Flashback Botnet – Mac Trojan Alert

Trojan HorseMac computers have enjoyed reasonable immunity to viruses more than the Windows PC, which seems to be targeted by viruses more than the Mac. But according to an article from CBSNEWS by Steven Musil, there is a Trojan which has been targeting Mac computers called “Flashback botnet.” The Trojan Flashback botnet is said to have been masquerading itself as an “Adobe flash player plug-in,” which is typical of most Trojan Malware.

What Does The Flashback Botnet Trojan Do?

The Flashback botnet Trojan was found to exploit vulnerabilities in Java (a programming language used in creating applications). The Trojan is design to steal personal information by exploiting Java based applications. Apple released a java patch to fix the vulnerabilities targeted by the Flashback botnet malware. See the links below for the latest Mac security updates released on Apples’ website:
Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 7
Java for OS X Lion 2012-001
If you are a Mac user, be sure you get these Mac security updates.
Even though these updates are for Macs, the update summary from Apples’ website indicates that these updates apply to most Apple applications. So, I would recommend Windows users running Apple based applications like iTunes, QuickTime and Safari to check for any updates that apply to those applications. It’s better to be safe than to put your personal information at risk. If this Trojan can find its way onto a Mac, there is no reason a similar one couldn’t get on a PC. So, the best rule of thumb, whether you are a Mac or a PC is, “always check for updates and only download apps and plug-ins that have been tried and tested.”