14 DAY TRIAL // Apple has updated XProtect definitions to detect a new variant of the Mac Defender scareware which managed to evade its initial update.
Following a series of scareware attacks that caught Mac users off-guard, Apple started leveraging the rudimentary malware protection built into Mac OS X 10.6 to protect its customers.
It began with a system security update that set the XProtect blacklist to be updated daily, however, this is a reactive, not a proactive, solution.
In today's malware ecosystem 24 hours is a very long time, and this was clearly demonstrated by the people behind Mac Defender who modified their scareware to evade Apple's detection mechanism within eight hours.
Mac antivirus vendor Intego reports that Apple responded by updating the XProtect list again with new signatures that also pick up the new scareware variant.
This cat-and-mouse game will probably go on, but Apple needs to come up with ways to actually protect its customers instead of just lending a hand after cyber criminals have their money.
"Apple will either have to develop a more sophisticated solution to tackle Mac malware problem or be clearer in its advice to its users that they should install an anti-virus product. The cybercriminals aren't going to rest on their laurels if they smell money to be made," Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, told Softpedia.
Security experts are convinced that this is just the beginning and that a successful campaign against Mac users, like this one, will encourage other malware creators to join the market.
"Keep yourself informed about security threats. Install an anti-virus program on your Mac. The dream is over," Mr. Cluley urges users. After all, there's little reason not to run an antivirus.
Sophos provides one to Mac home users for free, which is just as good as the one it sells to companies. Avast Software, a leading free Windows antivirus vendor also released a beta version of its upcoming Mac product.