Apple Mac Devices Attacked By Malware For Ransome

Apple recent encounter with the malware will strengthen its stance over security and privacy.

For the first time ever, Apple products have been susceptible to potential malware software. The Cupertino, Calif. firm’s Mac devices have been attacked by some malicious software. The potential malware has locked the users out of their systems until they pay the ransom. The Santa Clara, Calif. based security company; Palo Alto Networks, cited this Sunday that as per their knowledge and beliefs, the Transmission BitTorrent client for Apple’s OS X operating system – a file-downloading app was infected with the alleged malware. The downloading app Transmission has been used by a great number of users to download files in a crowdsourced way.

The subject malware is dubbed “ransomware” and reportedly, it forward the accessibility of the individual or company’s systems to hackers who encrypt the sophisticated data and subsequently demand for a certain amount of payment in order to decrypt the data. In this way, the user data or system is held hostage by hackers.

An Apple spokesman affirmed about the alleged malicious software which has been impairing the systems but, in order to save other customers, the company had drawn the developer certificate from the infected app. In this way, app can be installed no more. According to the security company, this has been the first time when such malware has affected iPhone maker customers.

One of the Transmission representatives expressed on the matter that the alleged malicious software was downloaded about 6,500 times. He further added that due to Apple’s timely withdrawal of the certificate, not many users could run the affected app.

Such kinds of cyber-attacks are not novel. Industry experts believe that such type of incidents – which generally attacked Microsoft’s Windows operating system in past – may grow further as the advanced software has made it easy for hackers to target a large amount of data.

It was generally perceived that Apple Mac devices, which hold a smaller share in the market, are less prone to such cyberattacks but an e-threat analyst LiviuArsene expressed that the safe and secure time of the Apple devices might be ending. He said, “I think Apple users will become more targeted in the future because up until now there were very few successful malware attempts.” In the current time, however, “there’s blood in the water and sharks will come.”

Arsene further added, “Ransomeware has been known to make lot money.” This is true as the ransomeware, which affected Transmission – known as “KeRanger” – demands one bitcoin as ransom from the aggrieved party. The value of a bitcoin is tentatively $400.

In 2014, Apple OSX was targeted by ransomware under the name, “File Coder” but its efficacy lacked due to its incompletion. According to the researchers, the reported ransomware is still in the phase of the development, which will upgrade the software to encrypt Apple’s system, which will leave the victims helpless to recover their backup data.