by TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – AS macOS continues to gain popularity, with over 100 million users globally, it is becoming an increasingly attractive target for cyber criminals.
Despite its reputation as a secure operating system, the rise of sophisticated threats like the Banshee MacOS Stealer highlights the importance of vigilance and proactive cyber security measures.
This is according to Check Point Research (CPR), which has been monitoring this emerging malware targeting macOS users.
Since September, CPR has been monitoring a new version of the Banshee macOS Stealer, a malware that steals browser credentials, cryptocurrency wallets and other sensitive data.
Undetected for over two months, Banshee’s latest version introduced string encryption taken from Apple’s XProtect, likely causing antivirus detection systems to overlook the malware.
Threat actors distributed Banshee using phishing websites and fake GitHub repositories, often impersonating popular software like Chrome and Telegram.
The Banshee MacOS Stealer first came to public attention in mid-2024.
Banshee’s operations took a significant turn in November 2024 when its source code was leaked on XSS underground forums and was shut down to the public.
“Businesses must recognise the broader risks posed by modern malware, including costly data breaches that compromise sensitive information and damage reputations, targeted attacks on cryptocurrency wallets that threaten digital assets, and operational disruptions caused by stealthy malware that evades detection and inflicts long-term harm before being identified,” said CPR consultant, Hendrik de Bruin.
– CAJ News