Those eager to check for and remove Flashback malware from their Macs won't have to wait for Apple to release its own software, as two security firms have now swooped in with their own tools.
The first is Kaspersky Lab, which was the first well-known security firm to confirm the half-million infection number originally supplied by Russian antivirus company Dr. Web. Kaspersky put up a site called FlashbackCheck that allows users to enter their Mac's hardware UUID (with instructions on how to find it)—this allows the firm to check against its own record of infected machines. Kaspersky has also released its own Flashfake Removal Tool—another name for Flashback—which makes it much easier for users to remove than the tedious Terminal method. (Update: Kaspersky Lab has temporarily suspended distribution of its Flashfake removal tool as the tool was found removing user settings unnecessarily. A replacement tool is expected soon, Kaspersky's Flashback Checker, however, remains available.)
The second firm is F-Secure, the original authors of the aforementioned Terminal method. Their tool is a single download that automates the detection and removal of Flashback. F-Secure's tool was most recently updated on Thursday morning to fix a false positive bug that was present in the original release.
These are in addition to a FlashbackChecker tool that we wrote about earlier this week, which was authored by programmer Juan Leon. There's still no time schedule for when Apple's own tool will be available, but for those who suspect their machines have been infected, the removal apps from Kaspersky and F-Secure should help to calm those fears.
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