Over 600,000 Macs Now Infected With Flashback Trojan, Make Sure You Are Not

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Posted April 5, 2012 at 2:38pm by iClarified

Over 600,000 Macs are now affected with the BackDoor.Flashback.39 trojan, according to a report from Dr. Web.

Systems get infected with BackDoor.Flashback.39 after a user is redirected to a bogus site from a compromised resource or via a traffic distribution system. JavaScript code is used to load a Java-applet containing an exploit. Doctor Web's virus analysts discovered a large number of web-sites containing the code.

The trojan contacts a control service. Once contact has been made it can download and run the payload on the infected machine. It can run any executable received from a server.

Over 550 000 infected machines running Mac OS X have been a part of the botnet on April 4. These only comprise a segment of the botnet set up by means of the particular BackDoor.Flashback modification. Most infected computers reside in the United States (56.6%, or 303,449 infected hosts), Canada comes second (19.8%, or 106,379 infected computers), the third place is taken by the United Kingdom (12.8% or 68,577 cases of infection) and Australia with 6.1% (32,527 infected hosts) is the fourth.

The 550,000 number has since been updated to 600,000. "At this moment botnet Flashback over 600k, include 274 bots from Cupertino", tweeted Sorokin Ivan of Dr. Web.

Apple yesterday released a security fix for the Java vulnerability. F-Secure has instructions for detection and removal.

Read More [via Ars]

Over 600,000 Macs Now Infected With Flashback Trojan, Make Sure You Are Not

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Wimbledonpaul - April 7, 2012 at 2:20pm

Well I replaced OSX with Win7 on my 27" iMac and have never had any virus issues. Its not about OS vulnerability and more down to user vulnerability! (I wonder if anyone has researched any link between getting a virus on your machine and getting an STD!)

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ratGT - April 7, 2012 at 11:49pm

My condolences... I feel SO sorry for you poor iMac...

brandon - April 7, 2012 at 3:47am

my compute is running windows 7 and got infected and I have three antivirus softwares on it it doesn't matter the number that guy is right windows is extremely vulnerable to any attack because most viruses smash through the antivirus soo how do you feel

Kose - April 6, 2012 at 5:49am

Windows is sloppy. And for apple to have been hit with this, is its destiny. Linux baby

mavrik101 - April 6, 2012 at 1:26am

1) this is a pointless trojan 2) the number claimed is suspiciously high 3) tomorrow evidence shall prove Dr. Webs own calculation were done on a pc and he is who has the virus Either disable your JAVA or make sure you are updated from the Apple site. Also consider, removing Adobe Flash player, your Mac does not need it. And lastly, read careful to what you are asked when installing anything.

Zzz - April 5, 2012 at 7:47pm

Here it comes, let the battle begin! At least in windows people know that they need an anti virur software, with macs noone gave a shit untill now. Come on guys fork out evn more money on new software!

ratGT - April 5, 2012 at 10:27pm

Dude, I can tell from the 'tone' of your writing that you're new in the neighborhood. We, the older Mac users, have been hearing these kind of 'breaking news' concerning Mac viruses for AT LEAST the past 6 years - and guess what? We always consider them as equally important and real as 'world end' announcements made by all those crazy and bogus religious leaders...

mavrik101 - April 6, 2012 at 1:30am

Ha you make me laugh Zzz, Anit-virus has been on Macs for decades. Mac is protected and always updated. Dr. Web has made a mistake and like you failed to understand his findings in hopes to earn some coin.

Logic - April 5, 2012 at 6:59pm

Everyone should know windows is vulnerable to the virus aswell.

Zzz - April 5, 2012 at 7:50pm

Yes but window users are usually prepared for stuff like this, only people who are ignorant get infected.

ratGT - April 5, 2012 at 10:36pm

You're rather ignorant, because if you weren't, you would know there is no such a thing as bullet proof protection, specifically in Windows. No matter if you have 2 Antivirus programs running along with a Firewall and another 2-3 antimalware and antispyware, Windows will eventually 'surrender' to some form of Internet attack or data-exchange contamination. And that's because it is MADE for inviting hell, sooner or later...

HO - April 6, 2012 at 3:35am

...really...wow, my Win7 machine must be crawling with malware....hmmm...nop, ur wrong, better go and buy some antivirus for ur machine...oh wait I forgot u only do what the koolaid tells u....oh well...

ratGT - April 6, 2012 at 3:57pm

Ermm, kiddo, why don't you hurry back to your bedroom before yo momma notices you're being naughty and continue leveling up those WoW characters of yours on your 'beautiful' and 'safe' Win 7 PC, and leave these kind of adult discussions to serious Mac OS X (or even Linux) users...

wow - April 5, 2012 at 6:23pm

Wow. I'm happy I have windows on my machine. Apple sucks.

iJoke - April 5, 2012 at 8:52pm

And apple is happy not to have you as an user.

Ryan - April 5, 2012 at 5:59pm

does anybody else find it ironic that the software update to fix the virus is 66.6 MB?

casper - April 5, 2012 at 6:07pm

yeah but it probably contains not just the executable fix but also replacement to system files and library. :)

Mr.D - April 5, 2012 at 5:12pm

How sad! Who said MACs don't have viruses? Awesome job whoever did it!

Paul - April 5, 2012 at 5:43pm

No one said that. you still can't compare one outbreak to thousands of outbreaks on windows pc.

GB - April 5, 2012 at 4:14pm

Anybody been having drag and drop issues in the last couple of days?

iJoke - April 5, 2012 at 8:49pm

I'm constipated. Has anyone been constipated in the last few days?? I'm sure it has to do with that Mac virus.