However, so far there have been no updates to patch older versions of OS X such as Tiger and Leopard, which come with Java runtimes installed and therefore are vulnerable to Flashback. Therefore, if you use an older Mac you'll need to take alternative steps to protect it. Have a fix? Post them below or email us! Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy , which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion.
Topher Kessler. April 9, p. In its most recent incarnations, the software can install itself without user interaction. When did it first appear? Flashback 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.
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. More advanced versions would install quietly in the background with no password needed. How did it infect so many computers? The simple answer is that the software was designed to do exactly that.
In its initial incarnation, the malware looked very similar to Adobe's Flash installer. 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 newer Java-related variants, the software could install itself without the user having to click on anything or provide it with a password. What also didn't help is the way that Apple deals with Java. Instead of simply using Java's current public release, the company creates and maintains its own versions. As it turns out, the malware writers exploited one particular vulnerability that Oracle patched in February.
Apple didn't get around to fixing its own Java version until April. What has Apple done about it? Since Flashback's launch, the security tool has been updated twice to identify and protect against a handful of Flashback variants.
A more recent version of the malware, however, got around XProtect by executing its files through Java. Apple closed off the malware's main entry point with a Java update on April 3 , and has since released a removal tool as part of a subsequent Java update.
Apple has stopped supplying software updates for these operating systems. How do I tell if I have it? Right now the easiest way to tell if your computer has been infected is to head to security firm F-Secure and download its Flashback detection and removal software. Follow the instructions here on how to get and use it.
Security company Symantec offers its own, Norton-branded standalone tool, which you can get here. Improve this question. Thor Thor 1 1 gold badge 3 3 silver badges 8 8 bronze badges. There's an accepted answer to a more recent similar question: Is my Mac infected with the Flashback trojan? Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. It fixes the vulnerability that Flashback used to install itself; this Gizmodo article gives some more info to check: 1.
If you're clean so far, you can move on to step eight: 8. Take note of the result. Improve this answer. The misconception is, therefore, obsolete? The Mac has become a victim of its own success, and is now a worthwhile target. Actually, they don't. The Java vulnerability that Flashback exploited was patched by Oracle in February; Apple only released their own updated version a week ago.
Plenty of other components of OS X are not current with their original OSS versions rsync --version if you want a good example. Show 1 more comment. Bryan Luby Bryan Luby 4, 1 1 gold badge 22 22 silver badges 32 32 bronze badges. The Overflow Blog. Podcast Helping communities build their own LTE networks.
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