∞ Apple details how to remove MacDefender malware

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Apple updated its Web site on Tuesday with details on how to remove the much talked about MacDefender malware.

[ad#Google Adsense 300x250 in story]“A recent phishing scam has targeted Mac users by redirecting them from legitimate websites to fake websites which tell them that their computer is infected with a virus,” Apple wrote on its support site. “The user is then offered Mac Defender ‘anti-virus’ software to solve the issue.”

And that is where the problem begins. The software offered to users is actually malware with a goal of getting your credit card information.

You can use the steps to avoid getting the malware or to remove it if you have already been infected.

Apple said that an update to Mac OS X in the next few days will automatically find and remove Mac Defender malware and its known variants. The update will also help protect users by providing an explicit warning if they download this malware.



  • His Shadow

    Where are all those “Apple ignores customers!” assholes now?

    Oh, right. Moving on to the next Hit Whore assignment.

    • Voice of Reason

      You should be thanking them for forcing Apple to do something, otherwise the company would have continued to deny there was a problem.

      • His Shadow

        Spare me. The twats at ZDNet et al were/are only concerned with hits. If they were interested in information and education, there would have been more “this is how to protect yourself” and less “APPLE HATES IT’S CUSTOMERS AND IGNORES THEIR PLIGHT BECAUSE IT ONLY WANTS MONEY!”

        It’s made worse by the fact that anyone with half a gods damned

      • Steven Fisher

        Mac OS X has had built-in malware detection since 10.6. With or without the assholes crying, it would have been updated for this latest threat. The only difference is that without the assholes, the update would have come first. And it’s been delayed because Apple had to decide how to deal with this problem.

        You can not possibly be so stupid as to not understand this.

        • Anonymous

          Because all degenerates that switched over from windows because it’s more secure are now apple users, good riddance.

      • http://twitter.com/ankleskater Ankle Skater

        There is no evidence or reason to claim or believe Apple would have denied this problem.  On the other hand, Apple should have responded more promptly.  It’s one thing to take time to assess a problem.  But it’s never all right to sit silent when customers are wondering what is going on.  They could have made a statement like “We are working on this.” 

  • http://www.theuniversalsteve.com Anonymous

    Since I’m the Apple guy and computer expert at work, someone asked me why the scam artists behind Mac Defender aren’t being thrown in jail. My best answer was that they are probably not in the US. But that answer doesn’t sit well with me. How is it that people can get away with doing this? Shouldn’t at least Visa and MasterCard block all charges to their account? 

    • http://twitter.com/ankleskater Ankle Skater

      Block charges to what account? It doesn’t sound like you understand how these scams work.  No offense, I think your company needs another computer expert.

      • http://www.theuniversalsteve.com Anonymous

        “Block charges to what account? It doesn’t sound like you understand how these scams work.”

        I was talking about the merchant account used to process the credit cards. But maybe I don’t understand how these scams work. Are you saying they don’t charge the credit cards they get? What do they do instead? Sell them? Use them for unauthorized transactions? (I’m asking seriously, not being a jerk.)

        “No offense, I think your company needs another computer expert.”

        No offense taken. But I don’t think not knowing how to run a credit card scam is any indicator of my abilities as a Cocoa programmer.