A scam known as the 'copy-paste' scam is increasingly targeting owners of Apple computers, including MacBooks, iMacs, Mac minis, and Mac Studios. The tactic tricks users into voluntarily granting criminals remote access to their devices.
At the scam's core is a malicious command that victims are tricked into copying and pasting into the Terminal app. Many Mac users are unfamiliar with Terminal, a tool designed for power users that executes commands via text rather than a graphical interface.
Using Terminal without expertise can cause unintended consequences for a Mac's operation or stored data. In this case, specific commands can enable a bad actor to seize control of the machine.
The scam has become so prevalent that Apple added new safeguards earlier this year to help protect unsuspecting users. The company's updates aim to reduce the risk of users being duped into running harmful commands.
Users are urged to avoid pasting unknown commands into Terminal and to be wary of unsolicited requests to do so, even if they appear to come from legitimate support channels.