Antivirus Firm Warns of New Mac OS X Spyware Application

[macsmurf]

i once heard an IT guy said that it was due to Mac OSX being based on open source code that anyone can look up. Geek folks love to pour over the code and look for potential flaws. and then announce them to everyone. So the holes get fixed before they get bigger.

That's true but it can also be a liability since Apple has been known not to update the code when vulnerabilities are found (until years later).

So you check out the changelog of the open source code and then you try to attack OS X with the security issues mentioned. It's always nice to have a roadmap

 

[Torajima]

As a programmer you should know better. Have you heard about such thing as software bug?

We were discussing security, not stability. I know of no 'bug' that steals user information and sends them to a server in Russia.

Nothing is 100% secure.

True enough. One could create a platform that is 100% secure, but few would care to use it...

 

[Kar98]

You're right. I remember 4 years ago when people said there would be a major OS X virus within a year.

And 3 years ago they said the same thing....

And 2 years ago....

And 1 year ago....

I'm not gonna get too worried about it just yet.

Especially if it's from a site that essentially says "you only ever hear from us when we're posting doom and gloom on our site, which you should visit, but not these sites that you have trusted for years. buy our product! or there will be doom! and gloom, also!"

 

[lilo777]

Say what you will about OS X, but I went from an average loss of work of up to 5 hours per week to around 5 minutes going from Windows to OS X for all of my "non-3dmax" tasks. For me OS X is a major productivity booster.

Interesting claim. Too bad nobody will believe it.

We were discussing security, not stability. I know of no 'bug' that steals user information and sends them to a server in Russia.

The bugs create vulnerabilities. One typical example is "buffer overflow". Attackers use the bug to get control over the system and then they can do whatever they want.

 

[calderone]

sorry, my earlier post was in response to 'Apple's marketing' which I thought was what you were asking about. Maybe we both should have been clearer.

Windows box more secure?

How about ASLR? Windows has it, OSX doesn't.

General security code quality? Independent testers say Windows is better coded.


look, you have your view...and I have mine. We aren't ever going to agree so can't you just carry on being wrong alone..?

Wrong. Library randomization (layout randomization) was added in 10.5 and expanded further in 10.6. I am sure you can manage to find the details with Google.

So independent testers can say Windows is better coded? When did MS start releasing source code?

It isn't about a view. I have not said anything about my opinion. I am asking you for facts and have not done so with the assumption that you could not produce any.

You seem to want to play the fanboy game instead of having a reasoned discussion. But of course, the only facts you present are wrong or BS.

 

[ericinboston]

I was planning on it, but it seemed entirely pointless given your ignorance on the issues being discussed.

My ignorance on these issues? What a laugh. I guess I'll just learn from a fella who writes broad "that's untrue!" statements without any evidence or commentary. You must have been one hell of a contributor on the Debate Team.

Seriously...if all you can do is quote entire posts and retort with "that's untrue!" broad-sweeping comments, do us all a favor and don't reply. You're wasting our time (people who truly like to debate).

 

[NebulaClash]

Odd that folks are still denying that Macs are more secure than Windows, on the same day that Google announces they are switching from Microsoft due to security concerns.

When people have an agenda, facts do not matter, only their narratives. There are people here who push anti-Apple propaganda. They couldn't care less what the facts are.

 

[ikir]

Too many people to quote so I'll quote myself...




Sheeeeez...I make 1 *%^&(*ing typo in my tenure here and the Mac Fanboys attack like pitbulls. Yeah, I know I meant Unix and typed Linux by accident. Again, sheeeez. If a simple typo is all you need to get yourself(ves) all wound up, you need a life. I wonder how many more times people will quote my original post and make broad attacks at me.

And yes, I own a Mac...but some of you are too ignorant to read my sig.

-Eric

The it is a big typo and you should understand why people are replying that way to you. Owning a Mac doesn't make you more smart. Statement like "you need a life" paint you like a clown indeed. Enjoy your Dell "Mac user"

 

[djgamble]

Where are all the people on this forum that for years proclaimed that Mac OS was virus/spyware free and there would NEVER be viruses/spyware due to OSX being built on Linux.

All these people who wrongly believe that OS X is built on Linux? Not sure... anybody?

 

[thomaus]

I always thought the reason Macs don't get viruses is that virus-writers are too cheap to buy a Mac to program the virus.

 

[Jason Beck]

I just visited about 100 different malware laden websites... how am I supposed to get infected? Can someone point me in the right direction even to download an application for OSX that has a trojan in it or has a *virus*? I must be doing something wrong. I can't find one : (.

Come to think of it.. since owning my Mac my computer hasn't even froze.. in 8 months. My wife's Windows 7 box has though a lot.. : ( I want my computer to get messed up by malware or a virus.. but it isn't happening.

Oh well.

Five minutes after posting this I was on my wife's w7 box and got it infected with something YAY! I missed that!!

 

[Jason Beck]

All these people who wrongly believe that OS X is built on Linux? Not sure... anybody?

Yawn.

 

[old-wiz]

Guess the spyware world is finally catching up on OSx. I never trusted either MacUpdate or SoftPedia anyway.

 

[ericinboston]

The it is a big typo and you should understand why people are replying that way to you. Owning a Mac doesn't make you more smart. Statement like "you need a life" paint you like a clown indeed. Enjoy your Dell "Mac user"

1)When did I say owning a Mac made me (or anyone) smart?
2)My need-a-life comment...I stand by it. A simple "you meant Unix, not Linux" would have been fine by folks (and some did) while others found their first day's attack on a typo. I didn't have time to even edit my typo and I in fact (as you may have read earlier) chose not to as I just sat back and watched all the flames come in by the self-proclaimed Gods of AppleLand. Yes, I in fact DO UNDERSTAND why numerous people have replied to me in that manner...because the only thing that makes them happy is to pounce on a typo when it was clearly pointed out numerous times it was a typo.

3)Not sure about your Dell Mac user comment...yes, I own a Dell as well a Lenovo and a Mac Mini. And?



Now that I know a simple typo gets so many people so angry, maybe I should just post more incorrect statements.

 

[RazHyena]

Intego is pretty good. I use their VirusBarrier X6. Within the year I've encountered only 1 virus which was inoculated immediately, but still. They're out there.

 

[hajime]

Is OnyX ok?

I installed OnyX on my computer and when I tried to improve the system's performance using the freeware, a window appeared on the screen saying that in order for OnyX to operate, I need to enter the password. Is it safe to do it? Do hackers do something like that to gather password from users and/or install spyware?

 

[Eddyisgreat]

I always thought the reason Macs don't get viruses is that virus-writers are too cheap to buy a Mac to program the virus.

No see this is the really story.

See since OS X is really based on Linux (to quote a user above ) and the fact that virus writers are TERRIFIED of steve jobs thats why there are no real virii for mac.

 

[KingYaba]

Do Mac users really install screen savers? That seems like a very Windows thing to do.

Considering Mac users come from Windows, yes.

 

[OZMP]

I will never use Intego again after its mission to remove.


I run this at the minimum on all macs. http://www.iantivirus.com/

Clamxav is beta on SL.

Symantec is decent but not free.

Please use something, we get **** in spam email, attached to emails from our PC owning friends etc. best to clean it and not to send it on. Also protects our removable storage, and is just responsible computer ownership in general.

 

[Drag'nGT]

I never used iAntivirus. I have ClamXav though. It's just a pain to set up to look at your emails. I ended up only using it for certain downloads.

I also know that I didn't download a screen saver or anything but I have OCD and the fact that I just want to be absolutely sure made me run the netstat command. lol

 

[corywoolf]

Probably not real info used for the domains... but here is the WHOIS info.

 

[corywoolf]

Yawn.

Unix...Yawn.

http://www.diffen.com/difference/Linux_vs_Unix

Edit:

Unless you meant this...

"Announced at The 1996 World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC), MkLinux is an open source computer operating system started by the OSF Research Institute and Apple Computer in February 1996 to port Linux to the PowerPC platform, and thus Macintosh computers. In the summer of 1998, the community-led MkLinux Developers Association took over development of the operating system. MkLinux is short for "Microkernel Linux," which refers to the project's adaptation of the Linux kernel to run as a server hosted atop the Mach microkernel. MkLinux is based on version 3.0 of Mach."

 

[OzExige]

Considering Mac users come from Windows, yes.

You what?

you came from where??

ever heard of Visicalc??

 

[polaris20]

sorry, my earlier post was in response to 'Apple's marketing' which I thought was what you were asking about. Maybe we both should have been clearer.

Windows box more secure?

How about ASLR? Windows has it, OSX doesn't.

General security code quality? Independent testers say Windows is better coded.


look, you have your view...and I have mine. We aren't ever going to agree so can't you just carry on being wrong alone..?

In reality, ASLR and the NX bit don't do that much to deter a hacker if they want access to the system, which is why Windows 7 fell right after OS X did at Pwn2Own. OS X fell because Charlie Miller had predetermined bugs he knew about for months, and exploited it. Same goes for Windows 7. Sure, Miller executed faster. However ASLR didn't really slow the other guy down either; it's not like he came up with the solution on the spot.

OS X is not more secure than Windows 7; it's safer. It will continue to be that way until malware writers decide to pay more attention to OS X.

It really doesn't matter what OS you use, to an extent. What matters is what hackers care about. Some things slow them down for awhile, but software, especially modern OSes, is complex. There will almost always be bugs to exploit.

 

[Repo]

Gizmodo will probably pay for a copy before it gets released into the wild

Screw that, I'll just hit up some local bars and get my own copy.