Apple Employees' Macs Compromised by Chinese Hackers

[MacRumors]

A number of Macs owned by Apple employees were compromised by the same China-based hackers that targeted Facebook employees recently, reports All Things D. The malware entered the systems through the Java plug-in, which Apple has blocked recently due to unpatched security vulnerabilities. Reuters was the first to report the disclosure.

"Apple has identified malware which infected a limited number of Mac systems through a vulnerability in the Java plug-in for browsers," the company said in a statement to AllThingsD. "The malware was employed in an attack against Apple and other companies, and was spread through a website for software developers. We identified a small number of systems within Apple that were infected and isolated them from our network. There is no evidence that any data left Apple. We are working closely with law enforcement to find the source of the malware."

Apple will also be releasing a standalone malware removal tool to clean infected machines.

The New York Times published an article yesterday laying out how a number of recent hacking attacks against U.S. corporations could be linked to the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

Macs have traditionally been viewed as significantly more secure than Windows machines, though in the past year there have been a number of compromised machines from the Flashback malware and issues with Java.

Article Link: Apple Employees' Macs Compromised by Chinese Hackers

[rafaltrus]

News brought to you by the Letter Duh Inc.

[Hakone]

What a way to ring in the new lunar new year than to go on a hacking spree.

Samsung to the PLA: "Hi guys, wanna have lunch?"

[nep61]

Maybe I should get some spy-ware or antivirus software....

Hmmm I've been doing fine without either on any Mac I've had since 1992.... Maybe I should be worried !

[zin]

Why doesn't the Chinese Government have any meaningful actions to combat this? It was Google several months back, then Facebook, and now Apple.

Unless of course the Chinese Government are the ones that hired the 'hackers' so as to steal intellectual property...

[KPOM]

Originally Posted by zin

Why doesn't the Chinese Government have any meaningful actions to combat this? It was Google several months back, then Facebook, and now Apple.

Unless of course the Chinese Government are the ones that hired the 'hackers' so as to steal intellectual property...

I'm guessing its the latter. China plays by its own rules.

[gmanist1000]

Interesting, we'll see how this plays out.

[Jsameds]

Pointless, really, like the majority of 'cyber hacking' (urgh I hate the term cyber).

To be honest the Chinese citizens hacking skills would be best put to work on their own government, tearing down "The Great Firewall of China".

[stuffradio]

Mac's are unhackable they say. Mac's don't break they say. Windows computers are the only one to get hacked they say.

[rnizlek]

Originally Posted by zin

Why doesn't the Chinese Government have any meaningful actions to combat this? It was Google several months back, then Facebook, and now Apple.

Unless of course the Chinese Government are the ones that hired the 'hackers' so as to steal intellectual property...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/te...nst-us.html?hp

[gmanist1000]

Originally Posted by stuffradio

Mac's are unhackable they say. Mac's don't break they say. Windows computers are the only one to get hacked they say.

Is that what they say?

[SpyderBite]

This is a funny thread. I guess some site will do anything for hits.

[Dontuwish]

State sponsored, PLA unit. They've been doing it for 10 years, ask Nortel...

[184550]

PRSI territory in 5, 4, 3,....

[gnasher729]

Originally Posted by stuffradio

Mac's are unhackable they say. Mac's don't break they say. Windows computers are the only one to get hacked they say.

There were people who complained that Apple blocked the Java browser plugin. So Oracle, trusted vendor of database software, broke those Macs. Next time Java will be blocked quicker.

[coolspot18]

If China wanted to hack foreign companies, surely they would try to hide their IP address?

Seems a bit too obvious.

[metsjetsfan]

Will they be posting pictures of apple's roadmap or the iphone math?

[Westside guy]

Easy fix - turn off Java in your browser. I did that months ago, and at least in my case there's been absolutely no impact - Java's just not used that many places on the web.

[ChazUK]

Originally Posted by SpyderBite

This is a funny thread. I guess some site will do anything for hits.

Reuters?

Doing it for hits???

/insert facepalm here.

[samcraig]

Is it true these Apple developers were downloading an Android SDK?

[DipDog3]

This is Oracle's fault, sue them!

[MuddyPaws1]

No data left apple.... Yea right.

[IJ Reilly]

Originally Posted by KPOM

I'm guessing its the latter. China plays by its own rules.

http://www.npr.org/2013/02/19/172373...hinas-military

Not that most countries with the resources to do so don't run similar covert cyber operations.

[M-O]

it was the iTunes for Windows team. they were all running bootcamp.

[Mr. Retrofire]

Originally Posted by nep61

Maybe I should get some spy-ware or antivirus software...

iLOL.

You think this can defend you against a Cyberarmy!?