Apple’s Malware Protection Software Upgraded Through Mac Os X Latest Version

According to Sophos the maker of security software, Apple quietly upgraded anti-malware software within the latter's Mac OS X operating software during the 3rd week of June 2010.

Indeed Apple deployed the security fix with such great secrecy that it didn't even mention the update within either its security bulletin or press releases. Incidentally, the security bulletin arrived with Apple's latest Mac OS X version 10.6.4 that contained the enigmatic patch.

Said Graham Cluley, Senior Technology Consultant at Sophos, it was heartening to know that Apple had upgraded the malware protection of its Mac OS X. However, the curious thing was why Apple did not declare they were developing the said patch. It nearly gave the impression that they did not wish to admit Mac OS X could have malicious programs, Cluley continued. PCWorld published this on June 19, 2010.

Cluley further said that Apple silently updated the anti-malware software for Mac to kill certain backdoor Trojan with which hackers were capable of controlling MacBooks or iMacs remotely. He added that the Mac OS X 10.6.4 upgrade quietly installed a security fix on XProtect.plist, a file which consisted of basic signatures pertaining to some Mac threats, and detected something that Apple named HellRTS.

States the company, the malicious HellRTS normally gets disseminated in the guise of 'iPhoto,' an application which exists by default on all PCs having Mac OS X. Erictric published this on June 18, 2010.

Moreover, any Mac computer contaminated with the particular malware is likely to be vulnerable to various attacks like seizing screenshots of what the user performs, gaining admission into clipboard data and files, or dispatching e-mail junk from the infected PC.

Says Cluley, Sophos has identified HellRTS as OSX/Pinhead-B starting April 2010.

Meanwhile, the security specialists, remarking about the attacks against Mac stated that Mac PCs were known to not getting infected with worms/viruses, but that was no longer true. Additionally, although, infection risks for Mac PCs weren't equally high as Windows computers, they too were susceptible now. Besides, with the growing popularity of Apple devices -MacBooks, iMacs and others, the gadgets were becoming hackers' perfect targets.

Related article: Apple Patches QuickTime 13 Month Old Flaw

» SPAMfighter News - 6/28/2010