A Safari add-on is the first case of malware working on computers running the Apple M1 processor. The extension is called GoSearch22 and is used to display large amounts of ads on users’ computers and collect sensitive data.
Who discovered the malicious Safari extension?
Security researcher Patrick Wardle was the first to discover and tell about GoSearch22.
What does GoSearch22 do on your computer? If you install GoSearch22 on your Mac computer, you will see a large amount of ads in your browser, get links to malicious software and risk having sensitive data collected without your knowledge.
Reading tips: Twice as many malware threats against Mac as Windows
The Safari add-on has been around for some time for Intel-equipped computers, but it has been ported to work on Apple’s ARM-based computers as well. Antivirus software may not detect GoSearch22 yet, so be careful what you install.
You can read more about the issues surrounding the Safari extension here if you want to go more in depth. A little warning though, because it is an advanced article that is probably most interesting for those with greater computer skills.
