'First Apple virus' could be first of many

'First Apple virus' could be first of many
By Rhys Blakely
Times Online
February 17, 2006

A computer virus, thought to be the first to attack Apple’s Mac OS X operating system, has been identified by internet security companies.

The Leap-A, or Oompa Loompa, virus is a potentially malicious program that is disguised as a simple image file. Experts are worried that its discovery will prompt hackers to mount the first serious campaign againt Apple users.

The news is a blow to Apple’s reputation for security and to users of its Macintosh computers, which have long been regarded as far less vulnerable to virus attacks than PCs.

"Some owners of Mac computers have held the belief that Mac OS X is incapable of harbouring computer viruses, but Leap-A will leave them shellshocked," Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos, the web security firm, said.

"Mac users shouldn't think it's okay to lie back and not worry about viruses."
He added that an online poll had found that most people thought the discovery of the Leap-A virus could lead to more attacks on Apple machines.

"The bad news is that most people think the situation is going to get worse for Macintosh users, and more threats will be targeted against the Apple community.

Full article here.