One of the most common belief you have had is that your Mac device is free from any type of infection and and malware for Mac are nonexistent. However, recent incidents contradict with this belief.
Although, it is true that most of the malware and viruses prefer to target Windows machines in comparison with Mac. Even the WannaCry ransomware that had got almost every victim on its knee, targeted only the Windows computers. One of the reasons that Mac devices are securer than other platforms is that Apple had visions to deploy adequate security channels at their places that hardly allow anything in the machine. But, no security is perfect and sometimes, you happen to have an uninvited guest on your machine. Apart from all the conventional and known threats, we’ve got 3 recent malware on Mac that are threatening security of your device. Let’s take a look:
1. OSX/Shlayer or Crossrider:
Crossrider is one of the fastest spreading malware in Mac that enters in your machine through a fake Adobe Flash Player installer. Anti-malware organizations have identified this adware with different names. Intego calls it OSX/Shlayer Malware. When Crossrider enters, the fake Flash Player leaves a copy of Advanced Mac Cleaner that in Siri’s copied voice, says that it has found problems on your Mac.
If you remove the program and all its components, you would find Safari’s homepage setting is still locked to a Crossrider domain and it doesn’t let you change it. It happens due to a configuration profile installed on your Mac by that adware. It is advised that if you see any popup or message saying that you need to update your Adobe Flash Player, it is probably a scam and may turn up to be Mac security threat. If you have to update the program, do it from the official website of Adobe.
2. OSX/MaMi:
When MaMi hits your Mac, it gets all the traffic through the malicious servers (addresses) and this way it can intercept your confidential information. When you mistakenly bring MaMi to your device, it establishes a root certificate that traces all the encrypted communications. According to a former NSA hacker Patrick Wardle “Attackers can perform a variety of nefarious actions such as man-in-the-middling traffic.”. What’s scarier is that malware is able to execute tasks, force mouse movements, capture screenshots and upload / download your files. If you think you’ve got MaMi malware on Mac, check your DNS settings. If you find 82.163.143.135 and 82.163.142.137 addresses, it’s likely that your Mac is compromised and needs a tech from Apple Store.
3. Meltdown & Spectre:
The Meltdown and Spectre are bugs that may allow intruders to steal your confidential information. Meltdown consists of a “rogue data cache load” that may turn on a user process to read kernel memory. On the other hand, Spectre may either be a “bounds check bypass,” or “branch target injection” that could make items in kernel memory ready for user process and can be misused in JavaScript running in a browse, as per Apple.
Overall, there are chances you might get these Mac security threats on your machine even after having proper security in place. Unfortunately, there’ hasn’t been any cure that specifically takes care of these three malware on Mac but you can install Systweak Anti-Malware to safeguard the entry for any such entity. Also, paying extra attention to your browsing habits may help you alleviate your digital security. In case you receive an email with attachment from any unknown person, it is recommended that you do not entertain it. If you know more about trending Mac malware, do let us know in the comments below.