AppleCare: MAC OS X Infected by Malware? Rumor or fake

Malware circulating on the Web and targeting users of Mac OS X is spreading at a rapid pace, and highlights the support policy practiced by Apple.

Earlier this month it was reported that many users complained of malicious software called MAC Defender. Since the case has gained momentum and the topic comes up regularly in forums user support provided by Apple. The malware in question is hidden within web pages, pollutant by Google's index, which automates the downloading of a Zip file. Once installed, the Trojan performs a fake scan of the machine and then asks the victim to enter their credit card number to proceed to the "cleansing" of the computer.

ZDnet U.S. magazine published a confidential document intended to support staff to deal with a customer service representative with optional AppleCare and victim of the malicious application. In the case where the person would have downloaded the malware without installing it, Apple suggests just to trash and empty it. However if the computer is infected with MAC Defender (also called MAC Security), the support staff are invited to check the Mac OS X is up to date and point the client to the knowledge base.

The confidential memo says repeatedly to support staff never to mention the user if the trojanhorse is installed or not on anyone's computer. AppleCare does not offer support to clean this malware, "says the document", adding that the team does not recommend any special software to clean up but simply redirect the person to the Apple Store online or the Mac App Store.

I have come to a conclusion for what should be a paid service and what should be not:

1) M$ does not support your pc: dell, hp etc. .. do.
2) If a business is a big problem with microsoft and request professional assistance, the problem is resolved. (I've already dealt with this service for a client, the problem was part of Windows and even I think they spend over two weeks to patch up the problem correctly.)

The technique that is used is infected is that the hackers use a technique of optimization (or SEO for Search Engine Optimization), which involves the positioning of websites infected in the first results of the search engines especially Google and Google Images. If the user clicks on a malicious link, the execution of Javascript code brings up a pop-up (window) into believing that the computer is infected with viruses and then request to download a zip file containing the fake antivirus Mac Defender .

Depending on the configuration of Safari on Mac OS X in administrator mode, it will automatically download programs and authorize the opening of files that are considered reliable as the real Mac software Defender.

If the user confirms the installation behind this fake virus hides a Trojan horse, once the computer is conducting an audit, after detecting the virus and display pages from pornographic sites it asks to buy a license to proceed with the disinfection of the machine, but the purpose of this attack is to gather personal information like credit card number and then use for fraudulent purposes.