First Ransomware App for Mac OS X Appears

March 7, 2016

Ransomware has been around the Windows world for several years. Ransomware, once installed on a computer, restricts access to that infected computer in some way and demands that the owner of that computer pay a ransom to the malware owners to be able to remove the restriction. This form of malware typically enters the system as a trojan, often disguised as a legitimate download or hidden inside a legitimate download.

Mac OS X users now have to be concerned with ransomware. Mac OS X has seen a rise in popularity in recent years. Cyber extortionists see that rise as an opportunity (InfoSec Handlers Diary Blog, March 7, 2016)

According to an article on PCMagazine.com dated March 6, 2015, the Transmission BitTorrent App version 2.90 for OS X has been infected with KeRanger, a form of ransomware with a time-delayed trigger. TO this point, there has been some doubt as to whether OS X has been in danger of ransomware. With this revelation, however, the doubt has been erased.

While there are some legitimate uses for peer-to-peer networking protocols like BitTorrent, peer-to-peer networking has made possible the proliferation of illegal downloads of copyrighted material like movies and television shows.