More than 5,000 computers have been infected with a Trojan virus that was spread through unauthorized downloads from BitTorrent sites and peer-to-peer networks, according to security software firm.
Intego, maker of Internet security and privacy software for Macintosh, said on Monday that pirated copies of Adobe Photoshop CS 4 has an imbedded Trojan horse, a virus that appears to provide desirable functions when in fact it performs malicious tasks that access sensitive data from a computer.
The malware, which was called OSX.Trojan.iServices.B, is another variant of Trojan virus which has been discovered last week in pirated copies of iWork 09 software.
Intego warned people from downloading pirated copies of Photoshop CS 4 from peer-to-peer networks and BitTorrent sites, adding that while Photoshop installer is clean and provides desirable functions, there is a virus hidden in the application.
To curb the Trojan from infecting more computers, Mac released a warning on its website (SecureMac) providing people with knowledge on how not to fall victim of this malware.
Mac said that people should avoid downloading pirated copies of Mac software to avoid the spread of malware, virus, worm, and all kinds of online threats.
What Makes a Malware a Trojan?
A malware (short term for malicious software) that appears to provide a desirable function but really intends to inject malicious program is called Trojan or Trojan Horse, a term derived in Greek mythology.
Here are some damages of a Trojan virus:
· Removing data
· Overwriting files on a computer
· Corrupting data
· Spreading other variants of malware
· Spying on users’ Internet habit (spyware)
· Stealing passwords and bank accounts
· Displaying unsolicited messages or pictures
· Gathering emails to be used in spamming activity
· Slowing down the computer
While the whole function of a Trojan virus is to cause harm to a computer, some variants are harmless.