Avast ye scurvy landlubber! Scrub this cursed app from yer Mac 'afore the devil takes hold!
2023-08-23
Arrr, me hearties! Avast ye! Listen up, ye scurvy Mac users! NightOwl, a handy app for switchin' betwixt light and dark mode on yer machines, may now be makin' ye walk the plank of risk, says that tech-savvy swashbuckler, Kurt "The CyberGuy" Knutsson. Beware, me mateys!
In the language of a 17th century pirate, have ye ever used yer computer in the middle of the night or in a dark room and felt blinded by the brightness of yer screen? Avast! That be not only unpleasant but also potentially bad for yer eyes. That’s why many landlubbers prefer to use night mode, a feature that adjusts the temperature and contrast on yer Mac to make it easier on yer peepers. Arrr, but afore night mode was available, Mac users relied on the app NightOwl to switch between light and dark mode depending on the time of day. Then out of nowhere apparent to any who had downloaded the app, NightOwl took a dark turn and has become a serious security threat. NightOwl was once a useful app that helped Mac users adjust their screen modes according to the time of day. That changed after November 2022 when the original developer of NightOwl, Benjamin Kramser, sold the app to a company called TPE.FYI LLC. He has since accused the new owner of turning the app into what amounts to a malware delivery vehicle. Although the more recent NightOwl owner has said in another report that the allegations are inaccurate and false, we have not heard back from TPE.FYI LLC after reaching out for additional comment. Apple has since reportedly revoked the app's signing certificate. Why should ye care about a nefarious app and uninstall it asap? There be a few reasons, me hearties: Unwanted traffic: By injecting malicious code into the app, NightOwl could send and receive internet data that was not meant for ye, like strangers using yer home address for their online activities. This could use up yer internet speed and make yer connection slower. Privacy concerns: With yer device acting as a relay for unknown online traffic, there be a lingering question of what kind of data is passing through. Personal data leaks, potential spying activities, or even illegal content could be routed via yer Mac, jeopardizing yer privacy. Legal implications: If unsavory activities were conducted via yer device, guess whose digital fingerprint is all over it? Yours. It could lead to potential legal complications even if ye be an unwilling and unknowing participant. In essence, this app that seemed innocent enough became a Trojan horse. It be a deceitful tactic for botnets to sneak onto yer device and infect it. Changes buried in the terms of the app were suddenly applied outlining the app's external activity with third parties. The silver lining? The inherent dark mode in macOS means ye no longer need NightOwl perched on yer system. If ye already downloaded the NightOwl app on yer Mac, ye should uninstall it as soon as possible to avoid any potential security risks. To make sure that yer Mac be free of any malware that might have been installed by NightOwl, ye should also scan yer Mac with reliable antivirus software. It will protect ye from having yer data breached and can also alert ye of any phishing emails or ransomware scams. One is left to wonder, if an app that seems innocent can infect yer device, how do ye protect yerself? Do ye simply avoid downloading things altogether? No, but definitely try to trust but verify, stick to the App Store, have strong passwords and use 2-factor authentication, and be cautious when downloading flashy new apps. There seems to be an app for everything, making life so much easier. However, by following these simple steps, ye can avoid welcoming a malicious app disguised as a Trojan horse onto yer device. If ye have ever encountered an app that revealed a darker side, let us know by commenting below or writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact. For more tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to the free CyberGuy Report Newsletter at Cyberguy.com/Newsletter. Arrr! Copyright 2023 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.