Bogus Installer Malware Detected Targeting Mac Users

It's yet again that Apple users' artificial feeling of security has been hit. For, Dr. Web a Russian anti-virus provider, recently, discovered what's seemingly an unprecedented bogus installer Trojan known as "Trojan.SMSSend.3666," as it attacked Mac computers followed with forcing their owners to submit to SMS fraud, thus published threatpost.com dated December 12, 2012.

So far, the mentioned bogus installer attack targeted solely Windows computers. But now it's reportedly aiming numerously at different websites masquerading as genuine or worthwhile application, says the vendor.

Effectively to work, once the malware i.e. Trojan.SMSSend.3666 is launched on an OS X machine, its user confronts an interface, which pretends to be corresponding software's installation wizard. That this process of installation may continue, one prompt makes the computer-user feed in his mobile phone-number followed with entering a code he'd get through SMS. And once that's done, a subscription charge is made on that user via debiting his cell-phone account routinely.

Notably, similar to other recent malicious programs targeting Mac OS X, SMSSend seems to be created particularly for duping users who're members of the social network VK of Europe. This one is unlike an increasingly widespread attack that happened during the MacDefender scareware, Dr. Web's experts outline.

The experts state that the Trojan has been created using ZipMonster, which's one widely-used file condensing software in Russian language that cyber-criminals and hackers popularly use.

The above kind of malicious campaigns are known as Toll Fraud that are fast getting to be a highly severe threat for people using smart-phones, in particular people using Android gadgets, remarks security company Kaspersky.

Previously, attacking people through their cell-phone numbers didn't prove successful; however, the SMSSend type of malware's proliferation across Mac PCs indicates how attacks through the means are now lucrative. Today, increasing number of services especially Twitter and Facebook, the social networks have direct linkages to phones. As per specialists, with the installer Trojan spreading across OS X prior to iOS, it suggests the extent of difficulty in getting malicious software onto Apple's mobile gadgets.

But, Internauts can remain safe from dubious installers, if they download applications solely, off established sources.

Related article: Bogus News Site Spreads Trojan

» SPAMfighter News - 12/20/2012