Some Mac users may suddenly be interrupted by an error pop-up message stating, ‘Navlibx will damage your computer.’ Although the message sounds troublesome, this file may be related to another program that isn’t in the least bit harmful. The error pop-up message looks like a legitimate warning from Mac and it states:
“Navlibx” will damage your computer.
This file was downloaded on an unknown date.
Report malware to Apple to protect other users
According to malware researchers, Navlibx is a legitimate library file associated with Norton Symantec Antivirus. If users encounter the “Navlibx will damage your computer” error pop-up message, it does not necessarily mean that the Navlibx file is infected with malware. Most users encountered the error after they updated their macOS to Catalina, which was released in October 2019. Usually, the error message pops up immediately once the system restarts after macOS upgrade. Even if users close the window, the message keeps coming back. According to reports, the error popped up because there was a software conflict between Catalina and Symantec Norton software. Due to this software conflict, users were led to believe that Navlibx is a malicious file, but that is not the case. Most of the time, the error pop-up is a false positive.
However, there are cases when this pop-up could become a cause for concern. If you use Norton Symantec security and receive this message, it is far more likely it is just a software conflict, but keep in mind that a system message could be mimicked or exploited by unreliable third parties, so you should still be cautious of messages that pop up on your screen and investigate whether it’s legit or not. What’s more, if you do not have Symantec Antivirus and still get the Navlibx error messages, there is a good chance that a potentially harmful program may be trying to disguise itself as the legitimate Navlibx file. Then it is a problem, and you should definitely look into it.
How Do I Determine If My Navlibx File is Safe?
Thus, in general, receiving the ‘Navlibx will damage your computer’ error message doesn’t necessarily mean you have malware installed on your Mac, but if you do not have Norton Symantec software installed or your computer is behaving strangely, the pop-up message could be associated with a potentially harmful program. In that case, you need to scan your Mac using a reputable malware remediation tool. Malware programs could be running quietly in your system, collecting sensitive information on you and your computer. Hence, to thwart that, it is vital to perform regular system scans with a powerful anti-malware tool.
