More fake anti-spyware for the Mac

The word has got around among Mac users that the MacSweeper "anti-spyware " tool is bogus, Now Trend Micro has discovered another supposed protection program: iMunizator, and it turns out that this is just MacSweeper in new clothing.

In its security blog, Trend Micro shows two screenshots to illustrate the similarities between the two programs, including their web sites. The only differences are in the program name and domain name. The functions of the iMunizator pseudo-tool are reported to be identical to those of the "original". The program generates numerous false alarms about supposedly implanted spyware and security risks, saying these can only be eliminated by the full version, which of course has to be paid for.

This behaviour has interesting parallels with that of recently reported extortion tools for Windows. But the growing popularity of Apple's Mac OS X operating system appears to be causing net criminals to increasingly target users of this platform.

This is not a high risk for Mac users in general: they should just avoid both iMunizator and MacSweeper. Under Mac OS X, concerned users can check their computers for malicious attacks using the free ClamXav which is based on the open source ClamAV.

See also:

• Scareware software makes its second round on Mac O/S, entry in the Trend Micro security blog

(mba)