Apple's 10.6.4 operating system upgrade earlier this week silently updated the malware protection built into Mac OS X to protect against a backdoor Trojan horse that can allow hackers to gain remote control over your treasured iMac or MacBook.

Although there is no mention of it that we could find in Apple's release notes for Mac OS X 10.6.4, or the accompanying security bulletin, Apple has updated XProtect.plist - the rudimentary file that contains elementary signatures of a handful of Mac threats - to detect what they call HellRTS.




HellRTS, which Sophos products have been detecting as OSX/Pinhead-B since April, has been distributed by malicious hackers disguised as iPhoto, the photo application which ships on modern Mac computers.

If you did get infected by this malware then hackers would be able to send spam email from your Mac, take screenshots of what you are doing, access your files and clipboard and much more.

Unfortunately, many Mac users seem oblivious to security threats which can run on their computers. And that isn't helped when Apple issues an anti-malware security update like this by stealth, rather than informing the public what it has done.

Thanks, Extraspeed for the information.
I didn't know that Apple are stepping up on these things.

Thanks again.

I'm glad to help!

Originally Posted by GlennHFedele

Valuable thoughts and advices. I read your topic with great interest. But when women are terrified enough of the possibility of cancer, sometimes, merely halving their risk isn't enough to help with their fears.

What do "women with the possibility of cancer" have to do with Apple security???

Originally Posted by MysteryChicken

What do "women with the possibility of cancer" have to do with Apple security???

Nothing, that appears to be a junk post which I have now deleted.