First Malware Running Natively on M1 Chip Discovered

[Amazing Iceman]

What are you talking about? The article correctly addresses what this is... generally and specifically. Generally speaking, it is malware so the headline reads correctly. Specifically, it's adware (a type of malware) and that's exactly what the article calls it. The word "virus" was never mentioned in the article.

As define by Avast: Most malware infections occur when you inadvertently perform an action that causes the malware to be downloaded. This action might be clicking a link in an email, or visiting a malicious website. In other cases, hackers spread malware through peer-to-peer file sharing services and free software download bundles.

Still, the article gives the feeling that it exaggerates the facts. The M1 Macs are not doomed by this in any way.
This just shows how relevant are Macs nowadays, even to hackers and cyber criminals.

 

[Sarkany]

I wish I was a loser that had no life to the point where I create malware to infect other people's machines.

Oh wait, no I don't.

At least they make money from doing this. What money did you make with this statement?

 

[yurc]

Good to see more software natively supported

One of salty dev must be preparing this since day one Dev Transition Kit issued. Even they doing extra miles by working native M1 version lol, I wonder if this malware extension full fat binaries and rosseta-able on x86, albeit they already working malware for Intel chips in first place.

 

[cmaier]

Just because they've been 'recompiled' to 'run natively' doesn't mean they'll ever get a chance to. There are lots of things stopping the malware getting onto the system in the first place.

All they've done is made it a native app. Big deal.

Exactly. it’s just a recompile. Nothing about M1 is magically any more immune to malware than any other instruction set architecture.

 

[69Mustang]

As define by Avast: Most malware infections occur when you inadvertently perform an action that causes the malware to be downloaded. This action might be clicking a link in an email, or visiting a malicious website. In other cases, hackers spread malware through peer-to-peer file sharing services and free software download bundles.

Still, the article gives the feeling that it exaggerates the facts. The M1 Macs are not doomed by this in any way.
This just shows how relevant are Macs nowadays, even to hackers and cyber criminals.

Not really sure what point you're making or how it relates to my quote. I was taking issue with DonutHands assertion that: "This is adware, not malware..." It's false. Adware is a type of malware. The fact that installation requires action on the part of the user doesn't make that assertion any less false.

Also not really sure what facts you felt were exaggerated. Seemed to be a pretty basic article to me, and I definitely didn't get a M1 Macs are doomed vibe. Erbody different I guess.

 

[Mr. Dee]

Ok, one of the things I thought I would be able to get away from for a while. Oh well, gonna grab that complimentary copy of ESET.

 

[meaningego]

Not sure if I’m missing something but unless you use specific things porting can be pretty easy. It’s possible the developer of the extension launched his project with the newest Xcode and had very little to do before being able to build the universal binary version.

 

[serious.person]

created by Intel

 

[ArPe]

Very good article by Wardle. Good to see that Apple revoked the cert for GoSearch22. I am surprised Apple didn't terminate the developer account as well.

And break their fingers so they can’t code ever again.

 

[Psychicbob]

The downside of system harmonisation between desktop and mobile platforms, i.e. the A and M chips. Could this mean more threat to the iOS devices?

 

[Manzanito]

I can’t wait to see how much faster the malware runs on apple silicon 😂

 

[iPadified]

Must be a good proof that it is a "real" computer and not a "toy". Better remember to add "/S"

 

[TechEnthusiast]

Does Apple feature built in malware detection such as Windows Defender from MS?

 

[ThatGuyInLa]

Do you hear that? That’s the sound of inevitability.

 

[MJaP]

Get your hanky out Apple...

 

[MJaP]

A browser extension (malware) has to be installed purposely by the end user.
That doesn't really constitute much of a threat

These are the same end users that have to forward an email to 20 other people or they'll have bad luck, or play an online quiz to find out what colour their aura is, or think vaccines don't work, right? We're doomed.

 

[Freeangel1]

Wow. all the Intel haters take note. Your new ARM platform is not as secure as you that it was. And I bet you were gonna blame malware on Intel for poor design.

 

[manu chao]

Correct, the information here is that it took 3 months to develop a vulnerability since available for public purchase.

Maybe the hackers didn't qualify for a DTK?

 

[Mike_Trivisonno]

Just put a mask on the M1. That will help stop the spread.

 

[Windoes]

About time! I hated the Rosetta versions

 

[lxmeta]

Guess Intel is already working on a benchmark, showing that malware runs faster on their latest chip. Can't do enough to stay competitive.

 

[jumpcutking]

The safest day of our lives... but we expected as much. I suppose the question is, how do you install said extension? Can’t safari detect it and warn users of the threat? Doesn’t it already do that?

 

[AndiG]

This is going to be a very interesting topic. Until now Apple Silicon has been protected by iOS security. What is going to happen when Apple Silicon enters the wild? Will we see attacks and bugs?

 

[jonnysods]

It would be nice if I were asked to instal the Intel or AS version of malware prior to it running!

 

[chrono1081]

There is so much unnecessary panic in these threads. Computer security is a cat and mouse game and there’s no such thing as a 100% secure system.

Apple has a check that runs before you boot into the OS that checks against known malware and disables it, it’s called XProtect. Those security updates that come out also update XProtect.

Theres always a chance you’re one of the first to catch something but that’s where common sense computing (like don’t randomly install crap you know nothing about) come into play.