Early alarms over new Mac malware

Sunbelt Software chief executive Alex Eckelberry revealed that researchers at his company had uncovered a site advertising a product known as 'MacGuard'. The product claims to offer both spyware and antivirus protections as well as the ability to remove adware and block phishing attacks on OS X systems.

Though no downloadable software has been found on the site, Eckelberry is urging users to remain vigilant. The Sunbelt chief noted that the company believed to be behind the site also distributes 'Antivirus XP 2008' and 'XP Antivirus', a pair of Windows rogue security applications Eckelberry classified as "really horrific."

Both applications have been known for using exploits to install themselves without consent and send the user fake alert messages designed to scare victims into paying for non-existent security protections.

If the MacGuard application does in fact turn out to be a rogue security attack, it will mark another incident in a small but growing crop of new Mac malware releases.

Almost nonexistent two years ago, a handful of new Mac malware samples have emerged in the last twelve months, starting with a 'fake codec' attack in November and continuing with a fake security scam in January and pair of data-stealing Trojans found this summer.

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