“A new malware briefly flared in the Macworld this weekend but there’s only an extremely slim chance your Mac has been affected. Don’t panic at the inevitable hype: here’s how to protect yourself,” Jonny Evans writes for Computerworld.
“Start here: Do you use Transmission?” Evans asks. “If you don’t, you’ll be fine.”
“The Transmission 2.9 BitTorrent client release was undermined by malware writers who inserted ‘KeRanger’ code that encrypts all your Mac’s files and then demands around $400 to unlock your data,” Evans writes. “Apple reacted swiftly. Within hours of the release an important Apple-provided security certificate was withdrawn by Cupertino and a new version of Transmission was made available that did not include the criminal code. Apple will doubtless be strenuously investigating how this code gained certification.”
Evans reports, “Infected files were downloaded after 7pm on Friday, and before 2am Sunday morning. If you think you may have been impacted by the bug, don’t panic, here is what you can do to protect yourself”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Transmission users only:
Transmission’s website (https://www.transmissionbt.com) states:
Everyone running 2.90 on OS X should immediately upgrade to and run 2.92, as they may have downloaded a malware-infected file. This new version will make sure that the “OSX.KeRanger.A” ransomware (more information available here) is correctly removed from your computer.
Users of 2.91 should also immediately upgrade to and run 2.92. Even though 2.91 was never infected, it did not automatically remove the malware-infected file.
SEE ALSO:
Mac users targeted in first known OS X ransomware scam – March 6, 2016
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]