As it turns out, the malware writers exploited one particular vulnerability that Oracle patched in February. Instead of simply using Java's current public release, the company creates and maintains its own versions. What also didn't help is the way that Apple deals with Java.
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In its newer Java-related variants, the software could install itself without the user having to click on anything or provide it with a password. It didn't help that Apple hasn't shipped Flash on its computers for well over a year, arguably creating a pool of users more likely to run the installer in order to view popular Web sites that run on Flash. In its initial incarnation, the malware looked very similar to Adobe's Flash installer. The simple answer is that the software was designed to do exactly that. More advanced versions would install quietly in the background with no password needed.
The malware evolved to target the Java runtime on OS X, where users visiting malicious sites would then be prompted to install it on their machine in order to view Web content. An earlier version of the Flashback Trojan's installer.įlashback as we know it now appeared near the end of September last year, pretending to be an installer for Adobe's Flash, a widely used plug-in for streaming video and interactive applications that Apple no longer ships on its computers. In its most recent incarnations, the software can install itself without user interaction. At that point, the software installs code designed to gather personal information and send it back to remote servers.
A user typically mistakes it for a legitimate browser plug-in while visiting a malicious Web site.
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So here's a quick FAQ on the Flashback Trojan, including information on what it is, how to tell if you have it, and steps you can take to get rid of it.įlashback is a form of malware designed to grab passwords and other information from users through their Web browser and other applications such as Skype. Web said that an estimated 600,000 Macs are now infected as a result of users unknowingly installing the software. Nowhere is that clearer than with the Flashback Trojan, a gnarly piece of malware designed to steal personal information by masquerading as very mainstream browser plug-ins. Apple's Mac platform has long been promoted as safer than the competition, but as Mac sales and market share grow, it's become a bigger target.
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