The Latest Mac Trojan: From Porn Sites to Politics?

As you saw in our recent Intego Security Alert, “A malicious Trojan horse has been found on several pornography web sites, claiming to install a video codec necessary to view free pornographic videos.” This Trojan horse, OSX.RSPlug.A, is a variant of malware that has been making the rounds of Windows for some months. It’s been interesting to note some of the reactions in the press, as the usual head-in-the-sand commentators brush this threat off us just another load of hot air. However, Intego was worried not only about the malware, but about the fact that it might spread to the kind of sites that people would visit more willingly.

The Register notes that the Windows version of this malware, known, among others, as Zlob, has been spotted on websites claiming to provide information about US presidential candidates. Users may install this “codec” to see videos of their candidates, or to download screen savers. Some of these sites have been “advertised” by massive spam campaigns, in an attempt to lure as many users as possible.

The Mac Trojan was touted specifically in Mac forums (since going to the sites where it is present will only affect Mac users, not Windows users), but there’s no reason why these malware creators will not develop multi-platform sites, so all users will get the appropriate Trojans. As always, Intego VirusBarrier protects you from this threat, but be safe, and only download software from trusted sites.

Apple Posts QuickTime 7.3 With Security Fixes

Together with a new version of iTunes, Apple posted QuickTime 7.3, a new version of its media software, with more than half a dozen security fixes. “Maliciously crafted” movie files, Java applets, or PICT images could all allow attackers to cause “unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution,” but all that’s fixed, at least if you download the latest version of QuckTime. This applies to Mac and Windows, and there are actually three versions of the update for Mac (for Leopard, Tiger and Panther). For Mac users, as always, the best way to get the update is via the Software Update preference pane of System Preferences.

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