Iranian Hackers Using Revamped Malware Attack Apple Devices of Human/Civil Rights Activists

Collin Anderson, Internet Security Specialist writes one fresh report according to which, Iranian hackers receiving state sponsorship who had thus far concentrated on people promoting human and civil rights while using Android or Windows operating systems, are now developing malware that in unprecedented case hits their Apple devices.

A security investigator taking help of VirusTotal -Google's online malware cache- detected the malware inside a file carrying the name "US Allies and Rivals Digest Trump's Victory - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace." The malware laden file compromised the PC's security through the employment of Microsoft Word's macros. Incidentally, the file has been created specifically for Apple's OS that is deceptively named Mac OS.

Anderson states that only a handful of persons were contaminated with the Mac malicious software. He continues that the Windows editions which interacted with certain common PC servers had contaminated some individuals internally based in Iran as well as its diaspora.

Security Researcher Snorre Fagerland is the discoverer of the malware. His conviction is that some government backed group supports the malware piece. While macros appear as tiny viruses, their effectiveness can be strong within certain situations. Two years back i.e. during 2015 the same methodology destabilized the electricity grid of Ukraine. Besides, the hack attack as it was based on Word macros was the largest ever.

The Iranian government's hardliners severely censor and restrict the Internet as well as social-networking websites because according to them, any freedom online can be threatening towards the Islamic Republic's sanctity. Such a Campaign has found that Iranian hackers, whom the hardliners often direct, over specific time-gaps launch attacks on human and civil rights organizations/activists for disrupting their peaceful protests.

Operator of the 'Iran Threats' online site, Anderson informed the Campaign about how computer hackers were attacking activists of civil rights using one revamped edition of MacDownloader a malicious program that was earlier employed for attacking industrial infrastructures. Iranhumanrights.org posted this, February 12, 2017.

According to Anderson, to stay safe the best safeguard was for being skeptical of software programs which people downloaded, while also being careful with the electronic mails they got.

» SPAMfighter News - 2/15/2017