Ten steps to improve Mac security: Kaspersky

BANGALORE, INDIA: Kaspersky Lab experts have calculated the chances of a malicious program making it onto a Mac OS X device. In August, the probability of unwanted encounters with malware was about 3 percent. Compared to the 21 percent infection risk facing Windows users, the situation with Macs seems much more relaxed.

However, if you translate this into the number of potential incidents, the problem no longer seems so trivial– according to Kaspersky Security Network data, an active Internet user could find malware getting onto a Mac OS X device at least 10 times a year.

The most prominent Mac OS X malware in Kaspersky Lab’s collection include Callme backdoor, which gives cybercriminals remote access to the system and, as an additional function, steals the owner’s contacts – probably as a source of future victims.

Another backdoor, Laoshu, is signed with a developer’s trusted certificate– apparently, the malware writers were preparing to distribute it through AppStore. The function of Laoshu is to make screenshots every minute.

A third notable spy, Ventir, provides surreptitious remote control functions and can log keypresses. The collection also includes an iPhone spy, the first file encryptor for OS X and the first Bitcoin-stealing malware for OS X.

“In the past four years, the Mac threat landscape has significantly changed – from isolated cases to the global epidemic caused by Flashback worm, which infected 700,000 Mac devices across the globe in 2011. That was a tipping point; after that we saw hundreds of new malicious programs for Macs each year. Moreover, Mac OS X was in the focus of headline-making spy operations such as The Mask/Careto and Icefog,” said Eugene Kaspersky, chairman and CEO at Kaspersky Lab.

According to Kaspersky Lab data, users in the US and Germany faced by far most attacks in 2013-14 with up to 66,000 detections in those countries. The next five countries on the list – the UK, Canada, Spain, Italy and Australia – had up to 7,700 detections between them.

10 simple tips for boosting the security of your Mac

1. Create a non-admin account for everyday activities.

2. Use a web browser that contains a sandbox and has a solid track record of fixing security issues promptly.

3. Uninstall the standalone Flash Player.

4. Uninstall Java from your machine.

5. Run "Software Update" and patch the machine promptly when updates are available.

6. Use a password manager to help cope with phishing attacks.

7. Disable IPv6, AirPort and Bluetooth when not needed.

8. Enable full disk encryption.

9. Upgrade Adobe Reader to the latest version.

10. Install a good security solution.