Apple Macs Now Seen As A 'Soft Target' For Spreading Viruses

[george]

Apple Macs now seen as a 'soft target' for spreading viruses

- Macs were once marketed as more secure than computers running Windows

- The Apple computers don't use anti-virus protection software

Apple has long boasted of the Mac's immunity to viruses and malware.

But the computers, once marketed as more secure than those running on Windows software, are facing an increased threat from criminals because of their popularity.

Online security experts have warned that Macs are now a more attractive target for hackers due to the rising number of people who choose them over a PC.

Graham Cluley, a spokesman for online security firm Sophos, said there has been a marked increase in malware aimed at Macs in the past few weeks.

He said: ‘Because Mac users don’t use anti-virus protection then they are seen as a soft target.

‘Macs have become a victim of their own success.’

One new 'scareware' program is Mac Defender, which is also distributed under various similar names including Mac Protector.

It infiltrates a Mac computer via a fake Google Images result or an Internet pop-up that convinces victims their machine is infected by a virus and that they must download anti-virus software to delete it.

In some cases, the pop-up doesn't even wait for the user to refuse its request, and simply downloads the virus directly onto the user's computer.

Chief competitor: Apple once marketed Macs as being more secure than those running on Windows software (pictured)

Joel Esler, of Sourcefire Vulnerability Research Team, said Mac Defender looks like a genuine application for the Mac OSX operating system.

He said: ‘There aren’t any tell-tale signs that it’s actually malware. No words are misspelled, the grammar is acceptable to the casual reader.

'In the security realm we see this all the time on Windows systems.

'But I’m guessing the Mac user community doesn’t have much experience with this type of scam.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1390014/Apple-Macs-seen-soft-target-spreading-viruses.html

[nikster]

MacDefender is scareware - you have to install it yourself in order to make it work. It's all smoke and mirrors, but of course social engineering like this is one of the more effective ways of spreading malware.

But here's some points to note:

- MacDefender doesn't work anymore - Mac OS X already has been upgraded with protection software that has a blacklist which prevents this program from running.

- The blacklist is automatically updated via the internet, so small tweaks to MacDefender - which popped up instantly - also don't run.

- There's still no drive by viruses, flash viruses, and other crap like on Windows.

- There is still absolutely no need for anti virus software on a Mac

- It's still true that Macs don't have viruses.

The technically inclined may point out that the Mac has security holes, just like any other OS, and that proof of concept exploits appear at the back hat conference's pown2own challenge every year. But the point is there is no real virus or trojan out in the wild that targets the Mac.

Two camps which have a vested interest in making the Mac look less secure are Windows - paid lobbyists and ZDNet, CNet, and others that get most of their money, directly or indirectly, from Microsoft. And Anti-Virus software vendors who'd just so love to get onto the Mac platform. Sometimes they even release dubious "security threat" reports in the hopes that something, at some point, will stick. That's scareware by another name. It used to be called "FUD" - spreading fear, uncertainty, and doubt - and was one of Microsoft's famous marketing tactics in the 80ies and 90ies.

[sambosoul]

the question is, how fast does Apple respond to the release of a new MacDefender version? I would really like to know that.

[Crushdepth]

There is no such thing as a secure computer, and its inevitable that Macs (and any other successful OS) are going to be targeted. It's just a matter of time.

[nikster]

the question is, how fast does Apple respond to the release of a new MacDefender version? I would really like to know that.

They've updated the security on OS X to detect Mac Defender so it won't run on any up to date system. They've also added a system with which they automatically update the safe downloads list (I am guessing it's more of an "unsafe downloads" list). I think it's updated daily. Some variants of MacDefender have been added already.

@crushdepth - I agree. There is no defense against stupid, as they say. But I don't even think it's stupid, it's just that it's hard to educate people about malware, as they invent ever new ways of delivery.

[TravelerEastWest]

"There is still absolutely no need for anti virus software on a Mac"

I thought that IT pros often advise antivirus software when a Mac is used in a business as it is possible to receive an email from a Windows computer with a virus and then although your Mac may be fine you can then send that virus out via email to another Windows computer and casue a problem.

Do you disagree?

I am about to buy an iMac which will be used in a business and plan to buy ESET's Mac antivirus software as I have a low tolerance for problems.

[TravelerEastWest]

Double post forum software error

Edited June 12, 2011 by TravelerEastWest