Mac users, particularly in academia or the biomedical or academic field. Be aware of the Fruitfly/Quimitchin malware. It includes a keystroke logger, accesses your cam, takes screenshots of your desktop frequently which are then uploaded, and more. What to do:
- Learn about Quimitchin malware at https://www.darkreading.com/partner-perspectives/malwarebytes/meet-fruitfly–mac-malware-targeting-biomedical-research-centers/a/d-id/1327953
- Put a sticker over your camera when not in use. I am a member of EFF and put one of their stickers over your camera.
- Install an antivirus like Avira Antivirus for Mac (only from official site or app store). If you can afford it, support them by buying their products.
- Install Malwarebytes or a similar anti-malware program (only from official site or app store)
- Use different passwords on different sites. Variations on a password like “Smoking Chair Hat5!” is far better than “zds9bhy4@”. It’s just statistics, you won’t use the second one because you can’t remember it. Just change the first one a bit every time for each site. Password crackers can’t “partially” crack a password. Plus we use Rainbow tables anyway.
- Remember, if you have a keystroke logger installed, then how complex your password is, well, irrelevant. Therefore first clean the computer. Don’t think Macs or Linux can’t be infected – they can and frequently ARE.
- Use common sense and DON’T CLICK THAT LINK IN YOUR EMAIL.
Stay alert folks. Because they really are out to get you. That’s not paranoia, it’s just reality unfortunately.