Apple released on Tuesday a Mac OS X software update to protect Mac users from a recent phishing scam. Apple said the update to Mac OS 10.6.7, the Snow Leopard, will detect the malware.

The Mac Defender Trojan scare emerged last week after it was found that users had been tricked into installing malware on their computers after the Trojan spooked them over the security of their systems.

Malware includes viruses, worms, trojan horses, and other types of software that can damage the software on the system or violate privacy. Apple cautioned that malware can be installed when a user downloads content or applications from the Internet, via email, text messaging, or websites. Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard checks for known malware and alerts you so that you do not accidentally install it on your system.

Apple had promised last week 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, it said.

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 Software Update Malware