GreNME
27th January 2009, 11:05 AM
An article describing the malware (http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/117188).
This isn't necessarily the first piece of OS X malware, but it's definitely the most serious piece I've seen so far. It follows the same attack vector that mos Windows-based malware takes to infect someone's computer-- basically tricking the user into allowing it to install under false pretenses (classic trojan horse). I included the link above because it also links to a removal tool that someone can grab if they think that they or someone they know might get caught by this.
Naturally, the best way to keep safe from this threat is to not download pirated software from BitTorrent or any other sites. This isn't much different from the Windows world, where the largest threats are also from the pirating (warez) file sharers and downloaders. These, along with websites that try to convince you to install unknown plugins, take advantage of the desire for instant gratification and exploit it to gain some measure of control over your computer. As long as you can keep that much in mind and react accordingly to offers of "features" or "free software" by installing something, you're already ahead of the curve in terms of avoiding spyware, viruses, and other forms of malware. I still strongly urge people to look into some type of antivirus or anti-malware protection, though, and I don't make exceptions for any operating system in that regard.
This isn't necessarily the first piece of OS X malware, but it's definitely the most serious piece I've seen so far. It follows the same attack vector that mos Windows-based malware takes to infect someone's computer-- basically tricking the user into allowing it to install under false pretenses (classic trojan horse). I included the link above because it also links to a removal tool that someone can grab if they think that they or someone they know might get caught by this.
Naturally, the best way to keep safe from this threat is to not download pirated software from BitTorrent or any other sites. This isn't much different from the Windows world, where the largest threats are also from the pirating (warez) file sharers and downloaders. These, along with websites that try to convince you to install unknown plugins, take advantage of the desire for instant gratification and exploit it to gain some measure of control over your computer. As long as you can keep that much in mind and react accordingly to offers of "features" or "free software" by installing something, you're already ahead of the curve in terms of avoiding spyware, viruses, and other forms of malware. I still strongly urge people to look into some type of antivirus or anti-malware protection, though, and I don't make exceptions for any operating system in that regard.