Written by As most people know Apple computers are well known for their lack of malware, viruses, and Trojans. Us tech people understand and have known that you should have AV on your Apple computers just for safe measure as there are malicious programs that exist for Apple.
I would say that 90-95% of average consumers purchase Apple computers for their false sense of “security”. It has never been that Apple computers didn’t get viruses it is more of the fact that most malware developers didn’t find the Apple platform profitable in previous years. Now that Apple has more of a market share it is now profitable.
There is a malware program called “Mac Defender” that poses as a seemingly legitimate security suite that prompt a user to install. Once the user installs it they are bombarded by porn popups and false AV notifications until they enter their credit card information and pay the $99USD for the program. The main problem is that almost no Apple users have installed any sort of AV or malware protection on their system as they were lulled by Apple ads and here-say into thinking that their computers were immune to any sort of infections.
"Mac Defender" Malware Screenshot
Now Apple has always had this seemingly helpful attitude towards their users in the past up until now. Apple sent out an internal memo saying not to help the users remove the infection and to simply direct them to their nearest Apple store to purchase and install AV protection. The internal memo also states that support representatives to not “confirm or deny the existence of any sort of software or program on their system”.
Apple's Internal Memo Regarding The Malware Issue
As thrilled as I am to see this wolf at Apple’s door hopefully this will be a harsh enough wake-up call to Apple users to get their system protected and stop acting so smug about being ignorant to very real threats to their computer’s. A quick Google search shows that Apple’s message boards are flooded and their support agents are not assisting at all (as well as the complete and utter lack of common sense).
Sources:
- http://blog.chron.com/techblog/2011/05/malware-macpocalypse-is-the-wolf-at-the-door/
- http://www.fiercecio.com/techwatch/story/does-apple-have-what-it-takes-tackle-mac-defender-malware/2011-05-20
- http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2011/05/02/mac-users-hit-with-fake-av-when-using-google-image-search/
- http://blog.intego.com/2011/05/02/intego-security-memo-macdefender-fake-antivirus/
- http://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/modern-mac-owners-need-to-ignore-the-dinosaurs-and-get-protection/12857
- http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/remove-mac-defender
- http://www.zdnet.com/blog/perlow/apple-doesnt-love-you-they-just-want-your-money/17323
- http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2011/05/02/mac-users-hit-with-fake-av-when-using-google-image-search/
- http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/apple-to-support-reps-do-not-attempt-to-remove-malware/3362
