Think your Mac is safe from cyber threats? Think again. A new report from Accenture shows that hackers are targeting macOS like never before.
Macs are known for being more compared to systems that run Microsoft’s operating system, but a new report shows that you might still want to exercise caution online. A new report from Accenture’s Cyber Threat Intelligence (ACTI) unit reveals that the number of cyber attacks targeting Macs has increased by a whopping tenfold since 2019, with the majority of incidents happening in the last 18 months.
The report, which is based on data collected from the Dark Web, shows that there is a growing community of skilled hackers who are focusing on exploiting the vulnerabilities of macOS. These hackers are creating specific ransomware strains, malware tools and exploits that are designed to infect and compromise Mac devices.
According to Accenture, the main reason for this surge in Mac-related cyber crime is the increasing popularity and usage of Macs in both personal and corporate environments. Macs are often seen as more secure and reliable than Windows or Linux devices, but this also makes them more attractive and lucrative targets for cyber criminals.
“A combination of the increasing use of macOS in corporate environments, the high potential earnings of threat actors willing and able to target macOS and the surging demand for macOS tools and wares suggest this trend will continue,” the report states.
The report also warns that some of the Mac-specific exploits are being sold on the Dark Web at a premium over those designed to target Windows, indicating that they are highly effective and in high demand. For instance, one actor offered up to US$500,000 for a macOS Gatekeeper bypass.
Accenture predicts that these trends are likely to continue, owing to the growing popularity of macOS in corporate environments and the high potential earnings of threat actors targeting the OS.
As the threat actors become more technically advanced and well-resourced, they also share their techniques and capabilities with the wider dark web community, concludes the report. This increases the availability of macOS-specific tools and wares on the dark web, such as infostealers, ransomware strains, RATs, loaders, exploits and credential harvesters. It also lowers the technical barriers for entry, making it easier for more dark web criminals to target macOS users.
– The Indian Express