One of the oldest kinds of Windows malware is now targeting Macs
Researchers find attack that downloads malicious code from a Russian address to run on the victim’s computer
There’s a longstanding myth that Mac computers don’t get viruses — or, at the very least, malware makers don’t target Macs as much as they do Windows.
But with Macs making up a large proportion of the high-end computer market, virus makers are repurposing old Windows tricks to target Apple users.
An attack targeting Mac users was recently found in a boobytrapped Microsoft Word document, security researchers said earlier this week.
The attack used one of the oldest tricks in the Windows hacker’s book: taking advantage of Microsoft Word macros, or short bits of script that can be used to automate people’s work.
At least, that’s how macros are intended to be used. But malware makers can use them to download a malicious payload.
Researchers found a Word file called “U.S. Allies and Rivals Digest Trump’s Victory - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace” that contained a boobytrap that would download malicious code from a Russian address and run it on the victim’s computer.
