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Mac security researcher Patrick Wardle published findings about a Safari adware extension initially written to run on Intel x86 but redeveloped for Apple M1 chips. Kaspersky is not the only one warning of Apple M1 chip malware Hardcore techies can check out our technical breakdown of all four. The third, and fourth, known M1-malware varieties are adware from the Pirrit and Bnodlero families. The second, Silver Sparrow, recently made a media splash and is spreading far faster than the first. The first, XCSSET, infects Xcode projects and allows attackers to do all kinds of nasty stuff on the victim’s Mac. Kaspersky has seen four ‘families’ already adapted for the Apple M1 chip. All too often Apple users believe that they cannot catch malware, making them easier, complacent targets. How big a problem is it?Īpple rightly states that macOS and iOS are safer than other platforms – but that is a play on words. Cybercriminals are now releasing malware that attacks both platforms – two bites of the cherry.
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But it is always faster and more convenient to run native code, and malware writers are busily recompiling for the Apple M1. It runs x86 malware as readily as any other app. Kaspersky says Rosetta doesn’t distinguish a legitimate program from a malicious one.
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