Macintosh OS Targeted By mp3 Trojan

Symantec Voice of Reason

There is a new potential threat affecting the Macintosh operating system. Discovered on March 20, MP3Concept (MP3Virus.Gen) is a Trojan that imbeds mp3 data in an application. Once the file is executed, the Trojan executes and displays the following message -- "Yep, this is an application. So what is your iTunes playing right now?" After displaying the message, the program launches iTunes and plays the mp3 file.

The Trojan will only execute if opened as an attachment. If the file is downloaded and opened through iTunes, the mp3 will play but the Trojan will not execute. This Trojan does not contain any malicious code. MP3Concept is a proof-of-concept Trojan and is not currently seen "in the wild" -- it is not spreading and infecting Mac users.

Symantec Security Response is planning to post a definition today for the Trojan and we will continue to closely monitor for any unusual activities as well as other potential threats to the Mac OS X platform.

Symantec advises Macintosh users to keep their virus definitions up to date when using Internet security software. Without the latest updates, computers are not protected from new viruses and threats. Additionally, Apple periodically issues security patches that enhance the safety of the Mac OS operating systems. Symantec recommends users download all security patches regularly.