Mac users receive info-stealing malware via Google ads

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Mac malware that steals passwords, cryptocurrency wallets and other sensitive data has been spotted circulating through Google Ads, marking at least the second time in recent months that the popular advertising platform has been used to infect web surfers.

The latest ad, spotted by security firm Malwarebytes on Monday, promotes the Mac version of Arc, the unconventional browser that was publicly released for the macOS platform last July. The ad promises users a calmer, more personal experience with less clutter and distractions, similar to the marketing message conveyed by The Browser Company, the startup that developed Arc.

According to Malwarebytes, clicking on the ad redirects web surfers to arc-download.[.]com is a completely fake Arc Browser page that looks almost identical to the real thing.

Malwarebytes

Further investigation revealed that it had been purchased by a company called Coles & Co, which claimed that the advertiser's identity had been verified by Google.

Malwarebytes

Visitors who clicked the download button on arc-download[.]com downloads a .dmg installation file that looks just like the real thing, with one exception: instead of the simpler process of double-clicking the file, you are instructed to right-click and select Open to run the file. This is to get around a macOS security mechanism that prevents apps from being installed unless they are digitally signed by a developer vetted by Apple.

Malwarebytes

Analysis of the malware code reveals that once installed, the thieves send data to the IP address 79.137.192.[.]4. This address hosts a control panel for Poseidon, the name of a theft program actively sold on criminal markets. The panel allows customers to access an account from which they can access harvested data.

Malwarebytes

Mac malware development is on the rise, with a focus on malware stealers, writes Jrme Segura, principal malware intelligence analyst at Malwarebytes. As the article makes clear, there are many factors at play in this criminal activity: vendors need to convince potential customers that their products are feature-rich and have low detection rates by antivirus software.

Poseidon advertises itself as a full-service macOS stealer with features such as a file grabber, cryptocurrency wallet extractor, password stealer from managers like Bitwarden and KeePassXC, and a browser data collector. Crime forum posts published by the stealer's creator promote the tool as a competitor to Atomic Stealer, a similar stealer for macOS. Segura said both apps share much of their underlying source code.

The poster, Rodrigo4, added a new feature for stealing VPN configurations, but it's not currently functional as it's still in development. The forum post appeared on Sunday, and Malwarebytes discovered the malicious ads the next day. The discovery came a month after Malwarebytes identified another Google ad batch promoting a fake version of Arc for Windows. The installer in that campaign installed a suspected infostealer for that platform.

Malwarebytes

Like many other major ad networks, Google Ads regularly serves abusive content and doesn't remove it until third parties notify the company. Google Ads disclaims responsibility for any damages that may result from such oversights. In an email, the company said it removes abusive ads and suspends advertisers when it finds them, and has done so in this case.

Anyone wanting to install software advertised online should look for official download sites rather than relying on sites linked in ads. They should also be wary of instructions telling Mac users to install apps via the right-click method mentioned above. Malwarebytes' post lists indicators of compromise that can be used to determine if you've been targeted.

Sources 1/ https://Google.com/ 2/ https://arstechnica.com/security/2024/06/mac-info-stealer-malware-distributed-through-google-ads/ The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article

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