Apple’s super-skinny MacBook Air is one of the most desirable laptops on the planet – which means it’s not too surprising if criminals try and take advantage of its allure to infect unsuspecting computer users.
And that’s exactly what hackers are doing today in a malicious email campaign that has been spammed widely out across the internet.
Unsuspecting computer users may find an email with the subject line “Congratulations” in their inbox this morning, telling them that they “have won todays Macbook Air” and that they should open the attached file (called winner.zip) for more information.
Here’s the full text of the email:
Congratulations!! You have won todays Macbook Air.
Please open attached file and see datails.
Of course, in reality you haven’t one a competition, and there is no MacBook Air up for grabs. Instead, the hackers who spammed out the messages are hoping that the thought of winning a sexy laptop will be enough to make you open the attached file and infect your computer.
Sophos is detecting the attached Trojan horse as Mal/EncPk-LE.
The MacBook Air was launched in January 2008, catching the imagination of the media with its thin frame and adverts claiming it was the “world’s thinnest laptop” as it was shown it being slipped inside a Manila envelope. The lesson to learn today is that receiving news of a complimentary MacBook Air in your electronic mail might not be the safest thing in the world.
At least Apple users can feel smug about one thing – this particular Trojan horse doesn’t work on Mac OS X, only Windows.
