Antivirus Firms Release Free Tools for Cleaning Macs Infected by Flashback

[MacRumors]

Yesterday, Apple disclosed for the first time that it is working to develop a software tool to detect and remove the Flashback malware from infected machines. We also previously profiled Flashback Checker, a simple app designed to allow users to easily see if their Macs are infected but which provides no assistance with disinfection.

While Apple works on its own official solution, other parties have continued to develop their own increasingly user-friendly tools for dealing with the threat and cleaning infected machines, with some of those tools making their way into the public's hands.

Russian antivirus firm Kaspersky Lab, which has played a key role in monitoring and publicizing the threat of Flashback, yesterday announced the launch of a free web-based checker where users can simply input the hardware UUID of their Mac to see if it has registered on the firm's servers as an infected machine. The company has also released Flashfake Removal Tool, a free app that quickly and easily detects and removes the malware.

Antivirus firm F-Secure has also announced its own free Flashback Removal app. The app generates a log file detailing whether it has found Flashback on a user's system, and if so quarantines it inside an encrypted ZIP file for disposal.

F-Secure also points out that Apple has yet to offer any protection for users running systems earlier than Mac OS X Snow Leopard. Flashback uses a vulnerability in Java to install itself without user authorization, and Apple released software patches for Java on Lion and Snow Leopard last week to close that hole and prevent infection on updated systems. Machines running earlier versions of Mac OS X do, however, remain unprotected. Specifically, F-Secure notes that over 16% of Macs are still running Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, marking a substantial user base that remains vulnerable to the threat.

Update: Kaspersky Lab has informed MacRumors that the Flashfake Removal Tool has temporarily been pulled after the discovery that in some cases it could erroneously remove certain user settings. A fixed version of the tool will be posted as soon as it is available.

Update 2: The patched version of the Flashfake Removal Tool is now available through the Kaspersky Lab site.

Article Link: Antivirus Firms Release Free Tools for Cleaning Macs Infected by Flashback

 

[garylapointe]

They should have a great big donate $1 button on it!

The "solvers" of the biggest infection in Mac history. (Right?)

Gary

 

[Eric S.]

I would guess that way over 16% of Macs are running a pre-Snow Leopard OS.

 

[d4rkc4sm]

'infected' suggests its a virus. thought macs didnt get viruses. haha

 

[garylapointe]

I would guess that way over 16% of Macs are running a pre-Snow Leopard OS.

Yes, if 16% are running Leopard. Then everyone running pre-Leopard would certainly increase those numbers.

Gary

 

[Sedulous]

I still don't believe the 600,000 figure.

 

[Kaibelf]

F-Secure also points out that Apple has yet to offer any protection for users running systems earlier than Mac OS X Snow Leopard.

I guess being too lazy and, frankly, cheap to spend that $29 seems pretty stupid now, doesn't it?

 

[Eric S.]

Yes, if 16% are running Leopard. Then everyone running pre-Leopard would certainly increase those numbers.

Well I would also guess that way over 16% of Macs are running Leopard.

 

[GSPice]

'infected' suggests its a virus. thought macs didnt get viruses. haha

Gosh you must be on to something. I guess Mac users are all idiots.

/sarcasm

 

[dakwar]

They should have a great big donate $1 button on it!

The "solvers" of the biggest virus in Mac history. (Right?)

Gary

I assume you're being sarcastic. ... in which case, yes .

 

[garylapointe]

'infected' suggests its a virus. thought macs didnt get viruses. haha

I think technically it's malware, since it tricks the user into installing it. Viruses get in on their own.

People infected with lead poisoning usually don't necessarily "catch" it, you might have accidentally ingested it.

Gary

 

[Apple fanboy]

Company offers free antivirus software? Is this not just a precursor to getting you to buy there antivirus software. Coming from a PC background I've always been suspicious that Norton and others have 1 department creating viruses whilst another creates antivirus software. Or am I just skeptical?
Either way as I'm waiting to buy a new iMac I'm less than happy to hear about Mac viruses.

 

[scotthew1]

damn apparently my computer was infected with this thing...
any word on exactly what information this malware takes? i should probably change all my passwords shouldn't i?

 

[Ajones330]

I checked and was not infected. I'm always skeptical about companies doing anything for free. What's the catch with Kaspersky?

 

[abz1981]

should we use this removal tool to check. or should we just wait for apple to provide a tool to check and remove?

 

[definitive]

damn apparently my computer was infected with this thing...
any word on exactly what information this malware takes? i should probably change all my passwords shouldn't i?

whose scanner did you run?

 

[dBeats]

MMmyes. Just give us UUID and we check if you infected. Soon, a pyop up wyndow will appyear. Click yyes, and pretty soon, infection will happen, uhm I mean will be checked! Don't worry about all those connections in nyetstat pointing to warez locations. This is the infection removal process and it pyerfectly nyormal.

 

[jayducharme]

Interesting that these tools are appearing after Apple announced that a fix of their own is coming....

 

[Dillenger]

I checked and was not infected. I'm always skeptical about companies doing anything for free. What's the catch with Kaspersky?

I think in time they will try to get you to open your walletsky so you can spend some of your moneysky on their Mac anti-virusky.

 

[themelz]

Kaspersky Lab web page is bogus

A few days ago I did the Terminal commands that F-Secure posted for checking for Flashback trojan (http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/trojan-downloader_osx_flashback_i.shtml). Redid it today and both times came up negative.

I downloaded and used an app to do the same (https://github.com/jils/FlashbackChecker/wiki) and also the F-Secure Flashback Removal app. They both also came up negative.

I used the web-based checker in this article, put in the hardware UUID of my Mac and surprise, surprise, it came up positive.

I would have thought that MacRumours would've tested them and saw that the Kaspersky Lab web page is bogus!!!!

 

[toronado455]

Machines running earlier versions of Mac OS X do, however, remain unprotected.

Well, there's my answer.

 

[scotthew1]

whose scanner did you run?

i used the Kaspersky one. but huh comments above do indeed make this look suspicious.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I think in time they will try to get you to open your walletsky so you can spend some of your moneysky on their Mac anti-virusky.

bingo.

Plus I would like to note removing an infection after it happen is just a band-aid fix. Damage was already done and some of these lovely little trogans will make themselves near impossible to remove by killing or stopping the fix from even running.

I have noticed the time between infection on OSX has been dropping pretty steady and it will not be long before running AV software on OSX will be a near must have much like it is in the windows world.

 

[ILOVEMYMBP2.2g]

Fishy

i used the Kaspersky one. but huh comments above do indeed make this look suspicious.

I used this and it said it removed it and then when I restarted my mac i ran the web checker again and it said I still had it? hmmmmmm

Please someone verify if this is some sort or bad thing or not?

 

[GorgonPhone]

all my macs were clean...