage your calendar app.
Profit models behind them involve redirects to shady websites riddled with even more popups and ads. Calendar entries also contain links aiming to phish personal data or trick users into downloading disguised malware apps.
Technically calendar viruses are a form of mobile malware – software designed to infect or exploit devices without permission. They often spread through:
- Fraudulent ads disguised as calendar prompts
- Social engineering tactics manipulating users to enable notifications
- "Calendar widget" apps that secretly subscribe victims behind-the-scenes
- Exploiting vulnerabilities in older operating systems
While disruptive, calendar viruses themselves pose limited security risk beyond bombarding devices with annoying spam. Still, diligence removing them promptly can prevent further malware.
Step-by-Step Guide to Removing Calendar Viruses
Removing calendar spam is straightforward by deleting their subscription. The process is quite similar across iPhones, iPads and Macs.
💡 Pro Tip: Checking iPhone‘s Setting > Calendar > Accounts > Subscribed Calendars also reveals sneaky calendar subs.
Removing Calendar Virus from iPhone & iPad
- Open the Calendar app
- Select Calendars at bottom
- Tap (i) icon next to shady calendars under Subscribed
- Scroll down & Delete Calendar
- Confirm prompt to remove subscription
Removing Calendar Virus from Mac
- Click Calendar app icon in Dock
- Click Calendars sidebar item
- Right-click suspicious calendar > Delete
- Check Delete subscription box
- Click Remove button
Repeat for any other infected calendar sources lurking across your devices.
Preventing Calendar Viruses from Returning
While simple to remove, how can you prevent calendar viruses from re-infecting your phones and computers?
- Avoid unknown links – Never enable calendars from questionable websites or ads
- Update devices regularly – Maintain latest OS versions to patch vulnerabilities
- Use security tools – Antivirus and malware apps help protect from threats
- Practice safe browsing – Using common sense avoids many infections
Ultimately avoiding shady websites and links provides the best protection according to security experts like Brian Krebs. But should another tricky virus make it through, now you know how to quickly sanitize those calendar apps!
For more security guides, review these links:
