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Organized Internet Criminals Sizing Up Macs as Targets

Organized Internet Criminals Sizing Up Macs as Targets

by , 2:35 PM EST, January 22nd, 2008

Organized criminal gangs working on the Internet have started to size up their opportunities with the Mac and users, according to a Sophos report.

Previously, organized criminals have not paid much attention to Macs when there are so many poorly protected Windows systems to go after. However, in 2007, according to the report, cited by Help Net Security on Tuesday, it's not just security researchers who are writing proof of concept code but financially motivated hackers.

The first example was the Mac OS X/RSplug-Gen file triggered by a visit to malicious Websites by a Mac users. However, if the site is visited by a Windows computer, the Zlobar-Fam Trojan is delivered.

"No-one should underestimate the significance of financially-motivated malware arriving for Apple Macs," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos." Noting that Macs have a long way to go in market share and use in the enterprise, he said that the Mac's increasing attractiveness to consumers is starting to receive attention by hackers. However, "...if enough Apple Mac users resist clicking on unsolicited weblinks or downloading unknown code from the Web then there's a chance they could send a clear message to the hackers that it's not financially rewarding to target Macs. If they fail to properly defend themselves, however, there's a chance that more cyber criminals will decide it's worth their while to develop more malware for Mac during 2008."

Observer Comments

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Close Name:Bosco Posts: 1002 Joined: 03 Jun 2002
Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:07 pm Subject: Apple Malware SDK

If you want to see more malware for the Mac, you should ask Apple about finally delivering a robust Malware SDK for Mac OS X. Using the same technology as the iPhone SDK, they should be able to deliver a malware platform for 3rd parties that is safe, secure, and supported.

As for organized gangs... The last time I went to a meeting, they couldn't even decide who was supposed to call the meeting to order, let alone collect dues to order pizza and beer. It was like going to a Ron Paul for President meetup, except the people smelled better.


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Close Name:brett_x Posts: 322 Joined: 24 Jan 2006
Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:41 pm Subject: Interesting

At first, I thought "Oh great, another security firm trying to drum up some business through FUD." But then I realized... Sophos doesn't sell to end users at all. They are purely a corporate vendor. They don't seem to have the same motive as other security firms.
Though I don't know about the "organized gangs" term.. that's FUDtacular. (Does "Say hello to my little friend" now refer a Mini? A nano? )


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Close Name:ata Posts: 17 Joined: 25 May 2005
Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:47 pm Subject:

Quote
Bosco wrote:
If you want to see more malware for the Mac, you should ask Apple about finally delivering a robust Malware SDK for Mac OS X. Using the same technology as the iPhone SDK, they should be able to deliver a malware platform for 3rd parties that is safe, secure, and supported.

Nicely played, sir.

Quote
Bosco wrote:
As for organized gangs... The last time I went to a meeting, they couldn't even decide who was supposed to call the meeting to order, let alone collect dues to order pizza and beer. It was like going to a Ron Paul for President meetup, except the people smelled better.

VERY nicely played, sir.

Anyway... this should be interesting. Let's see if we were right, all those years of telling people "Macs are inherently more secure, it's not just that malware authors are (perfectly understandably) ignoring them!".

In any case, next time I'm browsing an ad-covered porn site which tells me I need to install an unidentified video codec and then suspiciously downloads and opens the installer for me, I'll make a note to ignore it.


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Close Name:coaten Posts: 3071 Joined: 10 Oct 2001
Tue Jan 22, 2008 8:12 pm Subject:

Let me get this right. This is a reminder to practise safe sex, right?


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Close Name:Sir Harry Flashman Posts: 792 Joined: 08 Feb 2007
Tue Jan 22, 2008 9:23 pm Subject:

Quote
ata wrote:

In any case, next time I'm browsing an ad-covered porn site which tells me I need to install an unidentified video codec and then suspiciously downloads and opens the installer for me, I'll make a note to ignore it.


If they can put the malware in a porn site then they could put into a non-porn site and trick people into downloading the malware.


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Close Name:bweels -   TMO Forum Mod Posts: 4865 Joined: 24 Jan 2002
Wed Jan 23, 2008 12:07 am Subject:

Quote
ata wrote:
Anyway... this should be interesting. Let's see if we were right, all those years of telling people "Macs are inherently more secure, it's not just that malware authors are (perfectly understandably) ignoring them!".

In any case, next time I'm browsing an ad-covered porn site which tells me I need to install an unidentified video codec and then suspiciously downloads and opens the installer for me, I'll make a note to ignore it.

Don't forget that these are two very different things. Nothing is secure if you can get the gatekeeper to hand you the keys.


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