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CrescentCore Mac Trojan

CrescentCore is a newly observed trojan targeting Mac devices worldwide.

Threat ID:
CC-3128
Category:
Trojan
Threat Severity:
Low
Threat Vector:
Published:
3 July 2019 12:00 AM
Report a cyber attack: call 0300 303 5222 or email [email protected]

Summary

CrescentCore is a newly observed trojan targeting Mac devices worldwide.

Affected platforms

The following platforms are known to be affected:

macOS

Apple macOS - All versions

Threat details

At the time of publication, CrescentCore is delivered disguised as the Adobe Flash Player multimedia application, distributed through third-party hosting sites. When downloaded, CrescentCore will check for the presence of anti-virus or virtualisation services, terminating itself if any are detected.

Once installed, CrescentCore will create a LaunchAgent folder to maintain persistence before attempting to redirect browser sessions to redirect the user to advertising sites. Certain CrescentCore variants will also attempt to install malicious Safari browser extensions or other unwanted software.

Remediation steps

Type Step

To prevent and detect a trojan infection, ensure that:

  • A robust program of education and awareness training is delivered to users to ensure they don’t open attachments or follow links within unsolicited emails.
  • All operating systems, anti-virus and other security products are kept up-to-date.
  • Regular anti-virus and security scans are performed on your organisation’s estate.
  • All day-to-day computer activities such as email and internet are performed using non-administrative accounts.
  • Strong password policies are in place.
  • Network, proxy and firewall logs should be monitored for suspicious activity.
  • User accounts accessed from affected devices should be reset on a clean computer.
  • Your organisation adopts a holistic all-round approach to Cyber Security as advocated by the 10 Steps to Cyber Security.

Last edited: 14 February 2020 2:48 pm