malware

First-ever iOS trojan steals your face to break your bank [Updated]

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Trojan horse: first ios trojan goldpickaxe
The deceptive iOS trojan GoldPickaxe steals facial-recognition and more to get at your money.
Photo: Pexels-Kamal-Hayit

For the first time, an iOS trojan has been spotted in the wild. Adapted from a well-known Android trojan, GoldDigger, the new malware is called GoldPickaxe, according to a new report. And it steals an iPhone user’s facial recognition data to go after money in banking and other financial apps. We’ll show you how below.

Apple rejected nearly 1.7 million App Store submissions in 2022

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Apple rejected nearly 1.7 million Apple Store submissions in 2022
It's up to Apple's App Review team to prevent malware from sneaking onto its software store.
Graphic: Apple

Keeping bad applications out of the App Store is a monumental task — Apple says it denied 1.7 million apps submitted for approval in 2022. That’s out of 6.1 million, and it’s an increase from the previous year.

And Apple also blocked nearly 3.9 million stolen credit cards from being used to make fraudulent purchases on the App Store. Plus, the iPhone-maker blocked millions of fake reviews.

Everything you need to know about the Pegasus spyware infecting smartphones

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Pegasus spyware FAQ
And how to tell if your iPhone is infected.
Photo: NSO Group/Cult of Mac

NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware is making headlines again after it was reported that a number of governments around the world have been using it to hack the smartphones of activists, politicians, journalists and other individuals.

A list of potential surveillance targets, which includes more than 50,000 phone numbers, was leaked and obtained by a number of news outlets over the weekend, reigniting concerns over government surveillance.

So, what exactly is Pegasus? And who might be a potential target of an attack? How can you tell if your iPhone already fell victim to the spyware? We rounded up everything you need to know about Pegasus.

Fleeceware apps scam $400 million out of unsuspecting users

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Fleeceware tricks people into paying enourmous subscription fees.
Don’t get fleeced.
Photo: Cult of Mac/Skitterphoto/Pexels CC

Applications that trick users into paying huge subscription fees raked in over $400 million from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, according to research done by Avast.

The so-called “fleeceware” takes advantage of a weakness in both app stores: deleting an application tied to a subscription doesn’t cancel the subscription.

macOS malware shoots up 1,000% in 2020

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dead MacBook hack
Are you protecting your Mac yet?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cybercriminals reportedly created more macOS malware in 2020 than from 2012 to 2019 combined. The days when Mac users could happily assume they weren’t in danger from hackers are long over.

But the situation remains far worse for Windows users. Researchers found 135 times as many Windows malware samples last year as ones targeting macOS.

How to tell if Silver Sparrow malware is hiding on your Mac

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How to tell if Silver Sparrow malware is hiding on your Mac
Silver Sparrow could be in your M-series or Intel Mac. Here’s how to find out.
Graphic: Cult of Mac/Red Canary

Some of the first malware targeting both M-series and Intel Macs has affected thousands of computers. At this point, the malicious code — called “Silver Sparrow” — is not dangerous, and Apple may have pulled its teeth. But users of the latest macOS computers still might want to know if their device has it. And the same goes for owners of Intel-based Macs.

Here’s how to find out if your computer has been hit.

Apple steps up fight against Silver Sparrow malware that targets M1 Macs

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Apple Silicon
Apple Silicon Macs aren't safe from malware.
Photo: Apple

The first wave of malware written specifically for Apple Silicon Macs is starting to appear. And Apple’s already playing Whac-A-Mole to try and stop it.

The malware in question, called “Silver Sparrow,” is reportedly a malicious package that can exploit a vulnerability in the macOS Installer JavaScript API as a way to execute dodgy commands. While it remains unclear how big of a threat Silver Sparrow poses, Apple nonetheless took steps to stop its spread.

Security expert IDs the first bit of malware optimized for M1 Macs

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Apple silicon will power future Mac desktops and laptops
"And next year, we're really excited about the first M1 malware that's coming."
Screenshot: Apple

Security researcher Patrick Wardle has discovered what may be the first malware optimized for Apple Silicon Macs. The malware, details of which he published this week, involves a Safari adware extension called GoSearch22.

The adware delivers unwanted ads, collects browser data, and modifies browser settings. GoSearch22 is relatively low risk. However, it can result in users being redirected to certain websites or suffering an otherwise impaired browsing experience.

Mac malware slips through Apple notarization process

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Mac malware is real. Watch out.
Even Macs can get hit with malware. Especially when Apple notarizes it!
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple reportedly slipped up and notarized some malware. This allows the ill-behaved software to be installed on Macs.

Preventing the spread of malware is exactly why Apple insists Mac apps to be notarized, so it’s not clear how this malicious software got Apple’s approval.

Intego Mac Premium Bundle X9’s powerful solutions secure your Mac

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Mac Premium Bundle X9 protects your computer from online threats with five apps.
Mac Premium Bundle X9 safeguards your precious computer.
Image: Intego

This Mac security post is presented by Intego.

Macs have a reputation for being less vulnerable than PCs to online threats like malware and viruses, but your machine is certainly not invulnerable. Far from it, actually. It can pay to invest in a suite of security apps like those in Intego Mac Premium Bundle X9 to protect your Mac from a variety of online threats.

Trojan using fake Flash updates infects 1 in 10 Macs

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shlayer
The Shlayer Trojan hides in fake Flash update pages like this.
Photo: Kaspersky

A dangerous piece of Mac malware that hides as a fake Flash warning is a growing security threat to Mac users with one in 10 Macs infected, according to the security firm, Kaspersky.

The Shlayer Trojan has been active since early 2018 and so far it shows no signs of going away quietly. Shlayer has had an enormous amount of success attacking Macs, even though it’s a rather normal piece of malware.

Apple removes 17 malware apps that secretly clicked on ads

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Apple pays $467k for doing business with blacklisted app developer
Apple has given malware apps the boot.
Photo: Apple

Apple quietly removed 17 sketchy apps from the App Store for delivering malware. All made by one developer based in India, the apps secretly generated money by clicking ad links and opening background windows without users’ knowledge.

Although less malicious than some other malware, the apps still threatened to slow down devices or drain batteries.

Apple patches iCloud, iTunes for Windows to plug malware hole

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Apple iCloud for Windows app
Update today!
Photo: Microsoft/Cult ofMac

Apple’s latest patches for iTunes and iCloud for Windows are out to block potential ransomware attacks.

The software previously contained a vulnerability that allowed malware to piggyback on Apple’s digital signatures and go undetected by antivirus software.

And don’t assume you’re safe if you’ve already uninstalled Apple’s apps.

New malware steals data from your device and cloud accounts

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Proposed bill could hold tech giants more accountable for child exploitation
Pegasus could be used by governments to spy on individuals.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A new spyware tool reportedly can harvest data from iOS devices and their connected cloud accounts.

The tool, called Pegasus, also works with Android devices. The data it is able to gather even reportedly includes encrypted messages from third-party apps. It does this by fraudulently posing as the user to download their private content.

’CrescentCore’ malware attacks your Mac, evades antivirus tools

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CrescentCore-Flash-update
Don’t install Flash Player. Not even the real one.
Photo: Intego

Security researches have discovered new malware that targets macOS users and evades popular antivirus tools.

“CrescentCore” is distributed as a DMG package that’s disguised as Adobe Flash Player. It can now be found on multiple websites — one of which is “a high-ranking Google search result,” according to Intego.

How to block ads and malware on iOS

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This is the web without content blockers.
This is the web without content blockers.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Way back in iOS 9 days, Apple added “content blocking” to the iPhone and iPad. More commonly known as “ad-blockers,” this tech lets you use third-party apps to block ads, malware, trackers, comments, and more, in Mobile Safari. Apple itself doesn’t do any more than make blocking possible. To actual decide what to block, you need a third-party app.

Enabling ad-blocking is easy, once you know how, and you can set-and-forget it once done. Or you can keep on top of things, adding custom rules, and white-listing trusted websites. Here’s how.

Hacked iPhones star in Middle East cyberwar

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UAE iPhone hacks
The hack took advantage of a flaw in iMessage.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Intelligence operatives from the United Arab Emirates used a powerful cyber weapon that allowed them to monitor the iPhones of hundreds of targets.

The iPhone spy tool, dubbed Karma, gave the UAE remote access to phone numbers, photos, emails and text messages in 2016 and 2017.

An iOS security update rendered it “far less effective,” according to U.S. intelligence contractors who worked with the UAE to breach the iPhones of diplomats, activists, and rival foreign leaders.

Beware: Shortcuts could steal your data

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Shortcuts app from iOS 12
Siri Shortcuts could be doing more than you think, like invading your privacy.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Malicious Siri Shortcuts are a real possibility warns one developer, so users need to start treating all of them as potential threats. He calls on Apple to fix their problems.

Shortcuts debuted last fall in iOS 12. They are small apps that can be used to automate iOS features. That apparently makes them well suited for creating malware.

14 iPhone apps found communicating with malware server

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App Store
More than a dozen iOS apps offer up vulnerabilities to hackers.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Fourteen iOS apps have been discovered to be covertly sending information to the server associated with Android-based malware Golduck, which affected more than 10 million users.

Golduck embedded malicious code on devices, which allowed hackers to do things like sending premium SMS messages from a victim’s phone. According to security researchers, the related iPhone apps could pose the same threat.

Here’s how hackers can install malware on your Mac through Safari

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Lucky 58. The latest Safari Technology Preview adds tab favicons!
Apple can’t protect you from everything.
Photo: Apple

You might consider Safari to be the safest web browser for macOS, but one security researcher has proven it’s not completely bulletproof.

Patrick Wardle has demonstrated how hackers can remotely infect a Mac with malicious software using a Safari vulnerability. Apple’s built-in protections can do nothing to stop it.

Apple users immune to Fortnite hack malware

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Fortnite mobile controller
You can now play at 120Hz on iPad Pro.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Fortnite’s staggering rise in popularity has inevitably attracted a large number of cheaters who use third-party hacks to gain an in-game advantage.

The hacks they’re using help them aim faster, fire their weapons quicker, and even slow down enemy players. They’re also spreading malware all over the web.

It’s thought tens of thousands of Fortnite players have been affected, but you have nothing to worry about if you play on Mac or iOS.

Chrome adds Windows Defender to protect your Mac

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Windows Defender Google Chrome
Windows Defender is now available inside Google Chrome.
Photo: Microsoft

Windows Defender, which protects Windows 10 PCs from malware, can now keep your Mac safe from inside Google Chrome.

Microsoft has turned its antivirus app into a Chrome extension that promises to detect phishing links in your emails and dodgy sites that distribute malicious software. It’s 99 percent effective, according to Microsoft, which makes Windows Defender better than rival browser protections.