Security vendors say Mac OS X Trojan and backdoor tool are on the loose
Ruh roh, as Scooby would say. Once relatively untouchable, security experts have now found what they claim to be two new pieces of malware specifically targeting OS X. The first, ‘OSX.RSPlug.D’, is a Trojan capable of rerouting internet traffic to a malicious DNS server which will draw users to phishing sites and ads. So far the only reported sources of the Trojan are porn sites where it sits masked as a codec needed to display certain videos. The second piece of malware, ‘OSX.Lamzev.A’, is much less of a threat. While is is surely capable of doing some serious damage by letting hackers install backdoors in an affected user’s system, a hacker would need physical access to the user’s computer in order to place it. This news might not be terribly huge for most users right now, odds are it is indeed a sign of things to come as Apple computers grow more popular thus drawing the attention and resources of malicious hackers. No need to panic for the time being however, just watch where you go for, err, entertainment.
“as Scooby would say” is unnecessary. any nerd reading this knows who used to say that.
*Security… spell check that
well that aint the only to hack in the OS X. they have a bunch of articles on pcworld.com about how mac os X and vista is the same when it comes to security.
dont you mean backdoor not backboor?
these articles come out every so often for the last 8 years and not a single one has been a big problem. this is getting lame as most of these alerts are released by “vendors” and guess what vendors are out to sell their product…
stupid hype.
I run ClamXAV anyway… for good measure of course.
@ surly
Your name fits you. Sorry we insulted your intelligence with “as scooby doo would say.”
@ Rod
Don’t you mean “don’t” (not “dont”)? Thanks for catching the error, professor. You’re so fucking helpful.
@Dtest54 is right. Just another scare tactic by “security” vendors to sell us another useless AV product. Besides who goes to porn sites anyway…
Oh yeah make sure you wipe the backdoor before exiting
HA!!!! APple Suxors
the solution is easy. dont open porno sites.
You would think that’d be easy enough, right? LOL
Actually, wasn’t Vista proven to be safer than OS X even, not just on par?
DNSChanger (or RSPlug) has been around for a few months now. It’s an installer package that you have to download, then type in your password, to install. If you’re not an admin password, I’m not sure you even CAN install it, password or not.
osx.lamzev.a is a “trojan toolkit.” It just some source code files you can download from a “hacker” website (http://www.hacker-soft.net/Soft/Soft_12602.htm) and compile. No one is being “affected” by it, because its not even a binary. Its just someones idea. And truthfully, its a retarded toolkit. It’s an entire toolkit just to automate replacing an application’s bundle with a bindshell. Um, are you kidding? I think I can rename the binary and modify the Info.plist myself.
And to follow up, Intego, the source of most of this FUD, is a flailing faltering mess. They’re losing market share and business, so they scour the internet to find this kind of garbage to write their security memos. Their software is total shit. They couldn’t secure their way out a wet paper garbage.
To be brutally honest, I don’t think there is a single person at Intego (how many people work there, btw, just one?) that understands anything about software security.
I always laugh at those people that say MACs can’t be hacked so there is no need to worry.
Its just that Linux & Windows make up a vast majority of computers out there including servers.
Hackers focus on doing the most damage so they focus on Windows. But MACs growing popularity (read: growing market share) and the relatively less tech savvy nature of the user base (most, not all) is making them a great target.
Plus Apple gets all the publicity so a hacker able to bring MACs down gets recognition easier than one bringing down windows (happens all the time).
I have switched to Mac about a year ago LOVE IT! Haven’t had a virus nor has my internet connection or software speed (Loading time), been bogged down, I do the same thing on my Mac that I did on my PC and everything is as good as the day I baught it. Thats the truth from a person that HATED Mac about 5 years ago and swithced to them a year ago!!! Right now there is a rumor about yet another Mac Trojan called OS-X.Trojan.iServices found in pirated copies of iWork ‘09. It was found by the same company “Intego” that found this previous trojan. Key is what Apple has advertised is pretty true, although I would not doubt the ability of a hacker to find a “backdoor”