The generally accepted idea that Apple's Mac platform is relatively safe from computer viruses compared to Windows PC was recently shattered by two security consultants after they successfully created a computer worm that attacks the core hardware of Mac computers.
According to RT, the worm, known only as Thunderstrike 2, once unleashed is designed to attack the core hardware of computers running on the Mac platform. The worm will target the computer's firmware, a piece of software that is pre-installed into any device and has the task of loading the operating system. In general, firmware is embedded into a computer in order to monitor, control and manipulate data.
Tech analysts say that once the worm integrates itself into the target computer's firmware, it will be extremely hard for security software to detect it even after persistent updates.
The two-man team that created the Thunderstrike 2 worm is composed of LegbaCore owner Xeno Kovah and Two Sigma Investments security engineer Trammell Hudson.
The two researchers claim that the attack is instigated by either a phishing email or a malicious website that contains the worm. Once the worm is activated, it has the capability to take down any peripheral that is connected to the computer such as Ethernet adapters.
Kovah told Wired, "If people don't have awareness that attacks can be happening at this level then they're going to have their guard down and an attack will be able to completely subvert their system."
The Thunderstrike 2 bears a strikingly similar nature to a previously discovered proof-of-concept attack dubbed BadUSB. This malware allow hackers to completely reprogram almost any USB flash drive to attack the target computer's hardware.