Apple Computers are Vulnerable to a New Malware

Cyber security firm Malwarebytes reports a “phony” website that tricked people into visiting it, which can freeze Apple computers. An embedded Malware identified as the culprit of this issue.When any Apple user visits the website via Safari browser (often after clicking a link in a spam email) the website writes a code into the computer.The Malware triggers two sets of actions depending on the operating system.In the first case, malware causes an explosion of draft email with the subject line “Warning! Virus Detected”. No Emails sent to anyone, but a sudden flood of draft email windows opens, and hogs resources that end up in freezing the computer.In the second case, iTunes program is forced to open multiple times without closing until it crashes.In both cases Malware causes the computer’s memory to be used up, and it is similar to the Denial of Services attack that hackers use to overload Online Service Websites. Hackers increase the internet traffic to the site causing services to be inaccessible to others.On Apple computers, the real problem arises when the Malware leaves a dummy message to call a fake Apple support number to fix their problem. What happens when a person call is still obscure,  but it is likely criminals charge a fee to unlock the user’s computer.IPhone’s and IPad’s are not affected as they run on a different Operating System.This Malware is similar to fake MS Windows version that spread online last year. It exploited a bug in HTML5 programming language and thus affecting programs that use this language such as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox web browsers. Again a fake help support web page appears, and it does not allow the user to close it. These open windows overload the computer’s memory and at the same time displaying a fake number to call. Malwarebytes states system with an upgraded Operating System is safe from the draft Email attacks however the iTunes variant appears to become active regardless of the Operating System being up to date or not.