MacControl

MacControl, also known as MaControl or MacKontrol, is a Trojan backdoor designed to target Apple's range of laptops and desktops. The first information about this threat dates back to 2012, but it has been active for different intervals of time since then – it appears that cybercriminals are still using it to this very day, even though it might not work on Apple's most recent operating systems. Regardless of this, outdated macOS systems might be threatened by MacControl's attacks, and their owners need to take the necessary precautions to protect their devices.

Typically, the MacControl is delivered via a bogus email attachment containing a fake Microsoft Office document designed to execute a corrupted script, which will deploy the MacControl payload. One of the most popular campaigns to use this strategy was carried out against Tibetan activists by what is believed to be a state-sponsored threat actor.

Because of macOS's strong security features, the functionality of the MacControl backdoor is limited severely. Regardless of these limitations, it can still be very threatening due to its capacity of paving the way for additional malware implants, as well as to carry out harmful tasks on the compromised systems. Typically, MacControl's operators take advantage of the ability to execute remote commands, which enables them to perform all sorts of tasks on the vulnerable device without raising any red flags.

MacOS is more secure than recent Windows versions undoubtedly, but you should not consider its defenses to be impenetrable – malware developers are exploring new ways to identify vulnerabilities in macOS' defenses and bypass security features constantly. This is why all owners of Apple laptops and desktops should protect themselves from threats like the MacControl by utilizing the services of reputable anti-virus software.