Norton offers free tool to remove Flashback Trojan on Mac

Apple’s Mac platform has a reputation for being safe from security threats over the years; however, last week’s news of the Flashback Trojan has put Mac users on high alert. This malicious software (“malware”) poses as a common plug-in for Internet browsers, and is capable of stealing passwords and personal information. Reports stated that the scope of the threat was more than 600,000 machines. Norton can confirm that the number is trending downward, but as of yesterday, there were approximately 270,000 machines still infected. The vast majority of these infections are in the U.S. In order to safeguard your machines, Norton has released a tool to get rid of it, other than Apple releasing their own patch.

“The Flashback Trojan is a wake-up call for everyone who’s online – no matter what platform or device they use,” said Norton Internet Safety Advocate Marian Merritt. “No operating system is immune to malware attack and whether you’re using a PC, Mac, tablet or smartphone, you should have security precautions in place. For example, anyone running a current version of Norton security software was already protected against this Trojan.” According to Norton’s data, 270,000 Mac users were infected, quite contrary to their belief till then, that the scope of threat was slipping. This Trojan affects Mac users and is capable of stealing passwords and other data.