The Flashback Trojan, the one that seemed to spread like wildfire, infecting an estimated 1% of Macs around the world, continues to cause trouble. Symantec researchers estimate the malware is still on as many as 270,000 systems. Not all Mac owners run security software, and many fail to install computer and program security patches when they become available. “Flashback” is a flash point in internet security history because Mac owners realize they need to attend to the same security precautions as PC owners.
Norton has just released a free tool that Mac owners can download and run to both check for Flashback on their system and remove it, neatly and cleanly. Then, whether your system was infected or not, you should install and use internet security software, such as Norton AntiVirus for Mac or Norton Internet Security for Mac. And after that, get into the habit of installing patches and security updates for your operating system and other programs.
What is Flashback? Flashback is a Trojan program that takes advantage of a flaw in Java, a programming language used by many websites.
What can Flashback do? It is designed to steal passwords and other private information .There are variants out there so it’s possible that other damage can be done by different designs.
Is this a big outbreak? Flashback is the biggest malware outbreak we’ve ever seen for the Mac platform. But it’s not the first malware we’ve seen for Mac. Last year there was an outbreak of fake antivirus software called Mac Defender.
Why are Macs suddenly vulnerable to viruses? All operating systems have potential vulnerabilities. It’s just that up until now, cybercriminals focused their efforts on the PC platforms in order to make more money. Users of all internet-connected devices, regardless of platform, should seek to make their device as secure as possible and use security software, as well as other best practices. This includes mobile devices like cell phones and tablets.
