Text 68356, 43 rader
Skriven 2012-04-27 11:37:50 av TOM WALKER (1:123/140)
Ärende: Beware of Wormy Owners
==============================
Apple Macs Could Be Spreading Windows Malware

    by Brandon Dimmel on 20120426 @ 08:06AM EST 

Prominent security firm Sophos has discovered that approximately one out of
every five Mac computers is infected with Windows malware. And while such
infections pose little threat to the Macs themselves, they could spread to
Windows computers.

The report is the result of Sophos' work in analyzing the contents of about
100,000 Apple Macintosh computers, using the company's own anti-virus
software for the Mac world. The analysis shows that 20 per cent of the
computers are carrying some kind of Windows-oriented malware.

About 2.7 per cent of the Mac computers, or about one in thirty-seven of
the machines, were infected with malware capable of becoming active within
Apple's own OS X environment.
Infections Communicable by USB Drive, Email, or Download

To many observers, Sophos' findings seem unremarkable. After all, Windows
malware can't have a significant impact on the performance of a Mac. But
Sophos analyst Graham Cluley says that Mac and Windows users should both be
concerned about this level of infection.

"Although Windows malware on Macs won't cause symptoms (unless users also
run Windows on their computers), it can still be spread to others," Cluley
noted in a recent blog post. (Source: pcmag.com)

In fact, Cluley likened this kind of malware to a communicable disease in
animals or humans: it doesn't necessarily affect the host organism, but it
can prove harmful to many others who merely come into contact with the
infected host and thereby receive the infection.

As an example, Cluley cited the disease Chlamydia. "Just like malware on
your computer, Chlamydia commonly shows no obvious symptoms. But left
undetected Chlamydia can caused serious problems, such as infertility,"
Cluley noted. (Source: pcmag.com)

Cluley went on to suggest that Windows-oriented malware found on Macs could
spread to Windows-based machines via USB drives, email attachments, or
website downloads
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5
 * Origin: Fidonet Since 1991 And Still Here. Join Us: www.DocsPl (1:123/140)