Intego Finds Fresh Strain of Flashback Trojan

Intego the security firm declared lately that its researchers had uncovered additional variants of a Trojan virus called Flashback and that the malware had infected numerous Mac users, with particularly the most recent strain at work that Intego dubbed 'Flashback.G.'

There are understandably, three ways with which the Trojan contaminates host Mac computers. Two of these associate with the exploitation of either of dual security flaws in Java that allows Flashback to contaminate any target computer devoid of user-participation. Incase these methods prove ineffective then the 3rd one is applied wherein the user is duped into letting a loading via the copying of an Apple Inc.-signed security certificate that requests permission for the malicious content to gain admission into the PC. The end-user then must hit the 'continue' button for letting the Trojan reach his operating system.

Notably, Flashback.G's loading gets prevented in the presence of VirusBarrier X6. The same happens when many other security software run active on the Mac. The reason for this is 'evading identification.' Seemingly, the authors of malicious software think it most appropriate to shun Mac PCs, which might spot the program, instead concentrate on those, which don't have the necessary defenses.

Thus when loaded, the Trojan works by inserting script inside Web-browsers along with more specified software such as Skype so it may dig sensitive information like passwords from the end-users. Fortunately, the impacted software usually collapses that in some way is good as it reflects a problem in the application, which must then be re-loaded else remedied. But, there's a possibility that in case contaminated, Flashback.G might've really seized the data of its requirement.

Intego observes that a large number of the total Mac systems Flashback.G contaminated had Snow Leopard enabled with Java (previous editions) deployed.

However, according to security specialists working with Intego, it's possible to prevent the Flashback.G infection by ensuring that security software is up-to-date on the system as also that the Java installed on the system is its latest version. Additionally, users mustn't click links to endorsed security certificates else be wholly sure the links are safe, the specialists conclude.

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» SPAMfighter News - 3/1/2012