Researchers have discovered a new Mac malware that encrypts files on compromised systems like a piece of ransomware, but also allows its operators to steal data and take full control of an infected device.
Initially named EvilQuest, the malware was later renamed ThiefQuest to avoid confusion as EvilQuest is the name of a video game. When the malware was first identified, none of the antivirus engines on VirusTotal detected the samples, but at the time of writing it is detected by over a dozen engines.
Malwarebytes has seen the malware being distributed as trojanized installers for popular macOS applications, including the Little Snitch firewall, the Mixed In Key and Ableton DJ apps, and a Google software update.
Patrick Wardle, a researcher who specializes in the security of Apple products, pointed out that since these installers are not signed, macOS alerts users before opening them, but people who download pirated software are likely to ignore the warning and install the malware on their device.
Wardle has published a detailed analysis of how ThiefQuest is installed, how it achieves persistence and its capabilities. Once the malware has been deployed, it starts encrypting certain types of files found on the system, including archives, images, audio and video files, documents, spreadsheets, presentations, databases and web files.
It then drops a text file informing users that their files have been encrypted and instructs ..
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