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Antivirus Firm Warns of New Mac OS X Spyware Application
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Will 10.6.4 prevent users from installing things?
That's a "tentpole" of 10.7, so I heard from Vietnamese businessman.
swingerofbirch
macrumors 68040
Apple only says Mac OS X is immune from Windows viruses and spyware. They had been careful not to cross the line in marketing before, and it looks like it was a good thing to not do so.
I still don't think I want antivirus software running on my computer though. I've heard of it fouling Macs up.
I still don't think I want antivirus software running on my computer though. I've heard of it fouling Macs up.
Right, but what are the odds that you'd be the first one to discover it?
Look, one day, someone will write a virus for OS X that gets out in the wild. Nobody has managed, yet, but one day, someone will.
When that happens, can you imagine the uproar? It'll be all over the news. MacRumors, Engadget, every tech site will be all over the first virus outbreak. Heck, it'll be on CNN. They'll tell you exactly where it came from, what site was infected, what app was infected, what torrent was infected. You'll pretty much know how to avoid it.
Until then, while the odds of getting a virus are not zero, they are very small, so small that I effectively don't need to worry about it.
Obviously as Macs become more prevalent, virus writers, phishers, and scammers will get around to writing stuff that attacks OSX. But clearly OSX is more secure than windows.
I have Windows Vista 64 on my work comp and have had it running for over two years with no anti-virus software and not a problem so far. I think Vista and Win7 are much better than other win versions in the past.
I have Windows Vista 64 on my work comp and have had it running for over two years with no anti-virus software and not a problem so far. I think Vista and Win7 are much better than other win versions in the past.
I have a kill-a-watt. I was a little surprised at how much power some screen savers use.
Sure, but it's such a small percent that it's almost not worth mentioning. In my 11 years using Apple computers I personally have never encountered a virus. There are so many selling points for PCs. I like to think that Macs have a few as well.
patches? how so?
just know what you are downloading and don't freely give out your admin password
Will 10.6.4 prevent users from installing things?
Only things that aren't in the app store
I think...
...the biggest misfortune here is that the practice of placing malicious code in applications installers before they're even distributed by their developers has now come to the Mac.
In this case, yes the user has to be lay enough to not recognize that this is was not intended by the app devs to be part of the package, and in turn forfeit their username/pass. But what happens when a virus (or whatever) is injected into software prior to distribution and during installation there is no prompt for the user to see?
...the biggest misfortune here is that the practice of placing malicious code in applications installers before they're even distributed by their developers has now come to the Mac.
In this case, yes the user has to be lay enough to not recognize that this is was not intended by the app devs to be part of the package, and in turn forfeit their username/pass. But what happens when a virus (or whatever) is injected into software prior to distribution and during installation there is no prompt for the user to see?
It's a Trojan, not a Virus
From the Article:
"it requests an administrators password on installation"
This is the definition of a Trojan, a Virus infects without user intervention.
Ergo, still no Viruses for Mac OS X.
From the Article:
"it requests an administrators password on installation"
This is the definition of a Trojan, a Virus infects without user intervention.
Ergo, still no Viruses for Mac OS X.
This is a common misconception that is woefully inaccurate
There were many virii and threats with OS9 with a smaller user base than OSX. The underlying foundation of the OS has more to do with it than the popularity of the platform
Apple can't stop "stupid" in the sense of preventing people of downloading things that require their permission
Any IT person worth their salt knows that OS X is not based on Linux.
Additionally, any IT person worth their salt knows that a system is only as strong as their user is smart, which generally means that it's like a Corvette with the top down, windows unlocked, and a big sign saying "There's a million dollars sitting in the back seat."
EDIT -
A trojan horse is an attack that pretends to be something else. Let's see if I can find an example.. aha! The Trojan Horse! A gift from the Trojans, but in reality the horse was full of soldiers. Trojans spread by social engineering, through stunts like "this site requires JavaScript", "please enter your password", etc. Saying "please enter your password" is like going to a restaurant and being asked for your social security number and your billing address when you need to use a credit card. Maybe you'd tell them, but I'd say "Hold my drivers license when I go to the bank to get cash, then to the police station."
Additionally, any IT person worth their salt knows that a system is only as strong as their user is smart, which generally means that it's like a Corvette with the top down, windows unlocked, and a big sign saying "There's a million dollars sitting in the back seat."
EDIT -
A trojan horse is an attack that pretends to be something else. Let's see if I can find an example.. aha! The Trojan Horse! A gift from the Trojans, but in reality the horse was full of soldiers. Trojans spread by social engineering, through stunts like "this site requires JavaScript", "please enter your password", etc. Saying "please enter your password" is like going to a restaurant and being asked for your social security number and your billing address when you need to use a credit card. Maybe you'd tell them, but I'd say "Hold my drivers license when I go to the bank to get cash, then to the police station."
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
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
Eh, just now when I'm few days of receiving my first Mac. And that too a fastest Mac Book Pro upgraded to 8GB, 7200 rpm, widescreen.
We have three options now:
1. Send all the fanbois to attack Google
2. Send all the fanbois to attack Adobe
3. Send all the fanbois to attack both Google and Adobe
We have three options now:
1. Send all the fanbois to attack Google
2. Send all the fanbois to attack Adobe
3. Send all the fanbois to attack both Google and Adobe
No it's not. Just because something requests an administrator password doesn't mean it's a Trojan. It has to masquerade as a legitimate application or process but really be intended for nefarious purposes in order to be a Trojan.
Also the article never states it's a virus anyways. "Spyware" is a more colloquial term than either "virus" or "trojan" anyway.
