Apple said on Tuesday it will deliver a Mac OS X software update to protect Mac users from a recent phishing scam.

In the coming days, Apple will deliver a Mac OS X software update that will automatically find and remove Mac Defender malware and its known variants. The update will also help protect users by providing an explicit warning if they download this malware, Apple said in a statement posted on its website.

The malware, known as MacDefender, MacProtector and MacSecurity, redirected users from legitimate websites to fake websites which tell them that their computer is infected with a virus. The user is then offered Mac Defender anti-virus software to solve the issue.

This “anti-virus” software is but a malicious software, whose ultimate goal is to get the user's credit card information which may be used for fraudulent purposes.

Apple has also given step-by-step instructions on how to avoid or manually remove this malware.

Apple Malware Software Update