New Mac Malware Breezes Past Gatekeeper Because It’s Signed By An Apple Developer ID

A new Mac malware has been found in the wild that allowed attackers to steal data and install unauthorized apps on a compromised machine. What makes this malware different than other recent Mac malware, though, is that it breezes right past Gatekeeper… and the people behind it might have been gunning for the life of their malware victim.

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New Mac Malware Takes Screenshots And Uploads Them Without Permission

A new piece of Mac malware has been discovered. The virus installs itself as “macs.app” and silently takes screenshots to then upload to shady servers. It doesn’t appear to be very widespread at the moment.

The malware was uncovered on an African activist’s Mac at the Oslo Freedom Forum, an annual event dedicated to “exploring how best to challenge authoritarianism and promote free and open societies.”

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Try These Five Great Ways To Master The Mac App Store [Feature]

You’ve come a long way, baby.

The Mac App Store, originally released for Mac OS X Snow Leopard, takes a lot of the guesswork and uncertainty out of downloading apps for your Mac, and adds a little bit of security as well. You know you’re getting apps that meet Apple’s stringent requirements to work with its operating systems.

Here are five different tricks and tips to working with the Mac App Store that you may not have already known. We think you’ll find something new in the stuff below that will help you master the Mac App Store.

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Safely Install Non-Mac App Store Apps On Your Mac [OS X Tips]

Another advantage of the Mac App Store, besides pausing downloads, safe uninstalls, and easy re-downloads of Mac OS X apps, is the safety of knowing that anything in the Mac App Store has been vetted by Apple.

One way your Mac makes sure you’re (relatively safe) from rogue apps is what’s called Gatekeeper. By default, this bit of software only allows you to install verified apps from the Mac App Store on your Mac. What if, however, you want to download software from a Mac developer who doesn’t distribute their software on the Mac App Store? You’ll need to bypass Gatekeeper in order to do so.

Here’s how to do that safely.

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Why Apple’s China Disaster Is Worse Than You Think

The worst thing that could possibly happen to Apple has now happened: The company has run afoul of the authoritarian government of China. 

Gatekeepers of the world’s largest and one of the fastest growing markets for every product Apple makes, the Chinese Communist Party-controlled government has decided to stop and reverse Apple’s growth in the country.

Here’s what’s going on.

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Apple Forced To Pay Chinese Writers Small Settlement In eBook Copyright Dispute [Report]

Apple has been having problems with Chinese writers suing for unlicensed eBook distribution in the App Store. After a group of writers asked Apple for 10 million yuan in damages for unlawfully distributing copyrighted works in certain Chinese apps, the court has forced Apple to pay a smaller settlement fee of 1.03 million yuan, which is only about $165,000.

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Android And Mac Malware Surged In 2012 As Hackers Looked Beyond Windows [Report]

Look out for more Android malware in 2013.

One of the biggest reasons I switched from Windows to a Mac all those years ago was OS X’s supposed immunity to malware and viruses. I’ve quickly discovered throughout 2012, however, that my Mac isn’t as safe on the Internet as I’d been led to believe. A new report from antivirus experts Sophos today highlights that.

The company’s Security Threat Report 2013 declares 2012 to be the year of “new platforms and changing threats.” Hackers are switching their focus from Windows to other platforms, including Mac OS X. Today’s biggest target, however, is Google’s Android platform.

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Private Eye Checks Your Mac’s Network Connections For Free [OS X Tips]

What’s connecting to where?

Read our full OSX Tips archive

If you’ve ever wondered precisely what your Mac is connecting to on the internet and when it’s doing it, there’s a new free app called Private Eye to help you out.

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Apple Introduces The New 80% Thinner iMac, Starting at $1,299 [iPad mini Event]

Phil Schiller stares longingly at the sexy new iMac.

Apple just unveiled the all-new iMac with a gorgeous edge-to-edge display and crazy thin design. Using a new display that’s 5 millimeters thinner and laminated to the glass, the new iMac is 80% thinner than its predecessor. The display is also 75% less reflective, which is excellent news.

It’s hard to explain how thin this iMac is in words—it almost looks like an optical illusion. But don’t let the thinness fool you, the new iMac is a powerhouse. It comes with USB 3.0, Thunderbolt, and up to 3TB of internal storage and Intel’s quad-core Ivy Bridge Core i5 or i7 processors.

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Apple Unveils 13-Inch MacBook Pro With Retina Display, Starting At $1,699 [iPad mini Event]

Beautiful.

After touting the success of the Mac by calling it the number one desktop and laptop platform in the United States, Tim Cook brought Apple’s Phil Schiller onstage to talk MacBook. Schiller then unveiled the rumored 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display. The new laptop is 20% thinner and a pound lighter than the previous 13-inch MacBook Pro.

The 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro leaked several days ago via a Chinese forum. The machine features a HDMI port, USB 3.0, and SD card slot like the 15-inch Retina. It’s awesome, but it will cost you.

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