Apple will remove Mac Defender malware with OS X update

If you’re a Mac user, chances are you’ll have recently heard about one of the first big malware problems on the Mac OS – Mac Defender. You may have even been really unfortunate and been tricked into downloading the program onto your Mac, but fear not, Apple have a fix.

Apple has posted a support document on their website to help customers who may have been struck by the Mac Defender software recently. The program is described by Apple as a “phishing” scam which directs Mac users to a website which then tells them they are infected with a virus. At this point many customers download the offered solution – a program called Mac Defender.

The problem is that Mac Defender isn’t a helpful virus removal tool at all; it’s malware and it will try to get you to enter your credit card information to remove the virus.

On the help page recently posted by Apple, they advise customers how to avoid downloading the malware (which can also come under the guises of MacProtector, and MacSecurity).

There’s also tips on how to remove the malware program if you have downloaded it, and Apple also confirm that an automatic software update will be available in the next few days for Mac OS X users. The update will completely remove any trace of the downloaded malware from Mac systems.

Have you been affected by Mac Defender, MacProtector or MacSecurity recently? View the Apple support page here, and let us know how you get on.

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