Davey Winder is a technology journalist who covers cybersecurity news and research. He’s covered everything from the true story behind the hacking of Donald Trump’s nude photos to a record-breaking ransomware payment of $75 million.
I’ve just taken delivery of my brand new MacBook Pro with the M4 Max chip. Whether you have just upgraded to the latest iteration or are taking advantage of the new release to grab a M3 bargain, there’s one thing you should be doing: being alert to the MacBook Pro malware problem.
No, seriously. Sorry, Apple users, but your MacBook, like my MacBook, isn’t immune to the malware threat. There are 99 new reasons why you should take it as seriously as I do, in fact. Here’s what you need to know about the MacBook Pro 2FA-bypassing infostealer problem.. Now threat intelligence experts at Mac security specialists Intego have warned that users are being targeted by 99 new variants of infostealer malware. Of most importance, in my humble opinion, are the browser cookies targeted by these malicious applications. These cookies, known as session cookies, can enable a hacker to gain access to the accounts you are already signed into without having to enter your credentials, including two-factor authentication protections, again. In other words,“If you use Intego VirusBarrier,” Long said, “you’re already protected from this malware.” Running this kind of macOS antivirus security software isn’t an altogether daft idea, although you’d expect a vendor to recommend so to do, of course. Any additional layers of security you can erect between your MacBook Pro and attackers must be considered worthwhile.However, that doesn’t mean you necessarily need to spend money on an antivirus subscription. The primary mitigations against such a threat boil down to two things: awareness and staying alert to the threat. Now you know the threat exists, understand that the main method of infection is going to be a phishing campaign most commonly using email as the attack vector. Such emails will attempt to get you to download a script or executable via clicking a link or opening a malicious attachment. Ultimately, an attacker will be looking for you to log into an account where the malware can intercept the process to capture the session cookie to use as a means of ongoing access to the targeted account. Passkeys can help mitigate such attacks by providing stronger protections against “automated bots, bulk phishing attacks, and targeted attacks than SMS, app-based one-time passwords, and other forms of traditional two-factor authentication,” according to a Google spokesperson. Chromium-based browsers will have built-in protections against malware such as app-bound encryption, device-bound session credentials and Google Chrome’s safe browsing mechanisms. Apple has macOS keychain protection in place as well. At the end of the day, being careful what you click is the main defense, so bear that in mind as you unwrap your brand-new MacBook Pro.Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kindContinuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejectedAttempts or tactics that put the site security at riskProtect your community.
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