Pirated software can cause all kinds of headaches, but Mac users might have thought themselves largely immune thanks to Apple’s reputation for solid security. Yet that complacency could prove fatal, as a new strain of nearly undetectable malware has shown.
According to research from security firm Jamf Threat Labs, pirated versions of Apple’s Final Cut Pro movie-making app have been modified to contain cryptojacking payloads. When installed, it starts using your Mac to mine the Monero cryptocurrency behind your back, potentially slowing down your machine as system resources are illegitimately gobbled up.
Worse, Jamf Threat Labs says the malware remains almost entirely undetected by both antivirus software and Apple’s own security systems. That makes it a major pest to detect and remove.
The malicious software uses the Invisible Internet Project (i2p) network to download additional components in an anonymous way that is very difficult to detect. It also disguises itself as system processes linked to macOS’s Spotlight feature, further helping it to avoid raising eyebrows.
The malware is primarily distributed through torrents on The Pirate Bay shared by user ‘wtfisthat34698409672.’ This user has uploaded similarly cracked apps, including Adobe Photoshop and Logic Pro X, that also contain cryptojacking malware.
Still dangerous today
In macOS Ventura, Apple introduced a few security features that hamper the malware, but they do not stop it completely. For instance, there are more code-signing checks to ensure apps have not been modified. In the case of this malware, its authors kept much of the original Final Cut Pro code in place to make it seem like the real deal, but it was not enough to evade Ventura’s checks.
Ironically, however, Ventura only disables the legitimate part of the malware bundle — that is, the Final Cut Pro portion — while leaving the cryptojacking elements untouched. The good news is that the malware is not able to find a way past Apple’s Gatekeeper security protections without a user manually disabling them, which limits some of the damage it can cause.
It just goes to show the dangers involved in downloading and installing pirated software. Instead, it’s much better to pay for the genuine article and avoid infecting your computer. Alternatively, there are plenty of great free video-editing apps available, meaning you don’t need to pay to create movie masterpieces on your Mac.
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