Apple Mac Computers Targeted By Ransomware and Spyware

Mac Users Cautioned – New Deviations of Malware

Users of Mac have been cautioned regarding new deviations of malware which have been developed particularly to aim at Apple computers one of which is ransomware that tends to encrypts data, demanding payments before the files can be released. The other is known to be spyware which has the tendency of watching what users do and exposés up treasured information.

Experts are of the opinion that they pose as a threat since their designers enables anyone to use them at no cost. The two programs have been revealed by the security firms Fortinet together with AlienVault that discovered a portal on the Tor `dark web’network which had represented as a shop-front for the two. Fortinet had mentioned in a blog at the site that the designers behind it had been professional software engineers with `extensive experience’ in the creation of working code.

Those intending in utilising any of the programs had been urged to get in touch and furnish all relevant details of how they would prefer the malware to be set up. The designers of malware had stated that their payments that were done by the victims of ransomware would be divided among themselves and their customers.

Less Refined Encryption

The researchers at Fortinet had got in touch with the writers of ransomware posing as if they were interested in utilising the product and immediately thereafter had been provided with a sample of the malware. The firm had informed that from the analysis, it had been revealed that it utilises a much less refined encryption than what the several variants seen aiming Windows machine.

But they informed that any files scrambled with the ransomware could be lost totally since it carried out a very poor task of managing the decryption keys essential in restoring the data. The researchers had written that even if it is far inferior to most current ransomware aiming Windows, it does not fail to encrypt the files of the victims or prevent the access to important files, hence, resulting in real damage.

The free Macspy spyware, which is provided through the same site, tends to log when keys are pressed, can take screenshots and tap into a machine’s microphone.

Malicious Code – Evade Standard Means of Security Programs

Researcher of Alien Vault, Peter Ewane had mentioned in its analysis that the malicious code in the spyware had attempted to evade several of the standard means of security programs spots and clogged such programs.

Mr Ewane had also mentioned that Mac users are required to be more vigilant when malware designers are aimed at them. As OS X tends to progress in market share, they can expect malware authors in investing bigger amounts of time in the production of malware for this platform.

The statistics collected by McAfee has recommended that there are around 450,000 malicious programs targets at Macs much lesser than the 23 million aimed at users of Windows. From Fortinet, Aamir Lakhan had informed that Mac users should ensure that their machines are kept updated with the new software patches and be cautious of messages they tend to receive through email.

He had informed EWeek that Mac ransomware is certainly getting bigger and although market share tends to be small still, hackers are aware that there is treasured data on the Mac. Apple refrained from making any comments on its developments.

Will iPhone 8 reposition its finger print sensor in the power button?

The Internet is going haywire over this question and there are reasons enough for doing so. Speculations over the repositioning of the finger print sensor in the new iPhone 8 were rife with two positions contending for the top spot; just below the display or on the back. Many experts seemed to have overlooked that there was a third option available and it seems like Apple have gone for that option as well.

How can we say so?

A new patent has been granted to Apple that has the illustration of an iPhone that is edge-to-edge stretched and has a finger print sensor imprinted on the power button located on top of the iPhone. Although it was earlier speculated that Apple will release its new iPhone 8 with an edge-to-edge design it was hardly anticipated that it would also relocate its finger print sensor on top of the phone. Rumors were doing the rounds about the new position which was expected to be at the back of the phone accommodating an edge-to-edge display but the third possibility seemed to have excluded everybody’s imagination and that can be another reason why Apple has gone with the third option. We all know how the company loves to have an element of surprise and that has also proved to be successful from their perspective.

But there are conflicting reports…

..about the location of the finger print sensor which serves as a touch identification function and is also deemed to be located exactly where it was in the previous models, at the bottom separated from the display. According to experts and leakers associated with Apple, the company will not change the position of the finer print sensor which has been so successful over the years and the officials do not want to experiment with something that has been so much approved by the users over the years.

The other contending position is also in the league with a group of experts going with that option. They suggest that the sensor will be relocated at the back of the phone’s body just beneath their iconic Apple logo.
Although the patent indicates otherwise

The patent which Apple had filed in the last month of the previous year clearly indicates that they want to relocate the sensor somewhere not seen before in other smartphones. The pushbutton was only button that has functioned to turn the phone ON and OFF over the years of smartphone evolution. Now Apple seeks to imbibe the functionality of the power button in a whole new sense by placing the finger print sensor on it.

This means that the power button functions dually as a Touch ID function and that the users will have to use the button more often than they used to earlier. The sensor sits cleanly at the top with a layer of sapphire or glass covering it from above. The finger print sensor is most likely to get thinner and hence users will have to roll their fingers over it.

Apple iOS 11 Update Ends Support for iPhone 5 and 5C

When Apple's iOS 11 mobile operating system will be launched later this year, it will not be made available for the iPhone 5 and 5C or the iPad 4. This just means that older devices will stop receiving software and security updates. Newer devices such as the iPhone 5S will receive the upgrade; however, apps that are older will stop working later.

This is the result of Apple’s verdict to terminate devices and apps that use 32-bit processors. iOS 11 will only work on a new iPhone and not on an old one as older phones use 34-bit processor whereas newer phones will have a 64-bit processor which permits the system to use a larger amount of memory. Since 2013, Apple’s devices have had 64-bit processors instead of 32-bit processors, when it was introduced with the iPhone 5S and the iPad Air.

This change will be challenging for app developers too. In the new version of the App store, apps that run only in 32-pit processors will fail to show up in the search results or be available from the tab under Purchase if they were previously downloaded. If the apps are updated to be 64-bit compatible, they will stop working on older phones which have 32-bit processors.

Warning Was Given Years Before

A 64-bit processor is faster in use as it can handle a large amount of data all at once, that is four billion times as much as compared to a 32-bit processor. This is why iOS 11 will work better with 64-bit processor. Ernest Doku, a telecoms expert at uSwitch.com, said that Apple gave warning for years about this migration to the 64-bit processor hardware but still many customers will be left blindsided with this news.

Most of the apps belonging to the last four years’ time period or so maybe compatible, provided they have not been updated since the year 2015. Way before iOS 11, when iOS 10.1 was released by Apple in October 2016, users functioning with an updated device would be warned through a message that it may slow down their phone.

 The upgrade to iOS 10.3 also includes a tool that detects apps that are not compatible with a 64-bit processor. The apps which are affected will be found under Settings > General > About > Applications > App Compatibility. Last year, it was revealed on a trading website that the iPhone 5 was one of the most popular handsets from the number of listings that were created. This new change in its functioning is likely to further disappoint owners.

Phasing out the 32-bit

All the updates to the current apps and new apps have had to ability to support 64-bit since June 2015, so any app that has been updated in the span of these last two years will remain unaffected. However, a few popular games and educational apps have not been upgraded from the time the 64-bit requirement was introduced.

These include apps from Fisher Price and WeeWorld. The 32-bit support for Mac is also likely to be phased out by Apple. The company informed developers at WWDC that Mac OS High Sierra would be the last device to have 32-bit capability without any adjustments.

All the new apps given to the Mac app store and all the updates to existing apps will need to be 64-bit compatible from June 2018. This new iOS 11 update will be available in about September as a free update for any iPhone and iPad that is supported.

Apple’s Homepod Is a Cautious Approach to the Connected Home

 
The new HomePod was announced at the WWDC and the company has managed to get a full and top-quality sound from such a small form factor. It is made up of a nice hardware and there is a lot happening on the back end creating the perfect audio experience. It also includes a six-mic arrangement that sonically takes a scan of the room the speaker is placed in. Other similar smart home hubs like the Echo, which is similar in terms of price, is no match for what the HomePod can duplicate sonically. Hence, one is able to see why Apple is leading in the speaker category. The audio function is primary here, unlike in devices such as Echo and Google Home. This makes the HomePod very useful as an apartment speaker for movies and music.
Apple has developed HomePod as a premium device with best quality in terms of build and performance. It keeps Steve Jobs’ original concept of use of music as the basis for launching newer products and services. It reflects on how the company launched Siri. The unique selling point of the iPhone was not its assistant and that came just as an added bonus. Same goes for the Apple TV where Siri’s function was available in few upgrades released post the product’s launch. Apple is attempting to introduce its smart assistant in users’ homes, but in a less obvious way. This is because the company recognises the home is the next area where consumer electronics sales will see a boost but its approach has not been hands-on.

HomePod as a Premium Device

Apple’s marketing approach for the HomePod has been totally different than Amazon. As it is in the field of commerce, Amazon’s profitability lies in the products it sells with the help of Alexa than the Alexa products themselves. Profitability for Apple comes in the form of sales of products and retaining users into Apple itself. To remain consistent in this, it is important that it maintains the same standard and quality experience it has built its name around while offering Siri. This can be clearly seen in the HomePod as it has such a unique design that completely eliminates ports, which is a typical character trait of Apple. Looking at its functions, if Mac Pro had to be transformed into a speaker, it could be called the HomePod.

Apple’s Home Assistant and Its Market Presence

Apple had a lot to catch up where its connected home play was concerned, before the WWDC keynote. The HomePod’s cost is nearly double than that of the standard Echo and can in no way compete with the Dot which is priced at $50. This has made Amazon’s offer an attractive option for those who want a simple smart assistant for their homes. For now, Apple’s focus is on offering a top-quality audio-experience than introducing Siri in as many homes as possible. This focus may alter as Apple tries to come up with more solutions that will include Siri or do it the way Amazon did it with Alexa, by allowing third-parties to introduce this function in their own smart home solutions. At present, Apple is losing market to Amazon swiftly as its focus is on delivering a premium product rather than attracting more sales.

Apple ‘Error 53’ Sting Operation Caught Staff Misleading Customers

Apple ‘Error 53’

A sting operation was carried out against Apple by Australia’s consumer watchdog and it caught staff continually misguiding iPhone customers with regards to their legal rights to a repair or a replacement that is free of cost, after a malfunction called “error 53”.

This was brought to light through court documents. A high-profile case was lodged against Apple this year, after several iPhone and iPad users faced a malfunction that made their phones useless if it detected that a certain repair had been done by a third-party that was non-Apple. This malfunction took place between 2014 till early last year.

The case, which is scheduled to go to trial in mid-December this year, alleges that Apple incorrectly informed customers that they were not eligible for a free repair or replacement if they had got their devices repaired from a third-party repairer. This advice was given even when the repair was not connected to this malfunction, such as a screen replacement.

Breach was uncovered by the ACCC

So far, Apple has made a choice to remain silent about the case carried out by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). But Guardian Australia obtained court documents that show the company has refused these allegations made by ACCC to be true and said that it did not misinform to its Australian customers.

The documents also reveal that ACCC went undercover as iPhone customers to investigate the matter and made calls to all 13 Apple retailers across Australia last year in the month of June. On the call, they told the iPhone staff that their speakers stopped functioning after their screens were repaired by a third party.

Apple gave the same response in all the 13 calls, informing the ACCC caller that it would not repair or replace the defective speaker free of cost if the iPhone screen was replaced by someone other than Apple.

Error 53 and the Misinformation

Error 53 normally occurred after a customer tried to upgrade their phone’s operating system from iOS 8 or iOS 9 and about one in every 1,000 iPhones between September 2014 and February 2016. If the product was faulty or defective, Australian consumer law states the right of a customer to a free repair.

ACCC also alleged that the information on Apple’s website, too, was misleading. It said on the website that if any part of the iPhone was re-done somewhere else other than Apple, there would be a cost for the out-of-warranty repair. In response, Apple said the undercover calls conducted by the ACCC cannot be considered as the consumer law only exists for actual consumer-related issues and not suppositious circumstances.

Apple also said that real customers who came with actual problems received other information and were well informed of their rights as per the consumer law. As for what was mentioned on the website, Apple said that was in reference to the conditions of the company’s own limited warranty which is present along with the customer’s statutory rights.

Apple also stated that an outreach program was set up with regards to error 53 and offered repairs and replacements for most of the phones in the case mentioned by the ACCC. Also, an update was released last year in February to tackle the problem and restore smooth functionality.