Trojan.MacOS.Mata.AE
Threat Scorecard
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecard
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards are assessment reports for different malware threats which have been collected and analyzed by our research team. EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards evaluate and rank threats using several metrics including real-world and potential risk factors, trends, frequency, prevalence, and persistence. EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards are updated regularly based on our research data and metrics and are useful for a wide range of computer users, from end users seeking solutions to remove malware from their systems to security experts analyzing threats.
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards display a variety of useful information, including:
Ranking: The ranking of a particular threat in EnigmaSoft’s Threat Database.
Severity Level: The determined severity level of an object, represented numerically, based on our risk modeling process and research, as explained in our Threat Assessment Criteria.
Infected Computers: The number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular threat detected on infected computers as reported by SpyHunter.
See also Threat Assessment Criteria.
| Threat Level: | 90 % (High) |
| Infected Computers: | 3 |
| First Seen: | January 25, 2021 |
| Last Seen: | March 16, 2022 |
A new potential threat to Mac users is being currently detected by anti-malware solutions as Trojan.MacOS.Mata.AE. It is a generic threat that, supposedly, has the characteristic features of a Trojan and aims to infect target computers with additional malware. Research implies that it, most likely, spreads through spam email campaigns where the threat actors behind this new macOS Trojan embed it into legitly-looking attached files, for more credibility containing some of the words “invoice”, “delivery”, “order”, or similar in their names. Such misleading strategies rely on social engineering to trick users into opening an attached file, which subsequently, runs the malicious script on the user’s computer.
After installation, Trojan.MacOS.Mata.AE is expected to acquire full control over the target Mac device. It establishes a connection with the attackers’ server and starts receiving commands or sending back data from the affected PC. Trojan.MacOS.Mata.AE’s malicious processes may include collecting sensitive user data, like login details for online accounts, credit card numbers, system information, and browsing activity. In many cases, Trojans can also open a backdoor on infected devices and make them vulnerable to other more severe infections, like Ransomware.
As typical for Trojans, Trojan.MacOS.Mata.AE likely performs its malicious activities without casing obvious symptoms through specific tactics for avoiding detection by anti-malware programs. Trojans are hazardous threats as they are designed to remain unnoticed for as long as needed, while their removal can be complicated. Therefore, a good strategy is to use a professional anti-malware application to remove Trojan.MacOS.Mata.AE from a Mac computer.
