Malware and/or Phishing Incident???
In a moment of "not thinking clearly," yesterday on my iPad I was reading an email from "my bank" that indicated a possible fraudulent charge. I clicked on the embedded html link within the body of the email message and it launched Safari which then locked up on a white screen. Cycling out/into Safari did nothing, and I had to do a forced shutdown restart of the iPad to clear the problem. Then I started panicking and reset the iPad through iTunes (while retaining user settings). I only then cleared history, cookies, cache.
I have since deleted/erased the offending email so cannot go back and analyze it more closely, but clearly this was a phishing scam email. Normally I would have recognized it as such and just deleted the email, but as I said I wasn't thinking. Do I have anything to worry about? Should I install/scan the iPad using the only antivirus product on the market?
FYI - this is not a jailbroken unit - standard WiFi+3G (have never used the 3G network to date). Latest version of OS was installed (3.2.2) prior to this incident. I have checked the iPad Safari security settings - they are:
Fraud Warning ON
JavaScript ON
Block Pop-ups ON
Accept Cookies FROM VISITED
Databases as follows:
www.flightstats.com
RLDGUID
help.apple.com
User Guides for iwork and ipad
www.google.com
my gmail account
a.ringleaderdigital.com
RLDGUID
Any suggested further actions?
No. Java and JavaScript are completely different things, despite the similarity in names. Your iPad cannot run Java. And there's no known exploit that can come only via a web page, without downloading a file of some sort.
If you're really concerned, just restore your iPad. But since there are no known actual exploits of or malware for any iOS device that's not been jailbroken, I don't think you have anything to worry about.
Regards.
Similar Messages
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need driver or app for ms life cam 3.0 tried to get one off the internet. cisco wireless router software said malware and virus threat. Is it safe for mac? is this software try to protect my pc or is it A threat to macs to.
There are a number of extremly dubious sites which claim to offer Drivers for common Hardware, but actually are phishing for identies and credit card numbers and candidates to join a bot-net.
Make absolutely certain you load drivers ONLY from the manufacturer's web site. -
My company has a policy that we can use our personal laptops as long as it has some form of anti-malware and anti-virus software on it.
I am fairly new to the mac world, 18 years of working with government issued windows laptops. Could someone point me in the right direction.
Thanks.No viruses that can attack OS X have so far been detected 'in the wild', i.e. in anything other than laboratory conditions.
It is possible, however, to pass on a Windows virus to another Windows user, for example through an email attachment. To prevent this all you need is the free anti-virus utility ClamXav, which you can download for Tiger and Leopard from (on no account install Norton Anti-Virus on a Mac running OS X):
http://www.clamxav.com/
The new version for Snow Leopard is available here:
http://www.clamxav.com/index.php?page=v2beta
(Note: ClamAV adds a new user group to your Mac. That makes it a little more difficult to remove than some apps. You’ll find an uninstaller link in ClamXav’s FAQ page online.)
However, the appearance of Trojans and other malware that can possibly infect a Mac seems to be growing, but is a completely different issue to viruses.
If you allow a Trojan to be installed, the user's DNS records can be modified, redirecting incoming internet traffic through the attacker's servers, where it can be hijacked and injected with malicious websites and pornographic advertisements. The trojan also installs a watchdog process that ensures the victim's (that's you!) DNS records stay modified on a minute-by-minute basis.
You can read more about how, for example, the OSX/DNSChanger Trojan works here:
http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/trojanosxdnschanger.shtml
SecureMac has introduced a free Trojan Detection Tool for Mac OS X. It's available here:
http://macscan.securemac.com/
The DNSChanger Removal Tool detects and removes spyware targeting Mac OS X and allows users to check to see if the trojan has been installed on their computer; if it has, the software helps to identify and remove the offending file. After a system reboot, the users' DNS records will be repaired.
(Note that a 30 day trial version of MacScan can be downloaded free of charge from:
http://macscan.securemac.com/buy/
and this can perform a complete scan of your entire hard disk. After 30 days free trial the cost is $29.99. The full version permits you to scan selected files and folders only, as well as the entire hard disk. It will detect (and delete if you ask it to) all 'tracker cookies' that switch you to web sites you did not want to go to.)
A white paper has recently been published on the subject of Trojans by SubRosaSoft, available here:
http://www.macforensicslab.com/ProductsAndServices/index.php?mainpage=document_general_info&cPath=11&productsid=174
Also, beware of MacSweeper:
MacSweeper is malware that misleads users by exaggerating reports about spyware, adware or viruses on their computer. It is the first known "rogue" application for the Mac OS X operating system. The software was discovered by F-Secure, a Finland based computer security software company on January 17, 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacSweeper
On June 23, 2008 this news reached Mac users:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/06/23/mac_trojan/
More on Trojans on the Mac here:
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/63574.html?welcome=1214487119
This was published on July 25, 2008:
Attack code that exploits flaws in the net's addressing system are starting to circulate online, say security experts.
The code could be a boon to phishing gangs who redirect web users to fake bank sites and steal login details.
In light of the news net firms are being urged to apply a fix for the loop-hole before attacks by hi-tech criminals become widespread.
Net security groups say there is anecdotal evidence that small scale attacks are already happening.
Further details here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7525206.stm
A further development was the Koobface malware that can be picked up from Facebook (already a notorious site for malware, like many other 'social networking' sites like Twitter etc), as reported here on December 9, 2008:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/newsid_7773000/7773340.stm
You can keep up to date, particularly about malware present in some downloadable pirated software, at the Securemac site:
http://www.securemac.com/
There may be other ways of guarding against Trojans, viruses and general malware affecting the Mac, and alternatives will probably appear in the future. In the meantime the advice is: be careful where you go on the web and what you download!
If you think you may have acquired a Trojan, and you know its name, you can also locate it via the Terminal:
http://theappleblog.com/2009/04/24/mac-botnet-how-to-ensure-you-are-not-part-of- the-problem/
As to the recent 'Conficker furore' affecting Intel-powered computers, MacWorld recently had this to say:
http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?email&NewsID=25613
Although any content that you download has the possibility of containing malicious software, practising a bit of care will generally keep you free from the consequences of anything like the DNSChanger trojan.
1. Avoid going to suspect and untrusted Web sites, especially p'orn'ography sites.
2. Check out what you are downloading. Mac OS X asks you for you administrator password to install applications for a reason! Only download media and applications from well-known and trusted Web sites. If you think you may have downloaded suspicious files, read the installer packages and make sure they are legit. If you cannot determine if the program you downloaded is infected, do a quick Internet search and see if any other users reported issues after installing a particular program. A recent example is of malware distributed through innocent looking free screensavers: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/malware-watch-free-mac-os-x-screensavers-bund led-with-spyware/6560?tag=nl.e589
3. Use an antivirus program like ClamXav. If you are in the habit of downloading a lot of media and other files, it may be well worth your while to run those files through an AV application.
4. Use Mac OS X's built-in Firewalls and other security features.
5. Stop using LimeWire. LimeWire (and other peer-to-peer sharing applications and download torrents) are hotbeds of potential software issues waiting to happen to your Mac. Everything from changing permissions to downloading trojans and other malicious software can be acquired from using these applications. Similar risks apply to using Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube and similar sites which are prone to malicious hacking: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8420233.stm
6. Resist the temptation to download pirated software. After the release of iWork '09 earlier this year, a Trojan was discovered circulating in pirated copies of Apple's productivity suite of applications (as well as pirated copies of Adobe's Photoshop CS4). Security professionals now believe that the botnet (from iServices) has become active. Although the potential damage range is projected to be minimal, an estimated 20,000 copies of the Trojan have been downloaded. SecureMac offer a simple and free tool for the removal of the iBotNet Trojan available here:
http://macscan.securemac.com/files/iServicesTrojanRemovalTool.dmg
Also, there is the potential for having your entire email contact list stolen for use for spamming:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/20/technology/internet/20shortcuts.html?_r=1
NOTE: Snow Leopard, OS 10.6.x, offers additional security to that of previous versions of OS X, but not to the extent that you should ignore the foregoing:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/security/
Apple's 10.6.4 operating system upgrade silently updated the malware protection built into Mac OS X to protect against a backdoor Trojan horse that can allow hackers to gain remote control over your treasured iMac or MacBook.
http://www.sophos.com/blogs/gc/g/2010/06/18/apple-secretly-updates
Finally, do not install Norton Anti-Virus on a Mac as it can seriously damage your operating system. Norton Anti-Virus is not compatible with Apple OS X. -
I was on a website and a tab with another website that looked sketch came onto my screen. I couldn't exit the page and a message appeared on my screen saying something about safeguarding my mac and in a panic I just clicked "Okay" because there were no other options. The popup message did not say anything about a download, but immediately something downloaded to my computer so right away, without looking at it, I moved whatever had downloaded from my downloads into my trash and then emptied my trash. I know I should have read the message or tried to force quit my browser but I panicked and am now concerned I may have downloaded some type of malware. I am aware that there are no mac viruses "in the wild" but am concerned I may have downloaded spyware or a trojan. I was borrowing a family members computer and they do not know if they had any antivirus software but I am assuming because they do not know that they do not have any sort of security downloaded other than what comes with the mac. I was wondering if there is some sort of program I could run to check for malware and what I should do with the computer in the meantime, like maybe have it shut off? And in the case of some sort of malware, does that mean I need to get a new computer? I'm just scared and know I should have been smarter about the situation but now I don't know what to do.
It's not malware. It's a JavaScript scam that only affects your web browser, and only temporarily.
Some of those scam pages can be dismissed very easily. Press command-W to close the tab or window. A huge box will pop up. Press the return key and both the box and the page will close. If that doesn't happen, continue.
From the Safari menu bar, select
Safari ▹ Preferences... ▹ Security
and uncheck the box marked Enable JavaScript. Leave the preferences dialog open.
Close the malicious window or tab.
Re-enable JavaScript and close the preferences dialog.
If the Preferences menu item is grayed out, quit Safari. Force quit if necessary. Relaunch it by holding down the shift key and clicking its icon in the Dock. From the menu bar, select
Safari ▹ Preferences... ▹ Privacy ▹ Remove All Website Data
to get rid of any cookies or other data left by the server. Open your Downloads folder and delete anything you don't recognize. -
Hi everyone,
My mac mini is new. I have a few issues with it.
But the most annoying is the malwares that infested it now. I have only been using it for about 3 weeks or so. Of course, I thought everything that popped up are safe to click and just standard to click. I don't know yet what's best. Either, I figure out how to remove these ads / malwares or I just thought of reformatting it and start anew with it.
What would you guys recommend and please include steps for me to follow. I'm no techy.
By the way, I do not see these extensions on my Finder files (Conduit, also known as Trovi, MyBrand, or Search Protect, etc.) As a matter of fact, my extensions folder is empty except for the Adblock and AdBlock Plus that I recently installed to kill the ads. However, it worked but it didn't stop MacKeeper and Facebook ads from popping to a new window each time I click a link, or just a space on a safari)
On YouTube, when I watch a video, every second, the other videos are pushed down for as long as i watch, they are kept being pushed down. These are done by ads that are being stopped by the AB and ABP. yes, the ads do not appear. Just a white space forever adding up. Very frustrating. Please help.
Thanks in advance!How to uninstall MacKeeper - updated
How to Remove MacKeeper
Helpful Links Regarding Malware Problems
If you are having an immediate problem with ads popping up see The Safe Mac » Adware Removal Guide, AdwareMedic, or Remove unwanted adware that displays pop-up ads and graphics on your Mac - Apple Support.
Open Safari, select Preferences from the Safari menu. Click on Extensions icon in the toolbar. Disable all Extensions. If this stops your problem, then re-enable them one by one until the problem returns. Now remove that extension as it is causing the problem.
The following comes from user stevejobsfan0123. I have made minor changes to adapt to this presentation.
Fix Some Browser Pop-ups That Take Over Safari.
Common pop-ups include a message saying the government has seized your computer and you must pay to have it released (often called "Moneypak"), or a phony message saying that your computer has been infected, and you need to call a tech support number (sometimes claiming to be Apple) to get it resolved. First, understand that these pop-ups are not caused by a virus and your computer has not been affected. This "hijack" is limited to your web browser. Also understand that these messages are scams, so do not pay any money, call the listed number, or provide any personal information. This article will outline the solution to dismiss the pop-up.
Quit Safari
Usually, these pop-ups will not go away by either clicking "OK" or "Cancel." Furthermore, several menus in the menu bar may become disabled and show in gray, including the option to quit Safari. You will likely have to force quit Safari. To do this, press Command + option + esc, select Safari, and press Force Quit.
Relaunch Safari
If you relaunch Safari, the page will reopen. To prevent this from happening, hold down the 'Shift' key while opening Safari. This will prevent windows from the last time Safari was running from reopening.
This will not work in all cases. The shift key must be held at the right time, and in some cases, even if done correctly, the window reappears. In these circumstances, after force quitting Safari, turn off Wi-Fi or disconnect Ethernet, depending on how you connect to the Internet. Then relaunch Safari normally. It will try to reload the malicious webpage, but without a connection, it won't be able to. Navigate away from that page by entering a different URL, i.e. www.apple.com, and trying to load it. Now you can reconnect to the Internet, and the page you entered will appear rather than the malicious one.
An excellent link to read is Tom Reed's Mac Malware Guide.
Also, visit The XLab FAQs and read Detecting and avoiding malware and spyware.
See these Apple articles:
Mac OS X Snow Leopard and malware detection
OS X Lion- Protect your Mac from malware
OS X Mountain Lion- Protect your Mac from malware
OS X Mavericks- Protect your Mac from malware
About file quarantine in OS X
If you require anti-virus protection Thomas Reed recommends using ClamXAV. (Thank you to Thomas Reed for this recommendation.)
From user Joe Bailey comes this equally useful advice:
The facts are:
1. There is no anti-malware software that can detect 100% of the malware out there.
2. There is no anti-malware that can detect everything targeting the Mac.
3. The very best way to prevent the most attacks is for you as the user to be aware that
the most successful malware attacks rely on very sophisticated social engineering
techniques preying on human avarice, ****, and fear.
4. Internet popups saying the FBI, NSA, Microsoft, your ISP has detected malware on
your computer is intended to entice you to install their malware thinking it is a
protection against malware.
5. Some of the anti-malware products on the market are worse than the malware
from which they purport to protect you.
6. Be cautious where you go on the internet.
7. Only download anything from sites you know are safe.
8. Avoid links you receive in email, always be suspicious even if you get something
you think is from a friend, but you were not expecting.
9. If there is any question in your mind, then assume it is malware. -
Does any one know how to remove pop up and malware. There is a lot of pop up on my mac book air OSX 10.10
Helpful Links Regarding Malware Problems
If you are having an immediate problem with ads popping up see The Safe Mac » Adware Removal Guide and AdwareMedic.
Open Safari, select Preferences from the Safari menu. Click on Extensions icon in the toolbar. Disable all Extensions. If this stops your problem, then re-enable them one by one until the problem returns. Now remove that extension as it is causing the problem.
The following comes from user stevejobsfan0123. I have made minor changes to adapt to this presentation.
Fix Some Browser Pop-ups That Take Over Safari.
Common pop-ups include a message saying the government has seized your computer and you must pay to have it released (often called "Moneypak"), or a phony message saying that your computer has been infected, and you need to call a tech support number (sometimes claiming to be Apple) to get it resolved. First, understand that these pop-ups are not caused by a virus and your computer has not been affected. This "hijack" is limited to your web browser. Also understand that these messages are scams, so do not pay any money, call the listed number, or provide any personal information. This article will outline the solution to dismiss the pop-up.
Quit Safari
Usually, these pop-ups will not go away by either clicking "OK" or "Cancel." Furthermore, several menus in the menu bar may become disabled and show in gray, including the option to quit Safari. You will likely have to force quit Safari. To do this, press Command + option + esc, select Safari, and press Force Quit.
Relaunch Safari
If you relaunch Safari, the page will reopen. To prevent this from happening, hold down the 'Shift' key while opening Safari. This will prevent windows from the last time Safari was running from reopening.
This will not work in all cases. The shift key must be held at the right time, and in some cases, even if done correctly, the window reappears. In these circumstances, after force quitting Safari, turn off Wi-Fi or disconnect Ethernet, depending on how you connect to the Internet. Then relaunch Safari normally. It will try to reload the malicious webpage, but without a connection, it won't be able to. Navigate away from that page by entering a different URL, i.e. www.apple.com, and trying to load it. Now you can reconnect to the Internet, and the page you entered will appear rather than the malicious one.
An excellent link to read is Tom Reed's Mac Malware Guide.
Also, visit The XLab FAQs and read Detecting and avoiding malware and spyware.
See these Apple articles:
Mac OS X Snow Leopard and malware detection
OS X Lion- Protect your Mac from malware
OS X Mountain Lion- Protect your Mac from malware
OS X Mavericks- Protect your Mac from malware
About file quarantine in OS X
If you require anti-virus protection Thomas Reed recommends using ClamXAV. (Thank you to Thomas Reed for this recommendation.)
From user Joe Bailey comes this equally useful advice:
The facts are:
1. There is no anti-malware software that can detect 100% of the malware out there.
2. There is no anti-malware that can detect everything targeting the Mac.
3. The very best way to prevent the most attacks is for you as the user to be aware that
the most successful malware attacks rely on very sophisticated social engineering
techniques preying on human avarice, ****, and fear.
4. Internet popups saying the FBI, NSA, Microsoft, your ISP has detected malware on
your computer is intended to entice you to install their malware thinking it is a
protection against malware.
5. Some of the anti-malware products on the market are worse than the malware
from which they purport to protect you.
6. Be cautious where you go on the internet.
7. Only download anything from sites you know are safe.
8. Avoid links you receive in email, always be suspicious even if you get something
you think is from a friend, but you were not expecting.
9. If there is any question in your mind, then assume it is malware. -
On a Mac, how do I close tabs or windows where dialogs have popped up trying to download malware and you cannot close them? I think it's Ctrl+F4 on a PC. I would like to close just these tabs or windows instead of having to quit the whole firefox program.
The equivalent of Control+F4 is Command+W, I have not tried it but you may still get the alert boxes when closing a tab using this method.
The AlertCheck add-on can be used to block the infinite loops such as this - https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/alertcheck - This functionality is built into Firefox 4.
An alternative method in Firefox 3.6.* is to temporarily turn off JavaScript. Open the Firefox preferences window, go to the Content panel and de-select the setting "Enable JavaScript" then click OK. You will then be able to close the tab, and can then re-enable JavaScript. -
I have Firefox-Mozilla Firefox. Also Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and a cc cleaner. I recently go a notice of automatic renewal from Webroot. Do I need Webroot in addition to the above? Doesn't one contradict or duplicate the other?
is malwarebytes on demand scanner?
is webroot a internet security suite?
anyways if malwarebytes is running real time it is not good enough on its own to prevent infection, but you do not need to waste money on protection,something like pctools firewall plus and avast free antivirus will be more than good enough.you could also sandbox your browser with sandboxie which is also free.. -
I was just told that I need to be concerned about malware and viruses on iPhone and iPad. What is available to protect my devices?
Apple will update iOS accordingly If anything does happen. There is nothing to do or worry about If you aren't jailbroken.
-
Hi,
i'm a new member of this community. I've recently learn about flashback malware and other threats to Mac devices. I've installed the new Mac OS X update for Lion 10.7, and the flashback removal tool. What about the update for Flash Player? Should i install it? Otherwise, should i permanently remove this app?
I realy need some advice.
Thank's to all.Be sure to install the latest version of Safari (version 5.1.7) which is available via Software Update (in the Apple menu) if you have not already installed it. This update will automatically disable older versions of Flash when new versions are available, and will instruct you on how to install the latest version on your system. This should help keep your system safe from any vulnerabilities in Flash.
Note that this is only useful if you use Safari, though other browsers have their own update mechanisms you should research and enable or configure to your liking. -
How to get rid of malware and ads?
I recently updated Adobe Flash Player on my MacBook, and now every time I go to Safari, all these ads and extra websites pop up saying that I need to get my computer checked for a virus, I need to update my video player, etc. I'm worried that I have a Trojan or a virus. How do I get rid of this malware and make my computer go back to normal?
Click here and follow the instructions, or if desired, download and run Adware Medic; to do this, copy and paste http://www.adwaremedic.com/AdwareMedic.dmg into your browser's address bar.
(115686) -
Good malware and antivirus software to use with Yosemite
It is some of the worst carper out there. It is to be avoided at all costs.
Why do you think need all of this crappy software?
Why not just learn to use OS X as it is designed to be used? -
Is the ipad protected against malware and virsuses
Is the Ipad protected against malware and viruses?
There are no know virusus that affect iOS. Unless you jailbreak your device, you have, for all practical purposes, nothing to worry about.
-
PREVENT MALWARE AND VIRUS ATTACKS On your Razr And Razr Maxx
I put this on here for ones Wanting to Prevent Attacks From M & V on the DROID RAZR MAXX b33
How do I prevent malware attacks?
To prevent malware (spyware, phishing, and viruses) from disrupting your phone's performance or damaging your phone, do a little research before downloading each app. Read on for easy ways to protect your phone when choosing apps.
Check the rating
Does the app get 4 or 5 starts? If so, it's probably a good one. If no one has posted comments along with the high star rating, be suspicious. Always check the comments, too, and if none are available, try an Android user forum search.
Read lots of comments in Market
Before downloading an app, read reviews from other Market users who have downloaded it to help you decide if it's right for you. On the app description screen, scroll down and touch Read all comments. Read a bunch of comments, not just the first few.
Check the permissions
When installing an app, be sure to read the alerts that tell you what information the app will access. If you disagree with allowing access to that information, cancel the installation. If you are installing an app that makes a shopping list, for example, the app should not require access to your contacts. Even if the app is legit, you may not want to allow access to your information.
Check Android user forums
Search Android user forums on the internet for the app name or post a question for other users to answer. Forums are great resources for sharing information. Your question will help other users, too.
Check the developer's website
Market not only provides comments at your fingertips, but if you scroll farther, you can touch Visit the developer's webpage to go directly to it. Does it look professional or quickly thrown together?
Post your own comments
After you download an app, you can rate it and post comments for other users to see. Just open Market and touchDownloads. Touch the installed app, then touch a star to rate it. Once you rate it, touch Post a comment to add yours. The more information available, the safer things get! Your Android community thanks you.
Still not sure?
If you are unable to find information using the previous suggestions and are unsure of the safety of the app, do not install it. There are plenty of other apps to choose from.I like how for over 2 years this hasn't been answered. This issue is still current.
-
Malware and Other Various Nasties
Hello Everyone
I am looking for some real solid feedback when it comes to the various onslaught on nasty infectious computer viruses , malware , spyware and things such as viruses and key loggers.
Would anyone know of any real solid top notch programs / applications that work very well with a Mac?
Thanks To All !
- Best Regards!You want the whole nine yards?!
Do not be tricked by 'scareware' that tempts computer users to download fake anti-virus software that may itself be malware.
Fake anti-virus software that infect PCs with malicious code are a growing threat, according to a study by Google. Its analysis of 240m web pages over 13 months showed that fake anti-virus programs accounted for 15% of all malicious software.
Scammers trick people into downloading programs by convincing them that their PC is infected with a virus.
Once installed, the software may steal data or force people to make a payment to register the fake product.
Beware of PDF files from unknown sources. A security firm announced that by its counting, malicious Reader documents made up 80% of all exploits at the end of 2009.:
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9157438/RoguePDFs_account_for_80_of_all_exploits_saysresearcher
No viruses that can attack OS X have so far been detected 'in the wild', i.e. in anything other than laboratory conditions.
It is possible, however, to pass on a Windows virus to another Windows user, for example through an email attachment. To prevent this all you need is the free anti-virus utility ClamXav, which you can download for Tiger and Leopard from (on no account install Norton Anti-Virus on a Mac running OS X):
http://www.clamxav.com/
The new version for Snow Leopard is available here:
http://www.clamxav.com/index.php?page=v2beta
(Note: ClamAV adds a new user group to your Mac. That makes it a little more difficult to remove than some apps. You’ll find an uninstaller link in ClamXav’s FAQ page online.)
However, the appearance of Trojans and other malware that can possibly infect a Mac seems to be growing, but is a completely different issue to viruses.
If you allow a Trojan to be installed, the user's DNS records can be modified, redirecting incoming internet traffic through the attacker's servers, where it can be hijacked and injected with malicious websites and pornographic advertisements. The trojan also installs a watchdog process that ensures the victim's (that's you!) DNS records stay modified on a minute-by-minute basis.
You can read more about how, for example, the OSX/DNSChanger Trojan works here:
http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/trojanosxdnschanger.shtml
SecureMac has introduced a free Trojan Detection Tool for Mac OS X. It's available here:
http://macscan.securemac.com/
The DNSChanger Removal Tool detects and removes spyware targeting Mac OS X and allows users to check to see if the trojan has been installed on their computer; if it has, the software helps to identify and remove the offending file. After a system reboot, the users' DNS records will be repaired.
(Note that a 30 day trial version of MacScan can be downloaded free of charge from:
http://macscan.securemac.com/buy/
and this can perform a complete scan of your entire hard disk. After 30 days free trial the cost is $29.99. The full version permits you to scan selected files and folders only, as well as the entire hard disk. It will detect (and delete if you ask it to) all 'tracker cookies' that switch you to web sites you did not want to go to.)
A white paper has recently been published on the subject of Trojans by SubRosaSoft, available here:
http://www.macforensicslab.com/ProductsAndServices/index.php?mainpage=document_general_info&cPath=11&productsid=174
Also, beware of MacSweeper:
MacSweeper is malware that misleads users by exaggerating reports about spyware, adware or viruses on their computer. It is the first known "rogue" application for the Mac OS X operating system. The software was discovered by F-Secure, a Finland based computer security software company on January 17, 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacSweeper
On June 23, 2008 this news reached Mac users:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/06/23/mac_trojan/
More on Trojans on the Mac here:
http://www.technewsworld.com/story/63574.html?welcome=1214487119
This was published on July 25, 2008:
Attack code that exploits flaws in the net's addressing system are starting to circulate online, say security experts.
The code could be a boon to phishing gangs who redirect web users to fake bank sites and steal login details.
In light of the news net firms are being urged to apply a fix for the loop-hole before attacks by hi-tech criminals become widespread.
Net security groups say there is anecdotal evidence that small scale attacks are already happening.
Further details here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7525206.stm
A further development was the Koobface malware that can be picked up from Facebook (already a notorious site for malware, like many other 'social networking' sites like Twitter etc), as reported here on December 9, 2008:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/newsid_7773000/7773340.stm
You can keep up to date, particularly about malware present in some downloadable pirated software, at the Securemac site:
http://www.securemac.com/
There may be other ways of guarding against Trojans, viruses and general malware affecting the Mac, and alternatives will probably appear in the future. In the meantime the advice is: be careful where you go on the web and what you download!
If you think you may have acquired a Trojan, and you know its name, you can also locate it via the Terminal:
http://theappleblog.com/2009/04/24/mac-botnet-how-to-ensure-you-are-not-part-of- the-problem/
As to the recent 'Conficker furore' affecting Intel-powered computers, MacWorld recently had this to say:
http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?email&NewsID=25613
Although any content that you download has the possibility of containing malicious software, practising a bit of care will generally keep you free from the consequences of anything like the DNSChanger trojan.
1. Avoid going to suspect and untrusted Web sites, especially p'orn'ography sites.
2. Check out what you are downloading. Mac OS X asks you for you administrator password to install applications for a reason! Only download media and applications from well-known and trusted Web sites. If you think you may have downloaded suspicious files, read the installer packages and make sure they are legit. If you cannot determine if the program you downloaded is infected, do a quick Internet search and see if any other users reported issues after installing a particular program. A recent example is of malware distributed through innocent looking free screensavers: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/malware-watch-free-mac-os-x-screensavers-bund led-with-spyware/6560?tag=nl.e589
3. Use an antivirus program like ClamXav. If you are in the habit of downloading a lot of media and other files, it may be well worth your while to run those files through an AV application.
4. Use Mac OS X's built-in Firewalls and other security features.
5. Stop using LimeWire. LimeWire (and other peer-to-peer sharing applications and download torrents) are hotbeds of potential software issues waiting to happen to your Mac. Everything from changing permissions to downloading trojans and other malicious software can be acquired from using these applications. Similar risks apply to using Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube and similar sites which are prone to malicious hacking: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8420233.stm
6. Resist the temptation to download pirated software. After the release of iWork '09 earlier this year, a Trojan was discovered circulating in pirated copies of Apple's productivity suite of applications (as well as pirated copies of Adobe's Photoshop CS4). Security professionals now believe that the botnet (from iServices) has become active. Although the potential damage range is projected to be minimal, an estimated 20,000 copies of the Trojan have been downloaded. SecureMac offer a simple and free tool for the removal of the iBotNet Trojan available here:
http://macscan.securemac.com/files/iServicesTrojanRemovalTool.dmg
Also, there is the potential for having your entire email contact list stolen for use for spamming:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/20/technology/internet/20shortcuts.html?_r=1
NOTE: Snow Leopard, OS 10.6.x, offers additional security to that of previous versions of OS X, but not to the extent that you should ignore the foregoing:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/security/
Apple's 10.6.4 operating system upgrade silently updated the malware protection built into Mac OS X to protect against a backdoor Trojan horse that can allow hackers to gain remote control over your treasured iMac or MacBook.
http://www.sophos.com/blogs/gc/g/2010/06/18/apple-secretly-updates
Finally, do not install Norton Anti-Virus on a Mac as it can seriously damage your operating system. Norton Anti-Virus is not compatible with Apple OS X.
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