In the long battle between Mac and Windows, the former has always been the most secure operating system since it does not become vulnerable to malware. With rise in the number of Mac users, virus developers have diverted their attention towards the development of viruses targeting Mac OS. Mac users are being targeted through the oldest hacking method, using macros from Microsoft Word to lure users into the trap. The hackers previously used this trick to hack into Windows systems and now it is currently being used to target Mac users.
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What Are Macros?
In case you’re wondering what are macros, well, for starters, macros are small programming scripts that are used to carry out different kind of tasks without doing much work manually. Microsoft Word macros have been used by hackers for a long time to infiltrate into Windows operating systems.
The malware has been found in a file by a security researcher through VirusTotal – an online malware repository owned by Google. The file is named as “US Allies and Rivals Digest Trump’s Victory – Carnegie Endowment for International Peace”. This file is actually a malware that targeted the computer’s security using macros from Word. Interestingly, it has been based on Apple’s OS which goes by the name of Mac OS.
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According to the researchers, once the file is opened, the malware then tries to “perform a myriad of nefarious actions such as enabling the webcam, dumping the keychain, and accessing a user’s browser history”.
Macros have been used to hack into Windows operating systems. Moreover, this is the first time they are being used to spread malware in Mac OS.
Who Discovered The Malware?
The researcher who discovered the malware is Snorre Fagerland. He believes that the malware is actually supported by a government sponsored group. He further opined:
“I really can’t point the finger at anyone for this. However, there are some indicators pointing towards Russian speakers (which actually can mean many countries), and even that could be faked”
Macros might seem small viruses, but they can be very effective in some situations. In 2015, the Ukrainian power grid was shut down using the same technique. Furthermore, it was the biggest ‘hack-attack’ using Word macros.
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One security feature of Word is that it warns the user if the file contains embedded macros. So, if you are not expecting an e-mail containing word file, especially if it is entitled as ‘US Allies’, it’s better that you don’t open the file and delete it as soon as possible.
Source: Business Insider
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