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Proof-of-Concept Ransomware Affects Macs (vice.com)

Posted by Soulskill on from the equal-opportunity-blackhats dept.

sarahnaomi writes: Ransomware, the devilish family of malware that locks down a victim's files until he or she coughs up a hefty bounty, may soon be coming to Mac. Last week, a Brazilian security researcher produced a proof-of-concept for what appears to be the first ransomware to target Mac operating systems (Mac OS X). On Monday, cybersecurity company Symantec verified the researcher's findings. "Mabouia is the first case of file-based crypto ransomware for OS X, albeit a proof-of-concept," Symantec wrote in a blog post. "It's simple code, I did it in two days," [said] the creator of the malware.

2 of 163 comments (clear)

  1. Just to note... by Ecuador · · Score: 5, Informative

    This is NOT a proof of concept of stealth ransomware using some 0-day exploit etc. You have to actually download it, choose to run it, close the warning box that is popping up to warn you exactly of this sort of software. That's where I stopped reading, I mean, most competent programmers can write a program that ransom your documents in two days. Heck, I bet there are some who in two days of coding could even manage to bundle in a multi-level FPS game. The hard part is to get ransomware to run without the user explicitly installing it.
    Unless I am missing something, in which case you can enlighten me..

    --
    Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. Polar Scope Align for iOS
  2. It STILL is not an automatic install. by Lumpy · · Score: 1, Informative

    to get his ransomware I have to download the file. launch it, give it administrator rights, type in my admin password.

    ZOMG we are all gonna die!!!!!!

    Come on, there has to be an exploit that get's completely around all security and can install silently on OSX. are these guys not trying?

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.