Apple, Mac, MacOS, iOS4, iPad, iPhone and (in)security...

Kate Bevan: For too long Mac users have been complacent about malware – it's time they woke up to the threat from trojans like Flashback...

 

===> Mac users should 'become responsible members of the wider computing community.' <===

 

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Repéré par des chercheurs de chez Kasperky, le malware SabPub exploite une fois encore une faille de sécurité Java dans Mac OS X via des documents Word piégés.

Die Sicherheitsexperten von Kaspersky Lab haben einen neuen Mac-Trojaner entdeckt. Die Schadsoftware heisst SabPub und verbreitet sich über Word-Dokumente.

This new minimum-threat malware development for OS X copies Flashback and suggests criminals jump on opportunistic bubbles. 

 

Recently the Flashback malware attacks on OS X gained headlines, not because of the presence of the Trojan, which had been around for some months prior to the increase in attention, but rather because it gained the possibility of installation in a drive-by-download attack that did not require any interaction from the user in order to install.

This development was made possible because of a vulnerability in Java that allowed for a maliciously crafted applet to break the Java sandbox and write files to the disk. Apple has since patched this issue and it, along with other companies, have released Flashback Trojan removal tools to combat the malware; however, in its prime, the malware did reach more than 600,000 Mac users.

 

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Attackers behind the Flashback and SabPub malware likely reverse-engineered a Java vulnerability patched for Windows almost two
months ago by Oracle.

 

Apple, which normally refuses to comment on any vulnerabilities in its products until after it's released a fix, broke with tradition by last week confirming that it was coding an OS X upgrade to nuke Flashback.

 

===> According to various security firms, approximately 600,000 Macs had been infected by Flashback, which makes it the largest malware infection to ever hit OS X users. <===

 

In addition, Kaspersky managed to tie the botnet to six malicious Microsoft Word documents that it's seen in the wild, two of which drop the SabPub vulnerability, and four of which drop the MaControl bot, which appears to be an earlier effort by the same virus writers. One key difference, however, is that MaControl didn't target the Java vulnerability exploited by Flashback and SabPub.

 

===> Another is that SabPub managed to remain active for about six weeks before anyone detected it. <===

 

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Another Mac OS X Trojan has been spotted in the wild, which exploits Java vulnerabilities, just like the Flashback Trojan.

 

Another Mac OS X Trojan has been spotted in the wild, which exploits Java vulnerabilities, just like the Flashback Trojan.

 

===> Also just like Flashback, this new Trojan doesn’t require any user interaction to infect your Apple Mac. <===

 

Apple propose une mise à jour de Java qui permet de supprimer les diverses variantes de Flashback et modifie le comportement du plugin.

Apple may have appeared to have pulled off a coup in persuading Oracle to maintain Java for Mac but can Oracle be trusted to get it right?

 

The emergence of the Flashback Trojan - which exploited a vulnerability in Mac OS X's version of Java - earlier this year led to a lot of flak for both Oracle and Apple. The vulnerability was known about and fixed in the Windows and Linux versions of Java, but remained exposed in OS X for several more weeks.

 

===> The fact that Apple is ultimately responsible for maintaining Java on OS X saw Apple's ability to protect its users questioned. <===

 

Read more:

 

- http://www.scoop.it/t/apple-mac-ios4-ipad-iphone-and-in-security

 

The Flashback malware threat for OS X is on a steep decline, but still underscores that Mac systems are not immune to threats. Read this blog post by Topher Kessler on MacFixIt.

A new Trojan known as “Sabpab” could hurt Mac users who run Java and Microsoft Word. Security researchers are warning users to make sure their computers

 

===> have the latest software updates from both Apple and Microsoft, <=== and to use anti-virus software.

 

In some cases, manual removal of Sabpab may be needed.

 

Word about Sabpab comes on the heels of another nasty piece of malware, Flashback, that infected up to as many as 600,000 Macs, security experts said, by exploiting a vulnerability in Java software.

 

Apple last week issued a software-base removal tool for that malware, which can be used by criminals to steal personal information, including passwords.

 

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Découvert par Kaspersky, ce nouveau malware qui cible les Mac exploite une faille de sécurité Java.

 

Le répit aura été de courte durée. À peine Apple avait-il publié une mise à jour de Java contenant un logiciel de suppression du malware Flashback qu’un nouveau fléau était découvert. Baptisé SabPub, il a été découvert par l’éditeur Kaspersky qui en a repéré deux variantes.

 

Comme Flashback, SabPub passe par une faille de sécurité de Java au moyen d’un document Word piégé. Le Mac infecté va ensuite se connecter à un site web depuis lequel sont envoyées des commandes. Un pirate peut notamment obtenir des captures d’écran du Mac de la victime.

 

Cependant, le mode de diffusion de ce malware via des documents Word piégés rend sa propagation moins puissante que celle de Flashback qui a touché 600 000 machines de par le monde.

 

A week after the Flashback Trojan began running rampant on Macintosh computers, the malware appears to be in remission.

A second variant of the Mac OS X Trojan referred to as Backdoor.OSX.SabPub.a or SX/Sabpab-A is exploiting a Microsoft Word security hole, not the usua...

The folks at Kaspersky Lab report that there's new Mac malware in the wild, called Backdoor.OSX.SabPub.a.

 

There are at least two variants being spread through Java exploits. Read this blog post by Don Reisinger on Security & Privacy.

 

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we can confirm yet another Mac malware in the wild - Backdoor.OSX.SabPub.a being spread through Java exploits. This new threat is a custom OS X backdoor, which appears to have been designed for use in targeted attacks.