The use of universal packages within Gnu / Linux is not only a reality but it is having a great reception by users. Such is the success that has already appeared the first malware detected within the snap package store.
Snap packages are universal packages created by Canonical and Ubuntu that are increasingly present in Gnu/Linux distributions. The store that contains this type of packages has been the victim of malware applications, applications that could seriously damage our equipment. Localized malware is a virus that use the infected computer to mine bitcoins. This type of malware, which has become very popular among cybercriminals, is fully compatible with Gnu / Linux operating systems. Specifically, the malware found in snap packages it would only affect distributions with Systemd (that is, to the most popular distributions).
Fortunately, the malware has been detected and removed from the snap package store, not only that application but all the applications uploaded by the same developer of the infected application. This does not mean that it was deliberate, but that the infection could come from your own computer.
The appearance of this malware casts doubt on the security of the app store, security that it is true that it is weak. The review of applications in snap format is carried out by bots that track aspects and / or functions, but do not track line after line of the application, which means that what has happened can happen. The same happens in proprietary software whose code cannot be inspected. But not everything is negative about this news, since the Free Software Community always learns from mistakes.
This malware invites us to reflect about what software we install, if it comes from a trusted developer or not or see what functions and resources it uses from our computer. All these tasks are what each user has to perform to prevent unpleasant infections from occurring. And you What measures do you take to avoid infecting your computer?
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