Apple release security update: blocks rogue MacDefender

MacDefender has been one of the most high profile pieces of Macintosh based malware in recent years, even causing Apple to intervene. If you want to read more about MacDefender and what it does, then follow this link.

Apple have released a security update to help cure the problem.

Security Update 2011-003 addresses the following issues:

File Quarantine
Available for: Mac OS X v10.6.7, Mac OS X Server v10.6.7
Impact: Definition added
Description: The OSX.MacDefender.A definition has been added to the malware check within File Quarantine. Information on File Quarantine is available in this Knowledge Base article: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3662

File Quarantine
Available for: Mac OS X v10.6.7, Mac OS X Server v10.6.7
Impact: Automatically update the known malware definitions
Description: The system will check daily for updates to the File Quarantine malware definition list. An opt-out capability is provided via the “Automatically update safe downloads list” checkbox in Security Preferences. Additional information is available in this Knowledge Base article: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4651

Malware removal
Available for: Mac OS X v10.6.7, Mac OS X Server v10.6.7
Impact: Remove the MacDefender malware if detected
Description: The installation process for this update will search for and remove known variants of the MacDefender malware. If a known variant was detected and removed, the user will be notified via an alert after the update is installed. Additional information is available in this Knowledge Base article: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4651

Security Update 2011-003 (Snow Leopard) is available via Software Update and also as a standalone installer.

More info and download link (2.36MB) here.

KitGuru says: patched and safe again. But for how long?

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