The malware was a full-featured backdoor that was written from scratch, an indication that the developers behind it have significant resources and expertise.
The code is called DazzleSpy provides an array of advanced capabilities that give the attackers the ability to fully monitor and control infected Macs. Features include: victim device fingerprinting, screen capture, file download/upload, execute terminal commands, audio recording, and keylogging.
Eset researcher Marc-Etienne M.Leveille wrote in an email that DazzleSpy appears only to work on Macs and the writers were not interested in looking at Windows PCs.
This made its developers “unusual” particularly as they have the resources to develop complex exploits and their own spying malware, which is quite significant. All that brain work to hack some fanboy’s Coldplay collection appears to be a bit of a wasted effort.