The Flashback malware injects code into applications (specifically Web browsers) that will be executed when they run, and which then send screenshots and other personal information to remote servers. So far, it is estimated to have infected over 600,000 Mac systems worldwide, with the majority in the U.S. However, the threat quickly morphed into a more serious threat by taking advantage of unpatched security holes in Java ( which Apple has since addressed) to install on a Mac running Java by merely visiting a malicious Web page and not requiring any user attention. The latest malware to hit OS X has been the Flashback scam, which initially started as a fake Flash player installer application that was relatively easy to avoid. Another scam was the DNSChanger malware that affected millions of PC systems worldwide, and which ultimately directed affected systems to malicious Web sites, and like the MacDefender malware tried to get people to offer personal information. This scam morphed quite rapidly as it tried to avoid detection and continue coercing people to offer personal information. One of the first was the MacDefender fake antivirus scam, which had people issuing credit card information out of fear their systems were infected. While OS X was relatively void of malware for the first 10 years of use, recently malware scares have cropped up that have affected a significant number of Mac systems.
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