The first ever instance of ransomware targeting specifically Apple Mac users has been discovered in the wild, but its spread has been limited, early reports show.
Ransomware is a type of malware that prevents you from accessing your computer files until you pay a ransom. Early strains of ransomware would simply try and prevent you from accessing your computer until you paid up, but could easily be removed and access restored. However later strains would actually encrypt the computer files, meaning the only way to restore access would be to pay up (usually via BitCoin) and get the decryption key from the criminals. Not ideal.
And unfortunately for many Mac users, it was the latter that affected them over the weekend. The ransomware, called KeRanger, encrypts a user’s files and will demand payment of around $400 (1 Bitcoin) for the decryption key that should restore access. Of course like with any ransomware, there really is no guarantee that even if you do pay up, the criminals will choose to give you that key.
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Windows users are no stranger to ransomware. In 2013 the popular Cryptolocker was the first prolific ransomware infection that actually encrypted computer files, infecting tens of thousands of computers across the globe. A number of close variants quickly followed, making ransomware one of the biggest cyber threats facing users today.
KeRanger is the first ransomware strain to infect Apple users, though reports suggest it has been limited in its circulation. Apple users who were infected were users downloading software called Transmission, a piece of software used for downloading torrent streams.
Apple have said they are aware of the problem and have now blocked the software. It’s a reminder that Apple users are not immune to malware infections. The appearance of Apple users being safe from such infections is merely a myth. While Windows users do face a larger and more diverse number of threats, Apple users need to be careful too!
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