More viruses targeting Mac users, says Sophos
By Lawrence Casiraya
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:36:00 01/24/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- Apple fanatics are no longer shielded from viruses, according to a report by UK-based antivirus firm Sophos.
In its 2008 Security Threat Report, Sophos warns that Mac users are now likewise being targeted by viruses that aim to steal sensitive data, for example.
“In 2007, organized criminal gangs for the first time arrived at Apple’s doorstep with the intention of stealing money,” Sophos noted in its report.
Late last year, Sophos started detecting viruses for Macs that go beyond simply proving that Apple’s fabled computer is as vulnerable as Microsoft’s Windows operating system.
Sophos has also detected websites that carry viruses like the RSPlug Trojan horse, first seen in November last year, designed to infect Mac users for purposes of phishing and identity theft.
Sophos said it has been detecting more than 6,000 virus-laden webpages everyday, or one infected page for every 14 seconds. More than 80 percent of these webpages actually belong to companies and individuals, unaware that their sites have been hacked.
The report noted: “Websites of all types, from antique dealers to ice cream manufacturers to wedding photographers have hosted malware on behalf of virus writers.”
Moreover, wifi-capable mobile devices like iPhones and ultra-mobile computers are not safe anymore from viruses, Sophos added.
SOURCE:
http://technology.inquirer.net/infot...rs-says-Sophos