Apple's new M1 chip technology has become the target of some newly discovered malware. The chip has become beloved by Mac users who have had the chance to upgrade, offering as it does powerful performance for laptops or small desktops. This development will temper some of that excitement and should impress upon M1 Mac users the need for protecting their computers as others do.

The Apple M1 chip is a monumental achievement for the company as it represents the first time that the Macbook hardware has used proprietary chips. Prior to the M1, Macbooks used Intel technology for processing power. Intel is known for providing powerful tech for the laptop market, so the fact that the new Macbook with the M1 provides triple the performance of the Macbook with the Intel Core i7 is not only impressive but surprising given that this is Apple's first proprietary chip for computers.

Related: Apple Developers To Return M1 Transition Kits, But Without Full Refund

The chip has received high praise since its release but, while it is an impressive piece of tech, that doesn't mean it comes without any downsides. Objective-See, a blog dedicated to cybersecurity for Mac Os, has uncovered a new malware that directly targets Macs with the new M1 chip. The Malware titled GoSearch22 was discovered to be an updated version of the infamous adware known as Pirrit. As of now, GoSearch22 does not seem as malicious as Pirrit as it seems to only be collecting information for ads to collect money for targeted pop-ups. However, Objective-See's Patrick Wardle points out that the malware can be easily updated to be much more invasive.

Keep Malware From Taking A Bite Out Of Apple

Apple's line of M1 products

While some have unfortunately already managed to have the software downloaded to their Macbooks, Apple has since revoked the developer certificate of the GoSearch22 developer. This will keep the malware from being downloaded by others, but it doesn't solve the problem completely. While running tests on the malware it was discovered that some of the major antivirus software was unable to detect  GoSearch22 as malicious. This is not reassuring because if one developer was able to get past the roadblocks then others will soon discover how as well.

As anyone who uses a computer should, it is essential for Macbook users to start taking cybersecurity seriously. The first step should be that making sure that antivirus software is not only up to date, but able to detect modern malware. It may sound obvious, but always do research and be careful when downloading any software. If it looks or seems questionable then it more than likely is. All it takes is a few precautions and a little research to help increase Macbook cybersecurity tenfold.

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Source: Objective-See