More than 600,000 Mac OS X viruses are affected by trojan viruses. (Image: Feras Hares (CC) via Flickr)
It used to be a well-known idea that Mac OS X computers are safe from any virus threats, unlike PCs. However, in Dr. Web’s latest report, an anti-virus company based in Russia, greater than 600,000 Macs are victim to the Flashback Trojan virus. The implications are that these computers have been wide open to criminal hackers.
In an interview with BBC, Timur Tsoriev, who works for Kaspersky Lab, located in Russia as an analyst, said that Apple computers, like Windows PCs, are not safe from cyber viruses.
More than fifty percent of the Mac OS X computers infected by this Trojan were in the US. Around twenty percent are computers found in Canada.
The Flashback Trojan started infecting Apple computers during September. A user unknowingly clicks on what appears to be an update from Adobe Flash. Instantly, that virus will then disable certain security features in that computer and pave way for hackers.
A later version of this Trojan can be found in certain web pages, wherein access causes the codes hidden in Java language are installed, infecting the computer.
Apple has released a security patch this week. Users can download it for protection.
About Neal Alfie Lasta
I enjoy learning and writing about social media and the latest in mobile updates.
No one knowledgeable about the Mac has EVER said that Mac OS X is immune to malware!
But what knowledgeable Mac users DO know is that in the more than 11 years that Mac OS X has been in existence, there has NEVER been a single case of a Mac virus in the wild (an actual virus that can spread from Mac to Mac like the tens of thousands of Windows viruses).
Trojans are NOT viruses! They require a user to be tricked into installing this type of malware onto their own Mac.
A Trojan is like if some stranger came to your door and said he represents your bank, and needs you to fill out your personal banking information for him. A sensible person would reject doing this, and would not have to worry about this stranger stealing from you.
On the other hand, a virus is like a burglar that breaks into your house when you are not home, and steals from you. This has never happened with Mac OS X, but it goes on all the time with Windows PCs!
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Why the FUD and false information?
Trojans are not viruses. They are completely different things.
A virus is something hidden, something you can't see. Something you don't know you have until it's too late and you have problems with your computer.
Since OSX (11 years ago), no Mac has had a virus.
A Trojan – like the horse of Troy is an application that says, "You need to update your FLASH application. Click "OK" to do so now." Someone who clicks on this then downloads what he thinks is a harmless update, but that in reality is malicious software. He is prompted for his password, gives it and is caught.
You might say that a virus is like catching a cold and a Trojan is an STD.