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Sophos aims free antivirus at Mac malware (images)

Sophos announced its first free business-strength antivirus program for Macs. See how it works on real malware.
By Andy Smith, Contributor
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Sophos announces its first free business-strength anti-virus program for Mac users. Senior technology consultant at Sophos Graham Cluely says "a growing number of bad guys out there who might consider Mac users a "soft target" and deliberately set out to infect Apple Macs." Read what ZDNet's Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has to say.

Why free? Maybe it's to discourage Mac malware writers and have them focus their attention on Windows - bread and butter for Sophos.

Screenshots: Sophos

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Sophos added some video recreations of malware attempting to take over a Mac. Here's an innocent looking site where you can supposedly download HDTV software.

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Checking the contacts of the site providing the software gives a clue - the phone numbers are from China.

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When you click on the link you'll see a .exe file running. Hmmm...on a Mac?

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But then a dmg file pops up and along with it...

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A nasty piece of malware.

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This site promised explicit photos of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews. Looks like it's from CNN.

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But you supposedly need a plugin to view it.

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Malware.

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Here's an example of a Twitter bomb from Guy Kawasaki's Twitter account.

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Follow the link and you'll be asked to download an addon.

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It goes into your download box.

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A .dmg file starts to load and...

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It's malware.

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A Sophos survey indicates that 95 percent of users think Macs will be a bigger target of malware in the future.

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