At that point, the software installs code designed to gather personal information and send it back to remote servers. A user typically mistakes it for a legitimate browser plug-in while visiting a malicious Web site. So here's a quick FAQ on the Flashback Trojan, including information on what it is, how to tell if you have it, and steps you can take to get rid of it.įlashback is a form of malware designed to grab passwords and other information from users through their Web browser and other applications such as Skype. Web said that an estimated 600,000 Macs are now infected as a result of users unknowingly installing the software. Nowhere is that clearer than with the Flashback Trojan, a gnarly piece of malware designed to steal personal information by masquerading as very mainstream browser plug-ins. Apple's Mac platform has long been promoted as safer than the competition, but as Mac sales and market share grow, it's become a bigger target.
