Security firms are warning Mac users about two types of malware targeting Apple computers, according to BBC.
The two types of malware — a ransomware variant and a spyware variant — were discovered by security firms Fortinet and AlienVault on the dark web early June, BBC reports.
Here are five things to know.
1. MacRansom is a ransomware-as-a-service scheme, according to a Fortinet blog post. Fortinet emphasized MacRansom is the first time the firm has seen a RaaS model targeting Mac OS.
2. MacSpy, a spyware discovered by AlienVault, monitors computer activity and records information by logging keystrokes, capturing screenshots and accessing the computer's microphone, BBC reports.
3. The two programs pose a particular threat because the malware developers are offering the ransomware and spyware to cybercriminals for free online, according to BBC.
4. There were more than 450,000 malware variants targeting Macs in the fourth quarter of 2016, according to a the McAfee Labs Threat Report. This compares to 600 million total malware variants McAfee found during that same period.
5. There was a sharp jump in Mac OS malware in the last quarter of 2016, up from less than 150,000 variants in the third quarter of that year. McAfee attributed the increase to adware bundling.
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