After years of insisting that Mac OSX is more secure that Microsoft’s Windows, Apple said on Tuesday that Mac OSX systems may be affected by security issues as well. Mac users are apparently facing issues with MacDefender, a fake security software that attempts to convince users to pay to remove malware that isn’t actually present on users’ machines.
As InformationWeek reports, Apple plans on issuing a software update very soon to address issues of a fake security software called MacDefender, that attempts to convince users to pay $80 to remove malware that doesnt even exist on the user’s computer.
Interestingly enough, Apple removed a support website that advocated the use of an antivirus software. Apple removed it after two weeks. Seems like Apple is no longer downplaying security issues anymore after this one.
Apple continues to say, however, that “the Mac is designed with built-in technologies that provide protection against malicious software and security threats right out of the box. However, since no system can be 100% immune from every threat, running antivirus software may offer additional protection.”
Security companies are now happy that Apple is acknowledging that this is a threat and that Macs are vulnerable to such security issues.
Sophos security researcher, Chester Wisniewski, responded to the security issue by saying, “We have observed that most users are being infected through malicious Web pages that are turning up in Google Image searches. The malicious Web pages display a fake security scanner convincing the victim to load a program that is in fact malware.”
MacDefender, aka MacProtector and MacSecurity, uses JavaScript to present simulated Mac OSX dialog windows that try to convince the user that it has an infection. In order to remove the infection, the user must pay money.
So what about the fix? “In the coming days, Apple will deliver a Mac OS X software update that will automatically find and remove Mac Defender malware and its known variants. The update will also help protect users by providing an explicit warning if they download this malware.”
Further reading: Apple, MacDefender, Security
