Mac OS users think that their computers are immune from things like viruses or malware attacks and think that their computers are somehow essentially protected. It is right that it’s less likely for a Mac OS user to be hit or infected with a malware than a Windows user.
The Mac malware is called Fruit-Fly, the malware can remotely take full control of webcams, screen, mouse, keyboards, and install another malicious software. Fruit-Fly runs silently in the background, spies on users through the computer’s camera, capture images of what’s displayed on the screen and logs key strokes.
Patrick Wardle (a chief security researcher at security firm Synack) found around 400 Mac machines infected with the newer strain of the FruitFly malware. He said that it is unknown who is behind FruitFly or how the malware gets into Mac machines, Wardle also believes that the nasty malware has been active for around ten years.
Wardle said:
“FruitFly, the first OS X/macOS malware of 2017, is a rather intriguing specimen. Selectively targeting biomedical research institutions, it is thought to have flown under the radar for many years”“The only reason I can think of that this malware has not been spotted before now is that it is being used in very tightly targeted attacks, limiting its exposure”
Until now, there is no evidence at this point connecting this malware to a particular group, the fact that it has been seen specifically at biomedical research institutions certainly looks like it could be the result of exactly that kind of espionage.