Apple Adds Daily Malware Updates to OS X, Attackers Adapt Quickly

Via Threatpost.com -

Apple on Tuesday shipped the promised update to help remove the MacDefender malware, and in a surprise move, also added functionality to Mac OS X that will now check for new malware definitions daily.

The move by Apple to add daily malware checks is a significant shift in the way that the company handles malware and potential infections of its customers. Until now, Apple has handled such incidents on a case by case basis and pushed OS changes when it needed to address a new problem. But now the company has essentially included an auto-updating anti-malware system with OS X.

The security update that Apple released Tuesday performs several specific tasks. It adds a new definition to the existing anti-malware checks in OS X, and also will automatically remove any instances of the MacDefender malware that it finds on the machine. But most significantly, security update 2011-003 adds the automatic daily checks for new malware signatures.

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Apple's move to add daily update ability to its anti-malware XProtect List means it will be better suited to react to future variants of Apple malware.

However, there are now reports, the criminals adapted within hours and are now pushing out a new MacDefender FakeAV variant which bypasses the original signature protection from Apple.

The next move is on Apple - will it allow it to be pulled into a game of whack-a-mole with monetized crimeware or will it finally suggest all users install AV?