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Re-activateMacs have largely been thought to be safer than PCs from malware, mostly because their smaller market share made them a less-attractive target. But a Mac botnet, recently discovered by a pair of Symantec researchers, shows that vulnerabilities can be found in just about any technology.
The malware that enabled the botnet to function was embedded in phony copies of iWork 09 and Adobe Photoshop CS4, which were available as peer-to-peer downloads. The researchers estimate that thousands of users were infected. The malware grabs the user's password, and calls in to the server host of the botnet, allowing the hackers to remotely control the infected PC without the user's knowledge.
They believe it was being used to launch denial-of-service attacks in an attempt to shut down an unknown Web site.
This should be a wake-up call for Mac users: Don't let your guard down; one of these days a malware infection might very well infect your "impervious" Mac. If you want a little extra insurance, get yourself some anti-malware protection. —Donna Tapellini
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