Apple has been hit by hackers, the company admitted on Tuesday. Apple employees had their Mac systems hacked after visiting a developer website which installed malware programs through a vulnerability in their Java browser plug-in, reports CNN .
“We identified a small number of systems within Apple that were infected and isolated them from our network. There is no evidence that any data left Apple,” the company has stated.
Reuters reports the malicious software had been specifically engineered to target Mac computers though there is also a version that targets Windows systems. Facebook has disclosed similar malware was used to launch attacks against the social network, though there has been no evidence of user data being compromised, according to ABC News .
Twitter has also admitted to being hacked, with hackers gaining access to some 250,000 user accounts on February 1. The New York Times , The Wall Street Journal , The Washington Post and the U.S. Department of Energy have also reported similar hacks since January.
Apple is releasing a new update designed to protect Mac users against the Java compromise, sweeping for malware and uninstalling any threats.
It is not yet clear where the attack has originated from. Reuters reports that although there has been speculation that the malware originated in China, there is no direct evidence.
This is the most significant malware attack directed at Mac users to have ever occurred. Traditionally, cyber-attacks have been centralised to Windows based operating systems though due to the increased market share of Apple computers, Mac specific attacks are only expected to rise. Apple being hit by hackers serves as a good reminder for all online users to revise their cyber security measures.