New Trojan Epidemic Hits Mac Users

Mac OS X users have been targeted with a new computer Trojan horse with the intention of captivating systems for launch of mass denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, as reported by the Internet Security firm, Sophos at msnbc.msn on October 26, 2011.

According to Sophos, the newly dubbed malware OSX/Tsunami-A, functions by embedding itself to the host system and then waiting to receive further instructions from a remote Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channel. Sophos however claims that the name Tsunami Trojan is attained due to its goal towards forcing infected computers into becoming part of a compromised network that further launches DDoS attacks trafficking websites so massively that they are unable to function properly.

While throwing light on the new Trojan, Graham Cluley, Senior Technology Consultant at Sophos said that DDoS is not just a tool. As seen by the portion of OSX/Tsunami's source code, a lot of instructions can be given to the script. At the same time, it can also be used for accessing an infected computer, as reported by tgdaily on October 26, 2011.

Now, as a matter of fact, it is quite tricky as to find the way in which the code finds itself on the Mac. It is possible that a cyber crook plants it on the system to access it remotely and launch DDoS attacks. It is however, possible that the victim itself volunteers for participating in an organized attack on a website.

According to Robert Lipovsky, a malware Researcher at ESET, Tsunami seems to be consequential from an old backdoor Trojan dating back to 2002, designed with an intention to infect Linux systems, as reported by eweek on October 27, 2011.

The security firm, ESET also highlighted that the Trojan appears to be rotating quite quickly as evident from it being discovered on the first instance itself on October 27, 2011.

However, the security experts are apprehensive towards witnessing cyber criminals targeting unsafe Mac computers in the future as well.

Finally, 2011 has been a milestone year for Mac malware. The hugely successful Mac-based malware outbreak came to fore on May 2011 and a huge increase in the spread of Mac malware has also been noticed by security researchers.

Related article: New Zealand Releases Code To Reduce Spam

» SPAMfighter News - 11/3/2011