SecurityAlongside Apple’s recent updates to macOS Sierra and OS X El Capitan to address the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities, the final week of January also saw the release of a variety of other incremental updates for most of Apple’s products. Typically, Apple does not disclose detailed descriptions of the security vulnerabilities they fix in these updates, preferring to speak in vague terms to avoid exposing attack vectors that are still open on un-patched systems. However, we do know a little about what went into some of these updates besides …
February 2, 2018 •
2 min read
SecurityType:
Spyware
Platform:
Mac OS X
Last updated:
02/01/18 10:47 pm
Threat Level:
High
Description
CrossRAT is cross-platform spyware that can be deployed on Windows, Linux, and macOS. First discovered in 2018, CrossRAT is attributed to the Dark Caracal APT group, which is thought to have links to a Lebanese government intelligence agency, and is part of a larger cyber-espionage campaign that has been carried out on a global scale since 2012.
The spyware is coded in the Java programming language, and when executed on macOS attempts to write itself to the system as a .jar Java package file. CrossRAT …
February 1, 2018 •
2 min read
Security
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- Last updated:
- 02/01/18 11:04 pm
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Description
MaMi is malware that changes DNS settings.
MaMi Threat Removal
MacScan can detect and remove MaMi Malware from your system, as well as provide protection against other security and privacy threats. A 30-day trial is available to scan your system for this threat.
Download MacScan
February 1, 2018 •
1 min read
SecurityYour iPhone is secure, right? That’s the general impression, anyway — and it’s certainly an impression Apple has worked hard to maintain over the years. It’s easy enough to call it secure, but what is in place to keep you safe? What does Apple do to protect its users day after day, and do we ever need to go beyond the “out of box” security experience? On today’s edition of The Checklist, we’re talking about the overall security features you’ll find in iOS, whether you’re an iPhone or an iPad user
February 1, 2018 •
17 min read
SecurityOn today’s edition of The Checklist, we’re tackling the complex topics of Spectre and Meltdown, arguably two of the biggest and most far-reaching security vulnerabilities we’ve ever seen. Among those impacted are everyone from iOS and macOS users to Windows machines and just about anything powered by an Intel processor around the world!
January 25, 2018 •
16 min read
Security MacScan 3
Malware authors are targeting macOS with increasing frequency, and although there is more Mac malware activity now than ever before, many users still go unprotected against these threats. MacScan protects you from malware adding much needed security and privacy.
Requires macOS 10.9 or higher and an active internet connection for monthly updates.
Number of Computers
1 Computer
3 Computers
Subscription length
1 Year
2 Years
$49.99
Purchase
PrivacyScan
Protect your online and offline privacy by shredding files that can be used to track your web browsing and computer usage with PrivacyScan for macOS.
Requires macOS 10.7 or higher.
Number of Computers
1 Computer
5 …
January 19, 2018 •
1 min read
SecurityLast week, we brought you Part One of our 2017 Security Year in Review. This week, we’ll wrap that up with Part Two! If you didn’t get a chance to check out Part One yet, the episode and its accompanying show notes are available right here in our archives. In it, you’ll find out about the highlights of the past year in both iOS and macOS security, including all the information you need to know about what the bad guys were up to in 2017. This week, we’re pulling back …
January 18, 2018 •
15 min read
SecurityFor this, Episode 71 of The Checklist, we sat down during the first week of January 2018 to put a magnifying glass over the year that just ended. For part one of our discussion, we’re taking an in-depth look at the biggest security issues that affected macOS and iOS in 2017. With so many things going on — and there were quite a lot — it can be tough to remember all the details. To start our recap, we’ll go all the way back to this time one year ago: the beginning of January.
January 11, 2018 •
13 min read
SecurityApple has confirmed that a pair of critical security vulnerabilities uncovered by security researchers late in 2017, and now filtering out into media reports, does affect “all Mac systems and iOS devices.” These bugs, dubbed Meltdown and Spectre, affect the clear majority of computers and a vast number of mobile devices, regardless of make, model, or manufacturer. Though tricky to exploit, these bugs could allow an attacker untraceable access to a wide variety of user data.
By exploiting a weakness in an advanced function within the processor, Meltdown allows …
January 8, 2018 •
1 min read
SecurityFor more than a year, we’ve been taking a little time every week here at The Checklist to bring you a podcast focused on and around the security of the Mac, iOS devices, and the Apple platform in general. We all know that was silly, though — after all, there aren’t any major security problems with Apple, right?
There is no such thing as 100% safe & secure, although it has indeed been the case that Apple systems experience fewer major vulnerabilities and problems than their counterparts, generally speaking. …
January 4, 2018 •
13 min read
Securityalso known as BitCoinMiner, CoinMiner
Type:
Trojan Horse
Platform:
Mac OS X
Last updated:
01/02/18 11:56 pm
Threat Level:
High
Description
CpuMeaner is a Trojan horse. It comes disguised as a pirated software application, meaning that a victim would have to attempt to illegally download a pirated app in order to be infected by CpuMeaner. Once installed, the Trojan writes to the LaunchAgent directory in order to achieve persistence on the system (the ability to survive reboots). The malware then runs a custom version of XMRig, an open source program designed to mine the cryptocurrency Monero, and sets up a …
January 2, 2018 •
2 min read
Securityalso known as Backdoor.OSX.OceanLotus.a
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- Last updated:
- 02/13/23 7:56 pm
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Description
OceanLotus is a trojan horse.
OceanLotus Threat Removal
MacScan can detect and remove OceanLotus Trojan Horse from your system, as well as provide protection against other security and privacy threats. A 30-day trial is available to scan your system for this threat.
Download MacScan
January 2, 2018 •
1 min read
SecurityIn Episode 68, we spent some time talking about all the ways the bad guys can try to target the elderly online and over the phone. This week, we’re running all the way down to the other end of the age spectrum to look at the ways troublesome bad actors might target your kids. We’ll also discuss how these nefarious rogues may set their sights on your children as a way to target you, the parent, as their endgame.
December 28, 2017 •
17 min read
SecurityAs we went into Thanksgiving a few weeks ago, we urged you to have some proactive talks with your family about how to stay safe while using their computers, especially on the Internet. We also covered how you could take action to lay the groundwork to make sure everything stays in good working order. Now, as we head deeper into the holidays, we’d like to ask our listeners to keep an ear out as we return home once more to spend time with our extended families.
Previously, our discussions …
December 21, 2017 •
15 min read
SecurityIn a world filled with “Internet of Things” (IoT) devices, there are security holes everywhere. Apple works hard on the hardened nature of its HomeKit system and the way these third-party devices interface with Apple products. So when news broke in early December that someone had uncovered a zero-day exploit that could allow an attacker to take control of a user’s devices through the Home app, it made headlines across the web.
Though the exact details of the exploit were not released publicly and were described as tough to replicate, this …
December 20, 2017 •
2 min read
SecurityRecently, in episode 66, we looked at the latest security features Apple has built into macOS. Last week, we began to explore what’s new and different in iOS 11. While the basics of iOS haven’t changed in some time, time and different development approaches mean that all kinds of features transform behind the scenes with every update. We looked at the innovative FaceID system, improvements to backup security, and new physical security features. This week, we’re returning to the topic of iOS 11 for one more dive into what’s …
December 14, 2017 •
11 min read
SecurityiOS 11 has been out for a few months now, and Apple’s latest flagship iPhone versions have also launched in its wake. By now, you should hopefully have made the upgrade to this newer software platform. Whether you’re just upgrading now, or you’ve been getting comfortable with iOS 11 for a few months now, you’ll find that iOS 11 puts plenty of tools within your reach to improve your device’s security and privacy. Here’s what you can do to make your device even safer.
December 9, 2017 •
3 min read
SecurityHave we ever talked about the security features built into iOS itself? Of course — we’ve covered that subject in many previous episodes, but things change. When The Checklist began, users were still walking around with iOS 9. Now we’re up to iOS 11, and Apple continues to make things more secure as they go. Even before iOS 11, Apple’s mobile system had some serious security protections and features, but they’ve added some new ones and refined others, so it’s time to revisit the topic.
December 7, 2017 •
11 min read
SecurityIn the enterprise world, device security is of paramount importance. We’ve seen no end to the number of stories where companies have suffered breaches due to inadequate internal security, suffering substantial business and financial consequences in the process. As a result, securing the technology used by employees and offices is an important step undertaken by many companies today. With the “walled garden” Apple offers in iOS combined with its track record for very rigorous security, many companies have made the switch. More than three-quarters of all enterprises have some …
December 7, 2017 •
2 min read
SecurityThe security built into our phones enables us to use them with confidence and peace of mind; after all, it is vital that we prevent unauthorized access to devices that contain so much personal information about our lives. However, these same safeguards also prevent barriers to law enforcement and important criminal investigations that may center around what data resides on the device. We’ve already seen several issues like this in the past few years, and Apple’s stance remains firm: it will not help law enforcement break into a user’s device.
While …
December 7, 2017 •
2 min read