Ganas Ransomware Gang Target Mac Users, Apple Must Be Alert!

Lockbit is claimed to have started targeting Apple's Mac computer. (photo: dock. apple)

JAKARTA - For the first time the largest and most violent ransomware gang, Lockbit is claimed to have started targeting Apple's Mac computer.

A group of researchers dubbed MalwareHunterTeam found evidence of ZIP archives in the Total Virus containing most of the LockBit encryption available to target macOS users.

Looking at Lockbit's background, they often target Microsoft's operating system, Windows, Linux, and ESXi's VMware. This is because the operating system is widely used by businesses that are targeted by group partners.

The Lockbit gang is carrying out what is known as a ransomware-as-a-service operation, where they do not directly involve themselves in taking ransom from businesses.

Lockbit builds and maintains malware affiliates that can pay for use against organizations or companies.

However, as researcher MalwareHunterTeam found, this archive (VirusTotal) also contains previously unknown encryption for macOS, ARM, FreeBSD, MIPS, and SPARC CPUs.

The encryption also includes a locker_Apple_M1_64 (VirusTotal), targeting the latest Mac running on Apple Silicon. The archive also contains lockers for PowerPC CPUs, used by older Macs.

The good news is that this encryption is most likely not ready to be used by the ransomware gang in an actual attack on macOS devices. It will not close the gap in the future.

Even so, all computer users including Mac owners, should update the operating system more often, avoid opening attachments and unknown executable files, creating offline backups, and using powerful and unique passwords on each site they visit. This was quoted from BleepingComputer and Engadget, Monday, April 17.