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| Report: Half of the malware targeting macOS comes from a single app |
(Elastic Security Labs) published its first security threat report in 2022, which focused on malware targeting Windows and (Linux) operating systems, given that the vast majority of current malware targets the targets of these systems. Results appear in macOS.
According to the report, 54.4% of the malware targeted Windows, 39.4% Linux and only 6.2% macOS, which is not surprising given Apple's high security priority.
Surprisingly, nearly half of the malware targeting macOS came from a single app. According to the company's researchers, more than 48% of all malware targeting macOS came from the MacKeeper app. Ironically, MacKeeper is designed to keep your Mac clean and secure.
MacKeeper is marketed as a comprehensive security and performance optimization solution for macOS, divided into four modules: Clean, Performance, Security, and Privacy.
Although the application (MacKeeper) was developed to help macOS users secure their devices, it is often exploited by hackers since it already has a large set of permissions that allow it to access many processes and access files.
An application designed to protect your computer may actually put it at greater risk.
The report is full of interesting malware data. For example, researchers have also found that Trojan horses are responsible for more than 80% of malware in any operating system. Cryptominers are in second place with 11.3%, while cryptocurrency companies are in second place with 11.3%. Ransomware ranked third with just 3.7%.
What is malware?
Malware is a class of computer software designed to infect and damage a user's computer in various ways. It can infect computers and devices in many different ways and forms, some of which only include viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware, and others.
Malware comes in so many forms that it becomes almost impossible for users to detect it. Computer viruses are the most common type of malware. They are named because they can spread by making multiple copies of themselves. It should be noted that worms also have the same characteristics.
Other types of malware, such as spyware, are named according to their function: spyware transmits personal information such as login credentials, credit card numbers, and other personal information.