Did you purchase a Mac because of the known reputation they have against malware? You’re not alone. Many Mac users buy Apple products because there’s a belief that they can be immune to malware. However, a new strain of malware has successfully found a way to spy, proving that even Macs can be compromised.
Researchers have found a strain of malware that has been infecting Mac computers for years - FruitFly. The first strain of the FruitFly malware was discovered by security firm Malwarebytes earlier this year and now a second version - FruitFly 2 - has appeared. It is unknown who or what organization is behind the malware, and it is also unknown how the malware got onto computers.
The malware FruitFly quietly operates in the background of a user’s computer and spies on them via the computer’s camera. The malware will track and capture images of what is being displayed on the computer screen and what is being typed on the keyboard.
While the strains were discovered this year, it is unknown how long FruitFly has been infecting computers nor is it known how many computers are infected. What we do know is that FruitFly is targeting Mac users that are using the Yosemite operating system which was released in October 2014. Each strain of the malware has different coding from the last, making it a challenge to overcome in infected computers.
Whether you use a Windows computer or a Mac computer, malware can happen to anyone. Don’t get overconfident in your susceptibility to malware just because of the computer system you are using. In fact, in 2016 Apple malware skyrocketed compared to other years, but it was not likely to be additional spying malware.
Contact NetManageIT today if you believe your computer is at risk for malware. Our team of experts is ready to assist and troubleshoot!