Description
Patcher is a macOS ransomware that spread through BitTorrent sites in February 2017, disguised as a cracking application for pirated software such as Adobe Premiere Pro and Microsoft Office for Mac. Victims who launched the fake tool and pressed Start triggered RC4 encryption of their files with a randomly generated key, and the malware demanded a Bitcoin ransom. It had no command and control communication, so payment did not actually lead to decryption.
Stats
- First seen
- January 2022
- Last seen
- October 2026
Alert name variants
| Alert Name |
|---|
| Application.Patcher.AQ |
| Application.Patcher.AU |
| Application.Patcher.BJ |
| Application.Patcher.BL |
| Application.Patcher.BN |
| Application.Patcher.N |
| Application.Patcher.O |
| Application.Patcher.P |
| Application.Patcher.Z |
| Gen:Variant.Application.Patcher.10 |
