Microsoft warns Mac users against UpdateAgent. This new malware is able to collect system information and install adware while bypassing the Gatekeeper security feature of macOS.
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Microsoft has just published a report on a new malware dubbed UpdateAgentwith the particularity that it affects the macOS system and not Windows. The researchers were able to analyze the different versions and reconstruct the evolution of the malware, which would have appeared for the first time in September 2020. At the time, the program was very simple and only collected information about the system and the software before sending them to a command and control server.
The malware is still under development, as evidenced by the appearance of new variants. The authors first added the ability to install other programs. However, the Gatekeeper function of macOS marks programs fromInternet. Thus, it warns the user before their execution and compares them to known malware. The developers then added a function to bypass Gatekeeper by removing this attribute.
Malware that installs adware
UpdateAgent has continued to become more complex, and now installs a second malware baptized Adload. This adds a proxy that intercepts the web pages viewed on the device. It can thus inject advertisements and modify search engine results in order to promote bogus sites.
Fortunately, for now, users Apple computers can avoid this malware by applying basic precautions. It masquerades as legitimate software and appears in advertisements or on hacked sites. Therefore, care should be taken to download programs only from a trusted source.
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