Malwarebytes Extends Malware Protection To Mac Users

Malwarebytes has launched software to counter the growing security threat to Apple Mac users, particularly a growing problem with ransomware.

It comes after malicious hackers turn their attention to the Mac platform, in light of its increasing adoption in the workplace.

Growing Threat

To counter this, Malwarebytes has extended its Enterprise Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) platform to include Mac OS X.

This software also includes forensics capabilities and is designed to help businesses “reduce recovery time, limit breach damage, and improve investigation into infection sources.”

Malwarebytes Breach Remediation for Mac scans network endpoints looking for suspicious files or anomalies, and when these are discovered, it pieces together the threat traces and automatically repairs compromised systems.

“Although Macs have faced nuisance apps like adware and PUPS for years, new threats are materializing, including ransomware (e.g., KeRanger),” said Malwarebytes. “Many experts believe the KeRanger attacks were a ‘test run’ or proof of concept – and that it’s only a matter of time before the next big attacks against Macs surface. With more companies turning to Macs and a rising number of new threats, concern about the possibility of widespread Mac vulnerabilities is on the rise.”

Read our guide here on avoiding ransomware and staying safe online.

The software also includes a Mac client that integrates with existing Mac OS X management solutions, such as Apple Remote Desktop, Casper Suite, and Munki.

“The idea that Macs are inherently safe and immune to malware and other threats is patently false,” said Thomas Reed, Director of Mac offerings at Malwarebytes. “In fact, Apple stores themselves rely on Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac frequently.”

“Genius Bar technicians use the technology to clean infected customer computers,” he said. “Also consider that on the first day of the Pwn2Own 2016 hacking event, one independent security researcher found 4 vulnerabilities highlighting just how vulnerable Macs can be. We built Breach Remediation for Mac in response to the hundreds of Malwarebytes customers demanding protection for their Mac endpoints.”

Impression Of Security

For years now Apple has enjoyed a good security reputation, compared to the Windows-based competition. That is not to say that attackers have not targeted Apple’s platform before. In 2014 for example there were a spate of ransomware attacks against users of Apple iOS devices.

Chinese hackers were also suspected of carrying out an attack on Apple itself using a Java exploit in 2013. The company admitted a number of its employees’ Mac machines had been compromised. And in July 2013, hackers managed to breach the member centre on Apple’s main developer website.

Last year meanwhile Apple was accused of not doing enough to protect Mac OS X users by security researchers following the discovery of an exploit being exploited in the wild and the creation of a worm which can overwrite a Mac’s firmware.

Matters were not helped when earlier this month, a renowned security researcher accused Apple of covering up possible security weaknesses after it withdraw his iOS application.

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