Google ads push ‘virtualized’ malware made for antivirus evasion
As new reports of malware and scams emerge, it’s important to be vigilant about the software you download and the sources you trust. A recent string of attacks targeting Mac users is a good reminder of that.
Security researchers have discovered a new campaign that is using malicious ads to distribute .NET malware loaders. The loader, known as “MacDownloader,” is then used to download and install additional malicious software on the victim’s machine.
This particular campaign has been targeting users in the US and Canada, but it’s likely that similar attacks will start targeting users in other countries as well.
The good news is that there are steps you can take to protect yourself from this type of attack. First and foremost, you should never download software from untrustworthy sources.
If you’re not sure whether a website is trustworthy, you can use a service like WOT (Web of Trust) to check its reputation. You should also be careful about clicking on links in email messages and on social media.
Even if a link looks legitimate, it could be leading to a malicious website. And, of course, you should always have a reputable anti-virus program installed and running on your computer.
If you follow these simple guidelines, you’ll be much less likely to fall victim to a malware attack. But even the most cautious users can sometimes get fooled.
So, if you do find yourself on a website that looks suspicious, or you download software from an untrustworthy source, don’t hesitate to run a scan of your computer with your anti-virus program. Better to be safe than sorry.
