Bitcoin-Stealing OS X Trojan Now Masquerading as 'Angry Birds' and Other Popular Mac Apps

[WardC]

I have trouble finding those these days...

What I meant was...do not have faith in Bitcoin, have faith in the US Cent and Dollar...our currency is one of the most stable on Earth, and so many people don't give it enough credit. The dollar is recognized worldwide and trusted. It is solid and has a low inflation rate. Our dollar is worth something. And to me, Bitcoin is a fly-by-night.

 

[TheDrift-]

How is it a catch 22 for Apple when there are idiots going out to download pirated software because they're too bloody cheap to purchase a legitimate copy via the AppStore? That's like blaming Microsoft for some person downloading Creative Suite off a bittorrenting website then complaining that all their credit card information has been stolen and its apparently all Microsoft's fault.

That must be a really cracked version creative suite is adobe not ms!

 

[heisenberg123]

bitcoin seems to dodgy, sure this was a cracked app that did it but that means it can be done other ways too

if bitcoin was so encrypted and secure not even a virus could get the info

 

[bbeagle]

Now that Apple computers are a household name, with a lot more sales and actually starting to penetrate the PC market in a measurable way, Their claim that Apple computers are infinitely more secure than Windows based PC's because of obscurity is starting to diminish.

Completely incorrect. Apple never claimed that they were infinitely more secure because of obscurity - they claimed that they were infinitely more secure regardless. Which is true.

We are seeing more and more OSx based attacks over the last year.

No - we are seeing more and more published 'attacks' - none of which are viruses, most of which are from tricking users, which can never be stopped on any operating system.

 

[dlowings]

Bitcoin is in its infancy and will have to see where this will end.

But downloading 'cracked' software rarely seems to be a good idea.

Where does this talk about cracked software for OSX, I feel like I'm missing something ..

 

[LordVic]

bitcoin seems to dodgy, sure this was a cracked app that did it but that means it can be done other ways too

if bitcoin was so encrypted and secure not even a virus could get the info

the safety and security of bitcoins have been extremely over-toughted.

Mt Gox was supposed to be the biggest and the best, and it still ran afoul.

Bitcoins are nothing more than a digital commodity. Not a currency. Thus their volotility is uncontrollable. They will be faced with more, and more hurdles as they start to get more and more international recognition.

Some of those hurdles, that they have yet to face, could spell the death of bitcoins and other crypto currencies.

 

[dlowings]

bitcoin seems to dodgy, sure this was a cracked app that did it but that means it can be done other ways too

if bitcoin was so encrypted and secure not even a virus could get the info

Encryption does no good for anything against a keystroke logger, they are stealing peoples passwords to bypass any encryption.. Please read ..

 

[s15119]

So thieves are stealing from thieves. Good.

 

[the8thark]

]Only trust this coin:

Image

Hard to tell is serious or joking.

I would not trust that coin at all. It's only stable cause the US does is not forced to pay back it's debts (in the trillions) like every other person and country has to.

 

[KdParker]

Where does this talk about cracked software for OSX, I feel like I'm missing something ..

From the article:

The trojan initially surfaced on open source software hosting site GitHub, and it was quickly bundled into several Bitcoin apps available through multiple download sites. Further investigation by ESET has now uncovered the trojan masquerading as cracked versions of popular Mac apps such as BBEdit, Pixelmator, Angry Birds, and Delicious Library.

 

[iLilana]

no brainer

people are dumb.

 

[A MacBook lover]

What I meant was...do not have faith in Bitcoin, have faith in the US Cent and Dollar...our currency is one of the most stable on Earth, and so many people don't give it enough credit. The dollar is recognized worldwide and trusted. It is solid and has a low inflation rate. Our dollar is worth something. And to me, Bitcoin is a fly-by-night.

Haha! Good one. Bitcoin is actually amazing if you understand the protocol.

 

[mw360]

Maybe an alternative revenue model to IAP....

 

[nicroma]

I have to wonder why you can buy a $1,000 Apple computer, but you can't buy a $5 game.

Those people deserve it. Mining your own money, but taking someone else's? No excuse.

I agree with your point, but no one is mining Bitcoin with a Mac.

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

This is why code signing and Gatekeeper exist.

That's no protection. You can create your own app signatures with certain tools.

 

[Rogifan]

Meanwhile over at Google Sundar Pichai says:

http://9to5mac.com/2014/02/27/googl...target-android-too-if-he-were-making-malware/

We cannot guarantee that Android is designed to be safe, the format was designed to give more freedom. When people talk about 90% of malware for Android, they must of course take into account the fact that it is the most popular operating system in the world. If I had a company dedicated to malware, I would also be addressing my attacks on Android.

 

[Mr. Retrofire]

But downloading 'cracked' software rarely seems to be a good idea.

Especially in the case of BBEdit, which has a free alternative: “TextWrangler”. I do not understand why people need cracked software. They can either use cheaper alternatives, free alternatives or even keygens in a VM (only for “tests”).

 

[ghostface147]

Wait so cracked programs and the people who distribute them are not doing it out of the kindness of their own hearts with no nefarious intentions?

Shocked I say!

 

[LaskoVortex]

What I meant was...do not have faith in Bitcoin, have faith in the US Cent and Dollar...our currency is one of the most stable on Earth, and so many people don't give it enough credit. The dollar is recognized worldwide and trusted. It is solid and has a low inflation rate. Our dollar is worth something. And to me, Bitcoin is a fly-by-night.

Yawn. Another bitcoin doom prophet. You don't need prophesy, just keep checking here: http://isbitcoindead.com/.

Post on this forum when the answer changes and we'll all give you props.

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Haha! Good one. Bitcoin is actually amazing if you understand the protocol.

Understanding is hard. I'd rather just have an ignorant, pre-formed opinion.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

In case anyone is new to Bitcoin:

Bitcoin works by letting you take your money and put it inside your computer. You then say goodbye to your money.

 

[Flood123]

I must be old because I really don't get bitcoin and why I should care about it. If someone would explain this to me I would be greatly appreciative. As of right now is is so far off my radar that it isn't even funny.

 

[coolfactor]

Bad week for security.

How is this a security issue? It's a trojan... nefarious software masquerading as legitimate software. It's installed inside hacked software that is then pirated by people that don't want to pay for software.

Only those people that choose to pirate software or download software without verifying its source will be affected by this. It's not a flaw in Apple's software, if that's what you were alluding to?

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I must be old because I really don't get bitcoin and why I should care about it. If someone would explain this to me I would be greatly appreciative. As of right now is is so far off my radar that it isn't even funny.

It's an alternate currency used for purchasing goods or services online. It's weird to think about it, but by having a "middle-man" currency can afford you certain benefits.

 

[Daalseth]

What I meant was...do not have faith in Bitcoin, have faith in the US Cent and Dollar

I agree and disagree.

I'm old enough to have lived through all sots of investment schemes and until Bitcoin has a decade or two under its belt I won't trust it either. Sure I understand the theory, the idea of mining, the whole concept of a stateless currency and I just don't trust it. The collapse of MtGox this week is only a symptom of a structural weakness in the idea. My money goes into things that are insured by FDIC, CIDC, etc. As I said give it 20-30 years and we'll see. I would be plesently surprised if it's still going strong. I won't be surprised at all if the bubble pops and Bitcoins aren't worth anything in two years.

OTOH I also don't have long term faith in the US dollar either. As others pointed out, the debt has hollowed it out and it's only a matter of time before the world transitions over to the Euro, the Renminbi, or a basket of currencies to reduce risk. When that happens the dollar, which is propped up by being the default currency for oil and other commodities, will drop and drop fast.

 

[chasemac]

All Your Bitcoin Belong To Us!

 

[cdmoore74]

Only in cracked versions = no problem.

We say the same thing regarding side loading questionable apps with possible malware within Android. Yet people blame Android. See what I did there?