“The recently discovered campaign targets Mac-using employees of several pro-Tibetan non-governmental organizations, and employs attacks exploiting already patched vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office and Oracle’s Java framework, Jaime Blasco, a security researcher with Alien Vault, told Ars,” Goodin reports. “Over the past two weeks, he has identified two separate backdoor trojans that get installed when users open booby-trapped Word documents or website links included in e-mails sent to them. Once installed, the trojans send the computer, user, and domain name associated with the Mac to a server under the control of the attackers and then await further instructions.”
Goodin reports, “Blasco’s findings, which are documented in blog posts here and here, are among the first to show that Macs are being subjected to the same types of advanced persistent threats (APTs) that have plagued Windows users for years—not that the shift is particularly unexpected. As companies such as Google increasingly adopt Macs to limit their exposure to Windows-dependent exploits, it was inevitable that the spooks conducting espionage on them would make the switch, too.”
More info the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Bring on the Gatekeeper! And, hey, let’s be careful out there.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Edward Weber” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Security experts: Apple did OS X Mountain Lion’s Gatekeeper right – February 16, 2012
OS X Mountain Lion’s Gatekeeper slams the door on Mac trojans – February 16, 2012
OS X trojan variant preys on Mac users with unpatched Java – February 27, 2012
Apple releases OS X Mountain Lion Developer Preview; public release coming in late summer 2012 – February 16, 2012
Warning: Flashback Trojan horse spreading; Mac users should be wary of Flash installers – September 28, 2011
Apple updates OS X Lion, Snow Leopard malware definitions to address new trojan – September 26, 2011
New OS X trojan horse sends screenshots, files to remote servers – September 23, 2011
Apple: How to avoid or remove MACDefender malware (permanent fix coming in Mac OS X update) – May 24, 2011
Apple: How to avoid or remove MACDefender malware (permanent fix coming in Mac OS X update) – May 24, 2011
MACDefender trojan protection and removal guide – May 20, 2011
Apple investigating ‘MACDefender’ trojan – May 19, 2011
Apple malware: 6 years of crying wolf – May 6, 2011
Is Mac under a virus attack? No. – May 4, 2011
Intego: MACDefender rogue anti-malware program attacks Macs via SEO poisoning – May 2, 2011
Sophos details new Mac OS X Trojan – February 28, 2011
Warning: Mac users beware of yet another trojan masquerading as video codec – June 11, 2009
CNN blows it; gets all worked up about a Mac Trojan that isn’t the first nor is it the last – April 23, 2009
Mac trojan expands to affect pirated versions of Photoshop CS4 – January 26, 2009
Intego: Mac trojan horse found in pirated Apple iWork ‘09 – January 22, 2009
New Mac OS X Trojan horse identified – June 23, 2008
Mac OS X Scareware trojan ‘MacSweep from Imunizator’ tries to scam Mac users – March 29, 2008
Mac trojan makers churn out slightly modified versions to evade anti-malware detection – November 08, 2007
Mac DNS Changer Trojan [OSX/Puper] relatively simple; works like the Windows version – November 01, 2007
New Mac OS X Trojan warning – February 16, 2006
Apple: ‘Opener’ is not a virus, Trojan horse, or worm – November 02, 2004
Article source: http://macdailynews.com/2012/03/29/surveillance-spyware-migrates-from-windows-to-mac-os-x-via-trojans/
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