Channel Register

Mac security site littered with malware

Gamekeeper turned poacher

By John Leyden • Get more from this author

Posted in Software & Security, 12th March 2008 09:28 GMT

Free whitepaper – Managing desktop software for fun and profit

A Mac security site has a forum full of links to actual malware which targets Apple computers.

Discussion forum posts on Macvirus.org seek to trick users into downloading the RSPlug-Gen Trojan, a type of malware capable of infecting Apple Macs. For good measure, the site also harbours posts designed to dupe prospective marks into downloading the Zlobar-Fam Windows Trojan.

Both the Trojans pose as fake codecs that are supposedly needed to view non-existent pornographic movie clips featuring troubled chanteuse Britney Spears.

The site serving the fake codecs detects the user agent in a browser in order to distinguish between Mac and Windows PCs before delivering the appropriate malware, anti-spyware firm Sunbelt Software reports.

As well as posts pointing towards malware, the forum on Macvirus.org (which describes itself as a site dedicated to "keeping an eye on Mac viruses") is also littered with actual pornographic entries.

An investigation by security researchers at Sophos suggests that the nom de plume GxxxxBxxxxxx used in the malware touting posts on Macvirus.org has also been used to publish links to malware on other "badly managed" forums - including a UK City Council, a wedding website, and numerous online gaming sites - since the start of February.

In most cases, either the attempts failed or the offending posts have since been removed. ®

Free whitepaper – What Exchange can't do - and Dell can