Last week, word spread that up to 600,000 Mac computers could be afflicted by a recent trojan malware called Flashback after a Russian security firm pushed the panic button -- and now, Apple plans to address the situation themselves.
The Loop is reporting that Apple is working on a tool to detect and remove the Java-based Flashback malware that gave Mac users a bit of a scare last week. Apparently the two Java updates pushed out last week were related to other security flaws in OS X Lion and OS X Snow Leopard, but Flashback’s days are numbered regardless.
“A recent version of malicious software called Flashback exploits a security flaw in Java in order to install itself on Macs,” an Apple support document explains. “Apple is developing software that will detect and remove the Flashback malware.
“In addition to the Java vulnerability, the Flashback malware relies on computer servers hosted by the malware authors to perform many of its critical functions,” the document continues. “Apple is working with ISPs worldwide to disable this command and control network.”
Unfortunately, the Apple support document gives no timeline as to when this fix might arrive, but knowing how the company works, it will be sooner rather than later.
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