You know that old myth about Mac computers being invulnerable to viruses? Well, it really is a myth; Macs are vulnerable to malware and security breaches, it just happens less often. And lest you think the fine folks at Apple HQ don't have to worry about such issues, think again. According to Apple, some of its own employees suffered an attack via a Java plug-in.
As reported by Reuters earlier on Tuesday, a number of Apple employees' computers were infected with malicious software. The malware was apparently directed at Mac computers specifically, the same hack recently used against Facebook. A Reuters source claims "hundreds" of other organizations were infected by the same attack, including defense contractors.
Apple has released a statement on the matter to All Things D, acknowledging the attack, and perhaps explaining the source of the malware's intrusion.
"Apple has identified malware which infected a limited number of Mac systems through a vulnerability in the Java plugin for browsers," said Apple. "The malware was employed in an attack against Apple and other companies, and was spread through a website for software developers. We identified a small number of systems within Apple that were infected and isolated them from our network. There is no evidence that any data left Apple. We are working closely with law enforcement to find the source of the malware."
Apple also reiterated its somewhat uneasy stance with Java, noting the company already ships Macs without the Oracle Systems software installed. Unfortunately, Java has proven an achilles heel of sorts for Mac OS X, but you can protect yourself. Be sure to read our guide on how to protect your Mac from Java malware.
Follow this article's author, Matt Clark, on Twitter.
