Apple fixes the Flashback virus, but Mac users should still be alert

If there’s one thing Apple customers learned this week, it’s that no operating system is safe from scammers, hackers, and security problems. Apple has come up with a fix, but this isn’t the end.

On Friday in Australia, Apple made a patch available for its computers that would remove the Flashback virus and stop Java from automatically running, thereby limiting the chance that this could happen in the same way. As a result, this update is recommended for all Mac users, and can be found by selecting the Apple icon at the top of Mac OS and hitting “Software update”.

Despite a fix being made by Apple for the Flashback trojan, it’s unlikely that this will be the last time we’ll see a virus targeted at Mac users.

“Most Cybercriminals realise that Mac users have no security on their devices and will look to exploit this,” said McAfee’s Michael Sentonas. “They have latched on to the growing popularity of Apple products and are developing malware particularly targeted at these products. Users need to be aware of security risks targeting any device they use and take the appropriate precautions by ensuring that their security software and all patches are up-to-date.”

That means Mac users should probably go out there and grab security software for their computers. No operating system is safe, sadly.