Windows users may be used to reading about scareware, but it now appears that scareware has made its way to the Apple Mac computer. A fake antivirus program calling itself the MACDefender is attacking Apple Mac computers.
This fake antivirus program called MACDefender, targets Mac users via SEO poisoning attacks, after the user visits particular websites, reports Intego.
When a user clicks on certain links after searching for a query, they are sent to a website that displays a fake screen showing a malware scan. The window then tells the user that their Mac computer is infected. After this, a JavaScript on the page automatically downloads a zip file. If the user continues the process, the rogue software gets installed.
For long has Windows been the most favored target of malware writers by virtue of its sheer market numbers. But now that Mac useage has crossed the threshold of 10%, it looks like such attacks may become a common thing.
In fact a do-it-yourself crime kit for making Mac malware is now also available on the net!
In the past, these types of sites only delivered Windows rogue software applications. The fact that such sites are now providing a Mac rogue antivirus must be disconcerting news for Mac users, who believe that they do not have to worry about malware, unlike Windows users.
Several Mac users who were infected by the MAC Defender app have posted questions on Apple.com asking how to get rid of the application.
Incidentally if anyone is looking for a good free antivirus for Mac, you can check out the one by Sophos.
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