The IT Nerd

Mac users need to read this and take precautions.  Bitdefender has shared on a new form of malware that targets macOS devices. Apparently it can monitor everything that happens on the infected machine. It can log keys strokes, harvest passwords, see running lists of active processes, index files, take screenshots, and even copy iPhone backups. The malware isn’t entirely new however. It is apparently based on the X Agent malware that targets iPhones and Android phones. For that reason, Bitdefender believes it was created by APT28, also known as Fancy Bear, the same Russian government-affiliated group behind the 2016 election hacking and leaks. That shouldn’t make you sleep well tonight if you are a Mac user.

So… how do you protect yourself. Here’s my suggestions:

1. macOS machines should be prevented from downloading and executing programs that don’t come from the App Store or another approved source.
2. The malware is usually distributed through “Spear Phishing” attacks. That is a social engineering attack targeted at a specific individual. This article from CSO can help you mitigate these kinds of attacks.
3. Make sure you run some sort of anti-virus on your Mac. These days, it’s not optional. It’s a requirement.

This entry was posted on February 17, 2017 at 10:23 am and is filed under Commentary with tags Apple. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.