Hacking Attacks against Apple to Rise during 2016, Caution Experts

According to security experts, online criminals are attacking the devices of Apple more-and-more with the coming year (2016) set to witness increased assaults against the company's operating system.

Symantec the security company says that malware volume targeted at Apple's iOS (operating system) is now over two-fold in 2015 with malware assaults on Mac PCs too increased.

According to security researcher Dick O'Brien of Symantec, cyber-criminals tend to target Apple more profusely because of high popularity associated with its products.

However, the incidences in which Apple devices are targeted with threats count less than those against Android and Windows, still the different kinds of malware targeting them increase.

During 2014, a mean of 10,000 to 70,000 Mac PCs were observed as contaminated with malware every month.

O'Brien explains the computed mean is much less in value compared to that for Windows PCs and that Apple continues to be a comparatively protected medium, nevertheless, people reliant on the company can't anymore feel satisfied regarding security, since new threats and infection rates for it keep increasing.

Symantec warns that 'Apple Pay' systems and the like are prone to attacks. Further according to chief technology officer (CTO) Bryce Boland at FireEye, cyber-attackers keep discovering techniques that would help them hack into Apple's highly secured domain and he expects that such hacks will rise in 2016. Lately, FireEye noticed that the iOS malware namely XcodeGhost, which Apple fast eliminated from the application folder it maintains, actually managed invading 210 American businesses' networks. Bbc.com reported this, December 11, 2015.

FireEye's research indicates that the total distinct OS X PCs contracting malicious software during 9 months beginning 2015 increased sevenfold over the total of 2014.

Moreover, Symantec discovered 7 fresh malware samples targeting iOS the mobile platform of Apple that broke into the devices and if unlocked those devices were especially vulnerable. Besides, computer attackers are further attacking corporations ever-more because these are places of highly prevalent Mac use.

In conclusion O'Brien says, Symantec hasn't still observed any malware aiming attack on Apple Pay; however, if financial transaction was involved in anything, it'd attract the enthusiasm of cyber-crooks.

» SPAMfighter News - 12/16/2015