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A Mac Virus?!?!?
- Thread starter yankeefan24
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Ripmixburn said:
Oh God, shut up. The fact that you worked at an Apple Store means nothing, get over yourself. "At least a dozen people" HAHA yeah OK, you want to tell me you didn't pull that completely out of your butt?
Is there really anything you can do to patch this kind of thing? If I write an application that has an icon like a jpg and deletes everything on your disk afer asking for your admin password... how exactly would you patch for that kind of thing?
This reminds me a LOT of the old joke about the Unix virus.
Just for reference: this is not the first Mac trojan horse. There was one that masqueraded as a Microsoft Office Installer, and another proof-of-concept that pretended to be an mp3 file. It's also not a virus, as it doesn't appear to be able to spread itself.
There's also a rootkit (called Opener). I saw it installed on my parent's machine (they were running without a password).
There's also a rootkit (called Opener). I saw it installed on my parent's machine (they were running without a password).
Wow! I never thought I'de see this day 
, I switched from windows a little over a year ago, this is troubling, but If I learned anything from my windows days never open a file if you don't know what it does or where it came from. I hope Apple addresses this, and they really should consider some sort if Anti-Virus software. As a side not at least this doesn't seem to do anything destructive to data, yet............, although it probably wouldn't be that hard if someone really wanted to. Mabye there should be an option to disable the terminal, so that this couldn't happen, and just enable it when you wanted to use it for something. Im not sure if this would work but just a thought. Well Im glad I didn't DL it, I just hope this doesn't get any worse.
, I switched from windows a little over a year ago, this is troubling, but If I learned anything from my windows days never open a file if you don't know what it does or where it came from. I hope Apple addresses this, and they really should consider some sort if Anti-Virus software. As a side not at least this doesn't seem to do anything destructive to data, yet............, although it probably wouldn't be that hard if someone really wanted to. Mabye there should be an option to disable the terminal, so that this couldn't happen, and just enable it when you wanted to use it for something. Im not sure if this would work but just a thought. Well Im glad I didn't DL it, I just hope this doesn't get any worse.Seriously?
You guys act like the world has ended because of some little piece of code. Realistically it seems like this 'outbreak' could be easily quarantined as it seems to have affected only a small number of users.
Edit: Also since the definitions of trojan, virus and worm seem to be quite fuzzy with just about everyone, I think this would classify as a trojan since it takes the user downloading it to propagate from machine to machine.
You guys act like the world has ended because of some little piece of code. Realistically it seems like this 'outbreak' could be easily quarantined as it seems to have affected only a small number of users.
Edit: Also since the definitions of trojan, virus and worm seem to be quite fuzzy with just about everyone, I think this would classify as a trojan since it takes the user downloading it to propagate from machine to machine.
Sooo.....
Lets take stock and remain calm.....
We can stop the spread of this so called virus... Lets call it "killhopelast" and cut it off right here.
Pretty much everyone infected knows they are so take no chances and dont let it spread further.
Do not let anyone get a hold of it except apple and lets remember its most likely proof of concept. Its unlikely further damage will come than infected apps and a bit of middle aged spread.
Back up, remove... kill.
End of virus....
Wait for mac patch.
Lets take stock and remain calm.....
We can stop the spread of this so called virus... Lets call it "killhopelast" and cut it off right here.
Pretty much everyone infected knows they are so take no chances and dont let it spread further.
Do not let anyone get a hold of it except apple and lets remember its most likely proof of concept. Its unlikely further damage will come than infected apps and a bit of middle aged spread.
Back up, remove... kill.
End of virus....
Wait for mac patch.
I saw this on Digg, and after reading this far, I have to say you guys are in a world of FUD.
Stop. Calm down. Many of you are running around like the proverbial headless chicken.
First off, as a few others have mentioned, EVEN IF THIS QUALIFIES AS A VIRUS, THIS WOULD NOT BE THE FIRST. Nothing has changed. Today is not a "Dark day for Apple". Stop with the frikkin melodrama.
Stop. Calm down. Many of you are running around like the proverbial headless chicken.
First off, as a few others have mentioned, EVEN IF THIS QUALIFIES AS A VIRUS, THIS WOULD NOT BE THE FIRST. Nothing has changed. Today is not a "Dark day for Apple". Stop with the frikkin melodrama.
wankle said:
I'm going to have to agree 100% with this. I worked at an Apple Store. They're idiots, to be completely blunt. Months after the world knows about this virus if you go in there and ask an employee directly all but a few will tell you "There are no viruses for Mac!" THere are a few exceptions, of course.
Shrikey said:
It wouldn't? Okay, please enlighten us as to what all the previous OS X viruses are...
dejo said:
Googled.
Mac OS has been around for a long time. If this is indeed a virus, it might qualify as the first for OS X. There is a difference.
That said, I doubt it is a virus at all. As far as definitions go, this has all the look of a Trojan or worm, and those aren't new to OS X at all.
dejo said:
Well I know of at least this one, might not be as destructive as iBlue's but this has been around for awhile... I don't endorse the use of this 'Virus".
Shrikey said:
Of course there's a difference. And nobody around here that knows the history of Mac OS is claiming there has never been a Mac OS virus. But there has never been a Mac OS X virus. That is the claim to fame.
Guinea pig?
Alright, I have a home network with four 'spare' Macs on it that all have essentially pristine copies of OS X on them. I would be interested in seeing how this 'virus' really propogates, and its ability to 'infect' different versions of the Mac OS.
If anyone would like to email it to me, I'd appreciate the opportunity to study it. PM to get my email address. I'd have it sent to a different-than-normal address, download it on a Windows machine, and stick it on a USB key. (How's that for odd? Opening a virus-laden email on a Windows machine to ensure I don't get infected.... Usually I do the reverse.)
I would disconnect my two 'primary' Macs from the network first, and disconnect the network from the internet. The machines in question are a B&W G3 (w/ G4 upgrade,) and an iMac G3 600, both running 10.4.5; an iMac G3 rev.a running 10.3.9 and/or 10.0.4, and a beige G3 running 10.2.8 and/or 10.1.5. (Each of the last two have multiple partitions containing the separate versions.) All have iChat on them, and their primary use is as an intercom system, with their only 'contacts' being each other in Bonjour/Rendezvous. They do have file sharing, remote access, FTP, and desktop sharing on. I would try it in each OS, first with a limited user account, then with an administrator.
Alright, I have a home network with four 'spare' Macs on it that all have essentially pristine copies of OS X on them. I would be interested in seeing how this 'virus' really propogates, and its ability to 'infect' different versions of the Mac OS.
If anyone would like to email it to me, I'd appreciate the opportunity to study it. PM to get my email address. I'd have it sent to a different-than-normal address, download it on a Windows machine, and stick it on a USB key. (How's that for odd? Opening a virus-laden email on a Windows machine to ensure I don't get infected.... Usually I do the reverse.)
I would disconnect my two 'primary' Macs from the network first, and disconnect the network from the internet. The machines in question are a B&W G3 (w/ G4 upgrade,) and an iMac G3 600, both running 10.4.5; an iMac G3 rev.a running 10.3.9 and/or 10.0.4, and a beige G3 running 10.2.8 and/or 10.1.5. (Each of the last two have multiple partitions containing the separate versions.) All have iChat on them, and their primary use is as an intercom system, with their only 'contacts' being each other in Bonjour/Rendezvous. They do have file sharing, remote access, FTP, and desktop sharing on. I would try it in each OS, first with a limited user account, then with an administrator.
I read this thread form the beginning, but I still don't know what the affects are on your system, besides passing the file trough AIM/Bonjour and installing at in random apps.
Shrikey said:
Lolerderby!
Thanks to Shrikey I can now keep my eyes out for this pesky virus.
"Frankie: only affects the Aladdin emulator on the Atari or Amiga.
Doesn't infect or trigger on real Macs or the Spectre emulator.
Infects application files and the Finder. Draws a bomb icon and
displays 'Frankie says: No more piracy!""
Good thing it doesn't effect my Spectre emulator, phew, thanks man!
MrCannon said:
OOOOH. My bad. Apparently using Bonjour/Rendezvous to spread doesn't count? While the information available now is as sketchy as it is, I'm loath to call it anything but a trojan, but I bow to your superiority as a pedant.
altair said:
Annnnnnnd that's where I stopped paying attention to you. Nice to meet you, btw.
~
I only signed up to this board for this one thread, I came to tell people to calm down. I did not come here to pick fights. Thanks, guys.
Chill
Look guys, whether it is the first virus(it is a damn virus) or the last......
A little solidarity wouldn't go astray OK.
If you are on this forum this could theoretically affect you.
So stop the bickering.
"Killhopelast"..... hasn't spread (other than to networked macs) so far.... this is a good sign no?
Look guys, whether it is the first virus(it is a damn virus) or the last......
A little solidarity wouldn't go astray OK.
If you are on this forum this could theoretically affect you.
So stop the bickering.
"Killhopelast"..... hasn't spread (other than to networked macs) so far.... this is a good sign no?
This isnt a virus its a little executable file which runs terminal, it was just a matter of time before someone wrote something like this and spread it....Besides in order for it to do any damage you would have to log in as root by entering your password, so long as you dont do that the damage it can cause is minimal at best...
Wasnt there something simular to this with the release of 10.4, I remember a virus/trojan spreading through a widget??
Shadow
Wasnt there something simular to this with the release of 10.4, I remember a virus/trojan spreading through a widget??
Shadow
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