A new Mac OS X Trojan is making the rounds, installing an adware plug-in that renders ads on Web pages to generate revenue for its author. Dubbed Trojan.Yontoo.1, it is the most prominent of an increasing number of adware Trojans making the rounds, according to Russian antivirus company Dr. Web, the same company that discovered the Flashback virus last year. “Criminals profit from affiliate ad network programs, and their interest in users of Apple-compatible computers grows day by day,” Dr. Web said yesterday in a statement. “Recently discovered, Trojan.Yontoo.1 can serve as a striking example of such software.” The Trojan has a number of avenues for installation, perhaps the most interesting of which is a series of specially crafted movie trailers that include a dialog box that imitates a common prompt for plug-in installation. Once the “install plug-in” button is clicked, victims are redirected to a site where the Trojan is downloaded.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.