Mac malware becoming more prevalent

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Malware attacks against Macs are becoming more common, according to a security researcher who revealed a new security threat against the Apple platform.

Trend Micro researcher Ivan Macalintal found a new variant of the ‘JAHLAV’ family of malware, targeting versions of Quicktime, in some cases when users were searching for porn.

This time it is posing as pirated copies of PDF application Foxit Reader as well as other antivirus apps. One of the ways it can cause a problem is by changing a user’s registered DNS server and pointing them towards a fake website.

Another popular tactic is to corrupt a victim’s search engine results, leading to them to sites where there is malware or revenue can be made through hitting them with advertising.

“The increasing frequency of variants that we are seeing really is proof that criminals are seeing the value of attacking the Apple platform,” said Trend Micro solutions architect Rik Ferguson.

IT PRO reported on the existence of the first Mac botnet back in April, while we also questioned whether Apple needed to change its security policies.

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