An appraisal of MacOS's reputation for security.

BlackBerry has released its Quarterly Threat Intelligence Report for Q4 2022, looking at various threats facing desktop and mobile devices.

MacOS threats.

The researchers note that while macOS is often viewed as being more secure than other operating systems, users frequently install malicious or unwanted software on their Apple devices:

“During the 90-day reporting period, the malicious application Dock2Master was the most-seen threat on macOS: BlackBerry researchers noted that a whopping 34 percent of client organizations using macOS had Dock2Master on their network, where it was found on 26 percent of their devices. Officially designated as a potentially unwanted application (PUA), Dock2Master surreptitiously injects ads directly into web pages that users visit and collects user and system data to sell on the underground market.”

RedLine infostealer.

BlackBerry also found that RedLine was the most active infostealer targeting Windows systems:

“Post-pandemic work models have necessitated the need for businesses to support remote and hybrid employees, putting corporate credentials at greater risk of attack from malicious actors than ever before. RedLine is capable of stealing credentials from numerous targets including browsers, crypto wallets, and FTP and VPN software, among others, and selling them on the black market. Cybercriminals and nation state threat actors rely on initial access brokers trading stolen credentials. RedLine is one of them providing initial access to other threat actors.”