CYBERSPACE — Once upon a time dinosaurs roamed the earth. Quite some time later, Mac users laughed in the faces of PC users, insisting that their systems were protected against all manner of attack and infection. Those days are gone. Online security experts Sophos have identified yet another set of malware attacks specifically aimed at Mac users and cautions such compu-denizers to exercise stronger than usual caution when approaching porn websites, especially those that lure from the Inbox or attempt to entice with questionable pop-ups.

At issue are OSX/Jahlav-C and OSX/Tored-Fam, the latest variant in the ever-growing Tored mal-family. Each of these bad nasties has been specifically tweaked to hunger for the secrets stored on the systems of Mac users.

According the Sophos, OSX/Jahlav-C flutters its virtual eyelashes from an adult site that launches a pop-up window insisting that an ActiveX Object must be downloaded and installed. Naturally, once users click on the trap, it springs into action, infecting the trusting soul’s hard drive.

Naturally, Windows boxes are also at risk, since malware designers are loathe to miss out on any opportunity to commandeer another person’s computer or computer network. Detecting the applicable OS and launching the proper malware is accomplished by the compromised website itself, according to an Informationweek report of June 12th.

OSX-Tored-Fam has a different way of catching the attention of its prey. “RESPECT about what are you talking about me (cybercriminal..) Don’t say what you ignore!!!!!!!!” is the classically incomprehensible message that greets those about to be boarded by the Mac OS X-specific worm.

Adding to the ever-growing list of cautions directed at Mac users is Sophos’ warning about an increasing trend among Mac-hostile cyber stalkers to use social-engineering in order to accomplish their goals. A prime example is the infection of systems upon installation of plug-ins allegedly needed in order to view video content.

Although honest Mac users will admit that the systems have always been vulnerable to assaults by those determined to break through their security layers, what makes the most recent occurrences noteworthy is their frequency, which has increased recently. Malware designed to infect Mac systems are still far less common than those targeting Window-laden PCs, but are increasing both in number and launch location.