In the last couple of days it has become clear that the notorious LockBit ransomware gang has been exploring creating what could one day become a big headache for users of Mac computers.
Security researchers have found that someone uploaded a ZIP archive to VirusTotal containing different flavours of LockBit’s ransomware encryptors… including a version designed to run on Macs with an Apple Silicon M1 chip.
The good news: Mac security expert Patrick Wardle says the current sample is unsigned (meaning it won’t run easily on macOS), crashes, and can’t currently be considered a threat.
In a nutshell, Wardle says:
“macOS users have nothing to worry about.”
For now at least… when it comes to the current version of LockBit for Mac.
Because the bad news is that this unlikely to be the end of it.
If an organised ransomware gang like LockBit believes it is worth developing tools to extort even more money from targeted organisations – by encrypting files on Macs as well as PCs and servers – then this is no time for Mac users to scrimp on their security.
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Graham Cluley is a veteran of the anti-virus industry having worked for a number of security companies since the early 1990s when he wrote the first ever version of Dr Solomon’s Anti-Virus Toolkit for Windows. Now an independent security analyst, he regularly makes media appearances and is an international public speaker on the topic of computer security, hackers, and online privacy.
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