

#Silver sparrow software
“While we’ve observed legitimate software doing this, this is the first instance we’ve observed it in malware,” researchers said. That’s an unusual approach, according to Red Canary.

For instance, to start its installation, Silver Sparrow uses the macOS Installer JavaScript API to execute suspicious commands, the analysis found. Other signs of sophistication are evident in the malware’s construction. The decision to use AWS infrastructure further supports our assessment that this is an operationally mature adversary.” JavaScript-Based Malware Development “Most organizations cannot afford to block access to resources in AWS and Akamai.


“This implies that the adversary likely understands…this hosting choice allows them to blend in with the normal overhead of cloud infrastructure traffic,” researchers noted. And, the callback domains it uses are hosted through Akamai’s content delivery network (CDN). Silver Sparrow’s infrastructure is hosted on Amazon Web Services S3 cloud platform, according to Red Canary. Researchers noted, “We’ve found that many macOS threats are distributed through malicious advertisements as single, self-contained installers in PKG or DMG form, masquerading as ”-such as Adobe Flash Player, as an example. It’s unclear how the malware is spreading – though both binaries have “package” in their names, lending a clue. “Though we haven’t observed Silver Sparrow delivering additional malicious payloads yet, its forward-looking M1 chip compatibility, global reach, relatively high infection rate and operational maturity suggest Silver Sparrow is a reasonably serious threat, uniquely positioned to deliver a potentially impactful payload at a moment’s notice,” researchers said in a posting on Thursday. Most notably, it uses JavaScript for execution – a rarity in the macOS malware world. It has two versions – one that targets Intel-based Macs, and one that is built to infect both the older and M1-based devices. Silver Sparrow is very likely an adware, according to researchers at Red Canary.
#Silver sparrow mac
And now, the Silver Sparrow malware family has appeared on the scene – a brand-new malware built for the Mac M1 ecosystem, researchers said. With new Macs starting to roll out, cybercriminals are now turning their attention to these M1-powered targets, as evidenced by the emergence of a rebooted “Pirrit” adware detailed by Patrick Wardle this week. The smaller ARM profile translates into lower power consumption, and, Apple says, double the battery life.
#Silver sparrow portable
And, it uses ARM architecture, which usually powers mobile or portable devices. It also integrates a graphics processor, a machine-learning neural engine and the company’s T2 security chip. The pivot from the Intel chips that Macs used before comes with a few benefits, such as faster performance for native applications. A Word About the Benefits of the Mac M1Īpple released the M1 system-on-a-chip (SoC) last fall, marking the first time that the tech giant has created its own desktop/laptop silicon. Silver Sparrow has taken flight in any event: As of February 17, this fresh entry to the malware scene had already infected 29,139 macOS endpoints across 153 countries, according to researchers – primarily in Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.
