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Watch out! Mac malware spread disguised as cracked versions of Angry Birds, Pixelmator and other top apps
February 2014 by ESET
ESET® warns Mac users not to download pirated software from file-sharing peer-to-peer networks, after ESET researchers discovered Bitcoin-stealing malware being spread via cracked apps.
The OSX/CoinThief trojan infects computers running Mac OS X, stealing login credentials related to various Bitcoin exchanges and wallet sites by installing malicious browser add-ons.
ESET malware experts revealed CoinThief is now being spread via P2P file-sharing networks, disguised as cracked versions of the following popular Mac OS X applications:
BBEdit – an OS X text editor
Pixelmator – a graphics editor
Angry Birds – a game of trebuchet-powered temperamental avian bombardment
Delicious Library – a media cataloguing application
“The hackers behind the CoinThief trojan are trying to cash in on the current Bitcoin craze and fluctuating exchange rates by breaking into users’ digital wallets,” said security researcher Graham Cluley, who wrote about the threat on ESET’s We Live Security blog. “As ESET’s research team has shown, mac users who download and install pirated software from torrent sites are not only depriving developers of their rightful income, but putting their computers and finances at risk.”
According to detection statistics gathered by the ESET LiveGrid, the threat is mostly active amongst Mac users based in the United States.
CoinThief was first spotted earlier this month by SecureMac researchers, who found it had been distributed via popular download sites such as Download.com and MacUpdate.com, disguised as trojanised versions of Bitcoin Ticker TTM (To The Moon), BitVanity, StealthBit and Litecoin Ticker.
Whether you’re a Bitcoin-enthusiast or not, Mac users are strongly recommended to protect their computers with an up-to-date anti-virus product, and to resist the temptation to download cracked and pirated software.
