Apple Quietly Updates Antimalware Protection in Mac OS X 10.6.4
With the release of Mac OS X Snow Leopard last August, Apple rolled out a
rudimentary antimalware feature which allows the operating system to detect specific malware threats in downloads and warn users accordingly. Far from offering true antivirus functionality, however, the feature requires that Apple manually update a property list file in OS X if it wishes to add entries to its watch list.
Security firm Sophos today notes that Apple has finally offered an update to the antimalware features watch list with Mac OS X 10.6.4, expanding for the first time beyond the two threats included at Snow Leopard's launch. The addition includes multiple entries for identifying what Apple calls "OSX.HellRTS".
HellRTS, which Sophos products have been detecting as OSX/Pinhead-B since April, has been distributed by malicious hackers disguised as iPhoto, the photo application which ships on modern Mac computers.
If you did get infected by this malware then hackers would be able to send spam email from your Mac, take screenshots of what you are doing, access your files and clipboard and much more.
As a firm that writes and sells antivirus software, Sophos unsurprisingly takes the position that Apple's antimalware feature, while welcome, is insufficient for proper protection against threats. In fact, the blog post from Sophos notes that nowhere in the Mac OS X 10.6.4 documentation does Apple announce this antimalware, leading to speculation by Sophos that Apple is simply trying to downplay security threats for marketing purposes and thus providing users with a false sense of security.
Popular Stories
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to...
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery...
Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices. The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media...
Apple is seemingly planning a rework of the Apple Watch lineup for 2024, according to a range of reports from over the past year. Here's everything we know so far. Apple is expected to continue to offer three different Apple Watch models in five casing sizes, but the various display sizes will allegedly grow by up to 12% and the casings will get taller. Based on all of the latest rumors,...
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis. When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works...
