In a new paper published on its blog, the team of Microsoft specializing in cybersecurity details how a particularly threatening Trojan behaves and targets Macs. Discovered at the end of 2020, this one is not only able to take control of the machine it infects but also to take advantage of it.
To do this, the program broadcasts advertising invasive while taking on the appearance of classic software, without therefore attracting the mistrust of users. The story doesn’t say how many customers are affected right now, but in October 2021 an update broke Gatekeeper’s limitations, a sign that attacks are likely still ongoing.
How to protect yourself?
Among its advice, Microsoft recommends installing… edge, its own browser also available on macOS. We know that Safari is an excellent alternative developed by Apple, but it is true that it sometimes faces serious flaws that can be exploited by hackers.
Alternatively, it may also be a good idea to download a anti-virus. There are many for each operating system, but one is particularly optimized for Macs: Intego. Several tools are then offered, including memory scanning for adware, but also complete disk cleaning as with CleanMyMac.
The App Store, a good guardian
Microsoft also states thatUpdateAgent must be downloaded manually to be able to run on a computer: its activation can therefore be due to human error. Typically the scenario avoided by the Mac App Store.
We know that the validation process for all the services offered on the platform is quite strict, precisely in order to avoid – among other things – that malicious software is not found there. It is therefore always better to go through this, especially if you are not sure of your own source.
