Earlier this week Apple released OS X 10.6.4, an update largely aimed at fixing security vulnerabilities rather than adding new features. Sophos, an anti-virus vendor, did some digging and noticed Apple esoterically included an update to the built-in anti-malware protection to protect against a backdoor which may allow malicious attackers to obtain remote control over devices running OS X:
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.
Will Apple’s lack of transparency perpetuate the myth that OS X is not immune to viruses and other malware? A lot of Mac users, especially newer ones migrating from Windows to OS X, tend to believe the Mac is a more secure environment and free from the threat of malware – a thought that could not be further from the truth. When Apple quietly issues an update to the built-in OS X malware protection one has to wonder why the silence.
It is worth noting that Sophos has a business stake in this market – by Apple communicating a malware threat to their operating system, Sophos, and other anti-virus vendors, would ostensibly see an increase in sales as a result of such an admission. Is that what Apple really wants to do?
Sophos would be a direct beneficiary of Apple stating OS X is vulnerable to these threats, although their annoyance is only worth being taken with a grain of salt. However, Mac users should most definitely be made aware of the potential threats to their operating system so they can choose to take the necessary protection measures they decide are worthwhile.
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