Apple's secret update

IT security and data protection firm,
href="http://www.dqweek.com/French-Govt-advises-users-to-stop-using-IE">Sophos,
discovered that Apple secretly updated the anti-malware
protection built into Mac OS X when it released a new version earlier
this week.

Although not documented by Apple, Mac
OS X 10.6.4 has been updated to provide limited protection against
OSX/Pinhead-B (called HellRTS by Apple), a backdoor Trojan which can
allow remote hackers to gain control over Mac computers for the
purposes of identity theft, spying and the distribution of spam.

"It's good that Apple has updated
its Mac OS X malware protection, as this Trojan can give hackers the
green light to send spam email from your computer, take screen-shots
of what you are doing, access your files and clipboard and much
more," said Graham Cluley, Senior Technology Consultant, Sophos.
"But what's curious to me is why Apple didn't announce they were
making this update in the release notes or security advisory that
came with Mac OS X 10.6.4. It's almost as if they don't want to
acknowledge that there could be a malware threat on Mac OS X,"
he Cluley.

Sophos researchers discovered that
Apple updated a file called Xprotect.plist, the rudimentary file that
contains elementary signatures of a handful of Mac threats to detect
'HellRTS'.

Continued Cluley while remarking, "It's
true to say that there are far fewer malware threats for Mac than
there are for Windows but that doesn't mean the problem is
non-existent. Unfortunately, many Mac users seem oblivious to
security threats which can run on their computers, even though Apple
has now built-in some elementary protection. This lack of awareness
doesn't help when Apple issues an anti-malware security update by
stealth, rather than informing the public what it has done. You have
to wonder whether marketing motives are at play behind such
decisions."

Sophos experts warn that many Mac users
have not bothered to install anti-virus software, meaning they could
be a soft target for hackers in the future.

Sophos
Releases Security Threat Monitor for Apple iPhone