14 DAY TRIAL // A May 24 Support document mentioning ‘Mac Defender’ is Apple’s confirmation that the company is taking the first steps towards ensuring Mac users do not get infected with the latest malware targeting OS X.
The Cupertino, California-based company acknowledges the existence of Mac Defender labeling it as a phishing scam that targets Macs.
“A recent phishing scam has targeted Mac users by redirecting them from legitimate websites to fake websites which tell them that their computer is infected with a virus,” Apple says. “The user is then offered Mac Defender ‘anti-virus’ software to solve the issue.”
However, Apple warns, “this ‘anti-virus’ software is malware (i.e. malicious software). Its ultimate goal is to get the user's credit card information which may be used for fraudulent purposes,” the Mac maker outlines.
Common names for this particular piece of malware also include MacProtector and MacSecurity, Apple acknowledges.
Pretty much everything Apple states to this point in the document has been said for almost a week by various blogs and websites covering Apple news, including Softpedia.
In other words, Apple has been slow in addressing what is regarded as the first serious threat for the Mac user base.
Better late than never, though. As you would expect, “In the coming days, Apple will deliver a Mac OS X software update that will automatically find and remove Mac Defender malware and its known variants,” the Mac maker confirms.
“The update will also help protect users by providing an explicit warning if they download this malware,” adds Apple.
Until the update is released, though, users who wish to make sure they don’t get infected with Mac Defender (or its variants) are offered a how-to guide to either avoid installing the malware, or remove it from their system, if it has already been installed.
We will discuss the resolution to remove / avoid installing Mac Defender in a separate report today. For those who wish to apply them immediately, Apple’s Support document titled ‘How to avoid or remove Mac Defender malware’ is located at this address.