{"id":125411,"date":"2021-08-03T09:50:52","date_gmt":"2021-08-03T16:50:52","guid":{"rendered":"\/blogs\/?p=125411"},"modified":"2025-06-08T22:06:07","modified_gmt":"2025-06-09T05:06:07","slug":"3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Picture this: you open your MacBook and see an email claiming to be from\u00a0your favorite online store. In the email, there is an attachment with \u201cimportant information regarding your recent purchase.\u201d Out of curiosity, you open the attachment without checking the recipient\u2019s email address. The next thing you know, your device is riddled with\u00a0malware.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Unfortunately, this story is not far from reality.\u00a0Contrary to popular belief,\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/consumer\/can-apple-computers-get-viruses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Apple computers can get viruses<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, and\u00a0XLoader\u00a0has Mac users in their sights.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Let\u2019s break down\u00a0XLoader\u2019s\u00a0&#8216;s origins\u00a0and how\u00a0this malware\u00a0works.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Where Did XLoader Come From?<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.darkreading.com\/endpoint\/cybercriminals-rewrite-malware-to-target-macos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">XLoader originated from FormBook<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, which has been active for at least five years and is among the most common types of\u00a0malware. Designed as a malicious tool to steal credentials from different web browsers, collect screenshots,\u00a0monitor\u00a0and log keystrokes, and\u00a0more,\u00a0FormBook\u00a0allowed criminals to spread online misfortune on a budget. Its developer, referred to as ng-Coder, charged\u00a0$49,\u00a0a relatively cheap price to use the malware, making it\u00a0easily\u00a0accessible\u00a0to\u00a0cybercriminals.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Although ng-Coder stopped selling FormBook in 2018, this did not stop cybercriminals from using it. Those who had bought the malware to host on their own servers continued to use it, and in turn, quickly noticed that FormBook had untapped potential. In February 2020, FormBook rebranded to XLoader. XLoader can now target Windows systems and macOS devices.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">How XLoader Works\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Typically,\u00a0XLoader\u00a0is spread via fraudulent emails that trick recipients into downloading a malicious file,\u00a0such as a Microsoft Office document. Once the malware is on the\u00a0person\u2019s device, an attacker can\u00a0eavesdrop on the\u00a0user\u2019s\u00a0keystrokes and monitors. Once a criminal has\u00a0collected enough\u00a0valuable\u00a0data, they can make fake accounts in the victim\u2019s name, hack their online profiles, and even access their financial\u00a0information.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Minimize Your Risk of macOS Malware Attacks<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">According to recent data, Apple sold\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessofapps.com\/data\/apple-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">20 million<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0Mac and MacBook devices in 2020.\u00a0With macOS\u2019s growing popularity, it\u00a0is no surprise that cybercriminals have set their sights on targeting Mac users.\u00a0Check out these tips to safeguard your devices and online data from\u00a0XLoader\u00a0and similar hacks:\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">1. Avoid suspicious emails and text messages\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Hackers often use\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/consumer\/phishing-email-examples-how-to-recognize-a-phishing-email\/?hilite=%27phishing%27\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">phishing emails<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u202for text messages\u00a0to\u00a0distribute and\u00a0disguise\u00a0their malicious code.\u202fDo not open suspicious or irrelevant\u202fmessages, as this can result in\u202fmalware\u202finfection.\u202fIf the message claims to be from a business or someone you know, reach out to the source directly instead of responding to the message\u00a0to confirm the sender\u2019s legitimacy.\u00a0\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">2. Avoid sketchy websites<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Hackers tend to hide malicious code behind the guise of fake websites. Before clicking on an unfamiliar hyperlink, hover over it with your cursor. This will show a preview of the web address. If something seems off (there are strange characters, misspellings, grammatical errors, etc.)\u00a0do not click the link.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">3. Recruit the help of a comprehensive security solution<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Use a solution like\u202f<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/en-us\/antivirus\/mcafee-total-protection.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">McAfee Total Protection<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, which can help protect devices against\u202fmalware, phishing attacks, and other threats. It\u202falso\u202fincludes\u202fMcAfee\u202fWebAdvisor\u202f\u2014\u202fa tool\u00a0that identifies\u00a0malicious websites.\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Regardless of whether you\u00a0use a PC or a Mac, it is important to realize that both\u00a0systems\u00a0are susceptible to cyberthreats that are constantly changing. Do\u00a0your research on prevalent threats and software bugs\u00a0to put you in a great position to protect your online safety.\u202f\u202f<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Put Your Mind at Ease With Security Best Practices<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">XLoader is just the latest example of how the gap between the prevalence of PC versus macOS malware is steadily closing. To better anticipate what threats could be around the corner and how to best combat them, stay updated on all of the latest online safety trends and practice great security habits. This will not only help protect your devices and online accounts but also bring you greater peace of mind.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Picture this: you open your MacBook and see an email claiming to be from\u00a0your favorite online store. In the email,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1228,"featured_media":125555,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10670,10661,13],"tags":[180,10436],"coauthors":[7231],"class_list":["post-125411","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips-tricks","category-internet-security","category-privacy-identity-protection","tag-malware","tag-xloader"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware | McAfee Blog 3 Tips to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Picture this: you open your MacBook and see an email claiming to be from\u00a0your favorite online store. In the email, there is an attachment with \u201cimportant Originally written to infect Windows devices,\u202fXLoader\u202fis a widespread and inexpensive form of malware that cybercriminals are rewriting to target macOS machines. This post would detail the origins of the strain, how it affects consumers, and provide tips to help users stay protected against malware\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware | McAfee Blog 3 Tips to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Picture this: you open your MacBook and see an email claiming to be from\u00a0your favorite online store. In the email, there is an attachment with \u201cimportant Originally written to infect Windows devices,\u202fXLoader\u202fis a widespread and inexpensive form of malware that cybercriminals are rewriting to target macOS machines. This post would detail the origins of the strain, how it affects consumers, and provide tips to help users stay protected against malware\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"McAfee Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/McAfee\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-08-03T16:50:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-06-09T05:06:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/300x200_MFE_Blogs_072621_Blog-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"300\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Vishnu Varadaraj\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@McAfee\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@McAfee\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Vishnu Varadaraj\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Vishnu Varadaraj\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/f8bdc39e3b16d2e2570ece2073b2570a\"},\"headline\":\"How to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-08-03T16:50:52+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-09T05:06:07+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/\"},\"wordCount\":645,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/300x200_MFE_Blogs_072621_Blog-1.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"malware\",\"Xloader\"],\"articleSection\":[\"How To Guides and Tutorials\",\"Internet Security\",\"Privacy &amp; Identity Protection\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/\",\"name\":\"How to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware | McAfee Blog 3 Tips to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/300x200_MFE_Blogs_072621_Blog-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-08-03T16:50:52+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-06-09T05:06:07+00:00\",\"description\":\"Picture this: you open your MacBook and see an email claiming to be from\u00a0your favorite online store. In the email, there is an attachment with \u201cimportant Originally written to infect Windows devices,\u202fXLoader\u202fis a widespread and inexpensive form of malware that cybercriminals are rewriting to target macOS machines. This post would detail the origins of the strain, how it affects consumers, and provide tips to help users stay protected against malware\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/300x200_MFE_Blogs_072621_Blog-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/300x200_MFE_Blogs_072621_Blog-1.jpg\",\"width\":300,\"height\":200},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Internet Security\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"3 Tips to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/\",\"name\":\"McAfee Blog\",\"description\":\"Internet Security News\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization\",\"name\":\"McAfee\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mcafee-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mcafee-logo.png\",\"width\":1286,\"height\":336,\"caption\":\"McAfee\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/McAfee\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/McAfee\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/mcafee\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/McAfee\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/f8bdc39e3b16d2e2570ece2073b2570a\",\"name\":\"Vishnu Varadaraj\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/4218d9114a5a31272a04c8be649b0a2b\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/vishnu-varadaraj-96x96.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/vishnu-varadaraj-96x96.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Vishnu Varadaraj\"},\"description\":\"Vishnu Varadaraj leads product development in the areas of mobile &amp; desktop security services, identity platform and mobile threat research. Vishnu brings more than two decades of experience in building products for consumer markets with a focus on innovation &amp; customer experience. Outside of work Vishnu enjoys swimming, snowboarding, kayaking, etc. depending on the weather.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/vishnuvaradaraj\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/author\/vishnu-varadaraj\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware | McAfee Blog 3 Tips to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware","description":"Picture this: you open your MacBook and see an email claiming to be from\u00a0your favorite online store. In the email, there is an attachment with \u201cimportant Originally written to infect Windows devices,\u202fXLoader\u202fis a widespread and inexpensive form of malware that cybercriminals are rewriting to target macOS machines. This post would detail the origins of the strain, how it affects consumers, and provide tips to help users stay protected against malware","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware | McAfee Blog 3 Tips to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware","og_description":"Picture this: you open your MacBook and see an email claiming to be from\u00a0your favorite online store. In the email, there is an attachment with \u201cimportant Originally written to infect Windows devices,\u202fXLoader\u202fis a widespread and inexpensive form of malware that cybercriminals are rewriting to target macOS machines. This post would detail the origins of the strain, how it affects consumers, and provide tips to help users stay protected against malware","og_url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/","og_site_name":"McAfee Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/McAfee\/","article_published_time":"2021-08-03T16:50:52+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-06-09T05:06:07+00:00","og_image":[{"width":300,"height":200,"url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/300x200_MFE_Blogs_072621_Blog-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Vishnu Varadaraj","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@McAfee","twitter_site":"@McAfee","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Vishnu Varadaraj","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/"},"author":{"name":"Vishnu Varadaraj","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/f8bdc39e3b16d2e2570ece2073b2570a"},"headline":"How to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware","datePublished":"2021-08-03T16:50:52+00:00","dateModified":"2025-06-09T05:06:07+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/"},"wordCount":645,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/300x200_MFE_Blogs_072621_Blog-1.jpg","keywords":["malware","Xloader"],"articleSection":["How To Guides and Tutorials","Internet Security","Privacy &amp; Identity Protection"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/","name":"How to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware | McAfee Blog 3 Tips to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/300x200_MFE_Blogs_072621_Blog-1.jpg","datePublished":"2021-08-03T16:50:52+00:00","dateModified":"2025-06-09T05:06:07+00:00","description":"Picture this: you open your MacBook and see an email claiming to be from\u00a0your favorite online store. In the email, there is an attachment with \u201cimportant Originally written to infect Windows devices,\u202fXLoader\u202fis a widespread and inexpensive form of malware that cybercriminals are rewriting to target macOS machines. This post would detail the origins of the strain, how it affects consumers, and provide tips to help users stay protected against malware","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/300x200_MFE_Blogs_072621_Blog-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/300x200_MFE_Blogs_072621_Blog-1.jpg","width":300,"height":200},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/3-tips-to-protect-yourself-from-xloader-malware\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Internet Security","item":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"3 Tips to Protect Yourself From XLoader Malware"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/","name":"McAfee Blog","description":"Internet Security News","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#organization","name":"McAfee","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mcafee-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/mcafee-logo.png","width":1286,"height":336,"caption":"McAfee"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/McAfee\/","https:\/\/x.com\/McAfee","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/mcafee\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/McAfee"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/f8bdc39e3b16d2e2570ece2073b2570a","name":"Vishnu Varadaraj","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/4218d9114a5a31272a04c8be649b0a2b","url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/vishnu-varadaraj-96x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/vishnu-varadaraj-96x96.jpg","caption":"Vishnu Varadaraj"},"description":"Vishnu Varadaraj leads product development in the areas of mobile &amp; desktop security services, identity platform and mobile threat research. Vishnu brings more than two decades of experience in building products for consumer markets with a focus on innovation &amp; customer experience. Outside of work Vishnu enjoys swimming, snowboarding, kayaking, etc. depending on the weather.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/vishnuvaradaraj\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/author\/vishnu-varadaraj\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125411","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1228"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=125411"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125411\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":215309,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125411\/revisions\/215309"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/125555"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125411"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125411"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125411"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=125411"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}