Just when you thought that you’d be safer on the Internet using a Mac over a PC comes another reminder that your Mac needs malware protection just like PCs do. Graham Cluley, writing to the Naked Security blog for Sophos, writes in a post dated March 30 that a new Mac malware threat has surfaced this past week. The threat comes in by taking advantage of unpatched Microsoft Office for the Mac, specifically Microsoft Word. The vulnerability exists in Office 2004 and 2008 for the Mac, but not in Office 2011 for the Mac. If you have been updating your Office for Mac software regularly, you should be protected against this particular threat, as the patches for it were released in June of 2009. Still, if you want to double-check that you have the correct update installed, here is the update information for the Office Mac software:

Office 2004 – Version 11.5.5

Office 2008 – Version 12.1.9

If you have a later version of Office Mac installed, you are protected against this particular threat. How can you tell which version you have installed? Follow these steps to find out:

1. Open the Finder on your Mac.
2. Open the Applications folder on your Macintosh hard drive.
3. Find and open the Office for Mac version that you are running (Microsoft Office 2004 or Microsoft Office 2008).
4. Open the Office folder inside the main Microsoft Office folder.
5. Find and select the file named Microsoft Component Plugin.
6. From the File menu, select Get Info or Show Info (will depend on which version of Mac OS X you are running).
7. If the version shows 11.5.5 or later for Office 2004 or 12.1.9 or later for Office 2008, you are protected.