Apple to Update Mac OS X to Remove 'Mac Defender' Malware

[doctor-don]

nice to see them take a page out of MS book on dealing with this.

Apple Security Updates?

Easy there killer, there are posters here that still think Apple invented the zipper

It's only the front page and there's already some serious apple circlejerking. How about the news that Apple told the Apple Geniuses to not even recognize the Mac Defender, and pretend it's nothing?

There are so many apple news daily that just doesn't get covered in the Macrumors echo chamber, it kinda sickens me.

And yes, Microsoft takes its security seriously. It's just mac was never even worth hacking because pc dominated the entire market. Besides, there are free anti-virus programs (avg, microsoft security essentials, etc) that can take down any viruses. I'm just saying this as someone who has used a pc for over a decade without virus problems. (now own an iMac owner)

I don't even know why I'm ranting about this. I guess it's just that I find everything fine with windows, and I find the majority of the criticisms lacking any substance.

Now that's an elitist attitude ... kinda like the Windoz 7 ads.

Don't they have a term to describe people who join here to see how many responses they can generate?

 

[ScottishDuck]

Apple need to stop the "no viruses" line. It's going to backfire majorly if they don't. Now they're going to have a mass of users downloading all sorts just because they think "Macs don't get viruses!"

And to be clear, most users will think virus = any malicious software.

 

[zephonic]

A. what blog entry and when was it written? Please provide something besides your word. B. Until Apple releases this patch isn't there some truth that AV softwares are the best remedy? C. Isn't rouge software on your computer a security threat?

I don't see how your conclusion that how Apple handling this situation is better than SOPHOS

http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/201...Feed:+nakedsecurity+(Naked+Security+-+Sophos)

As to your point B.) No. It is not a virus, it barely qualifies as malware. It is an application that requires admin authorization (ie. password), so it can only get in if you let it. At best it is a phishing scam. It can be removed by trashing the app and rebooting. How is anti-virus software going to do that better???

 

[gnasher729]

Apple need to stop the "no viruses" line. It's going to backfire majorly if they don't. Now they're going to have a mass of users downloading all sorts just because they think "Macs don't get viruses!"

Why would anyone who firmly believes "Macs don't get viruses" download software that claims to remove Mac viruses? Logical conclusion: Macs don't get viruses & software claims your Mac is infected therefore software must be a scam.

 

[Winni]

Apple has done this before with security updates but theyve nevr had something spread like this in the wild before.

Microsoft releases a monthly "Microsoft Removal Tool" to remove the worst offenders currently out there as well. hopefully apple will start to do this as they are going to have more and more of this with the growing user base they have.

"Monthly? Software Removal Tool?" How old are your Windows versions, guys, and where have you been hiding? Windows Vista and Windows 7 receive updates for the built-in "Windows Defender" - as it is actually called - almost daily. And if you want some real anti-virus software on your system, you can also install the FREE(!) Microsoft Security Essentials on your system, which are as good ESET NOD32 or other pay-for anti-virus software suites.

Anyway. The only real news here is that Apple for the first time ever officially acknowledged the existence of malware for Mac OS X and that OS X can actually be infected. So much for their "Macs don't get viruses" campaigns. Even back then there was malware for Mac OS X, Apple had only comfortably ignored that fact and lied to its customers.

But since more and more of those malware-for-OS X-reports have been surfacing during the last couple of months, it's rather obvious that OS X has become attractive for malware authors and that the platform is nowhere near as secure and safe as Apple and their customers always wanted to believe. (Just let's not forget the amusing fact that OS X still comes with its Firewall DE-ACTIVATED in the default system configuration; that already tells us enough about how serious Apple takes security.)

No platform is absolutely safe and secure. It's just that nobody else runs around with a big mouth and pretends to be immune to threats, and everybody else - including Microsoft - patch and update their software quicker and more regularly than Apple.

Anyway. Welcome to the real world, Apple and Mac users.

 

[Mr. Gates]

"Monthly? Software Removal Tool?" How old are your Windows versions, guys, and where have you been hiding? Windows Vista and Windows 7 receive updates for the built-in "Windows Defender" - as it is actually called - almost daily. And if you want some real anti-virus software on your system, you can also install the FREE(!) Microsoft Security Essentials on your system, which are as good ESET NOD32 or other pay-for anti-virus software suites.

Anyway. The only real news here is that Apple for the first time ever officially acknowledged the existence of malware for Mac OS X and that OS X can actually be infected. So much for their "Macs don't get viruses" campaigns. Even back then there was malware for Mac OS X, Apple had only comfortably ignored that fact and lied to its customers.

But since more and more of those malware-for-OS X-reports have been surfacing during the last couple of months, it's rather obvious that OS X has become attractive for malware authors and that the platform is nowhere near as secure and safe as Apple and their customers always wanted to believe. (Just let's not forget the amusing fact that OS X still comes with its Firewall DE-ACTIVATED in the default system configuration; that already tells us enough about how serious Apple takes security.)

No platform is absolutely safe and secure. It's just that nobody else runs around with a big mouth and pretends to be immune to threats, and everybody else - including Microsoft - patch and update their software quicker and more regularly than Apple.

Anyway. Welcome to the real world, Apple and Mac users.

He was talking about the Monthly "Malicious Software Removal Tool" it is in addition to anti-virus and provides a pretty good service.

It's part of Windows Update

 

[sinsin07]

"Monthly? Software Removal Tool?" How old are your Windows versions, guys, and where have you been hiding? Windows Vista and Windows 7 receive updates for the built-in "Windows Defender" - as it is actually called - almost daily. And if you want some real anti-virus software on your system, you can also install the FREE(!) Microsoft Security Essentials on your system, which are as good ESET NOD32 or other pay-for anti-virus software suites. snip...

You also have dated information:
1: Windows Defender is superseded by Microsoft Security Essentials.
Does Microsoft Security Essentials completely supersede Windows Defender?

You can do your own searches to confirm the above.

2: If you actually read what the updates are, you will see Windows Malicious Removal Tool. Check out KB890830 for May 2011.

Do yourself a simple Google lookup: malware on Win 7. Get back to us and tell us what you find.

I see you over there in Germany, but if you believe Microsoft Security Essentials is all you need, I have a bridge to sell you. Interested?

 

[MH01]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPad; U; CPU OS 4_2 like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C134b Safari/6533.18.5)

Simple solution for the future. The iPhone and iPad don't get malware for a reason. Do the same thing with Macs and it's all good.

Your actually being serious aren't you??? Actually do you even know what you are talking about? Are you suggesting that apple run a version of iOS and completely lock down thier "computers" ? Mate, you might just use your mac to surf the net and injest all your media from Itunes, in that case, sell you mac (if you have one) and never buy anything beyond an Ipad!

Jump into the Mac Pro forum and make this suggestion, they will love it!

 

[Northgrove]

really? seems a completely different approach to me.

Agree and not sure why you were voted down to -3.

Microsoft has very rarely, if ever, released a fix to the OS that works like an antivirus tool, scanning the computer, AND protecting the user from future attacks from the trojan.

Yes, they nowadays release updates for Windows Defender, but that's a bundled antivirus tool. And not like what we're seeing here. Apple aren't updating any antivirus tool.

And no, security patches are nothing like this. They fix OS exploits. OS bugs. This trojan doesn't exploit the OS, but the user. By definition of "trojan".

 

[BLACKFRIDAY]

I work for an Apple service centre. You'll be surprised how many people put their credit card details into the program and PAY to download it. It's pretty stupid. I tend to remove the program for people for free, but the policy is to charge the customers $145.. I feel slack doing that..

You're removing it wrong.

Kidding. That seems to be very fair and lenient on your part. You could have asked for a heineken at least.

 

[Beaverfish]

Well well well. I never thought i would see the day :-(. Its good that apple is doing this and i hope it deters other malware writers.

 

[Beaverfish]

You also have dated information:
1: Windows Defender is superseded by Microsoft Security Essentials.
Does Microsoft Security Essentials completely supersede Windows Defender?

You can do your own searches to confirm the above.

2: If you actually read what the updates are, you will see Windows Malicious Removal Tool. Check out KB890830 for May 2011.

Do yourself a simple Google lookup: malware on Win 7. Get back to us and tell us what you find.

I see you over there in Germany, but if you believe Microsoft Security Essentials is all you need, I have a bridge to sell you. Interested?

Dude, don't be so harsh in your responses. Treat others with respect !

 

[Beaverfish]

Apple need to stop the "no viruses" line. It's going to backfire majorly if they don't. Now they're going to have a mass of users downloading all sorts just because they think "Macs don't get viruses!"

And to be clear, most users will think virus = any malicious software.

yeah i know what you mean. Could really come back bite them in the ass

 

[sinsin07]

AVG sucks.

Exactly. Found out the hard way That's why I only install/recommend to people I don't like.

 

[Laird Knox]

It's only the front page and there's already some serious apple circlejerking. How about the news that Apple told the Apple Geniuses to not even recognize the Mac Defender, and pretend it's nothing?

There are so many apple news daily that just doesn't get covered in the Macrumors echo chamber, it kinda sickens me.

And yes, Microsoft takes its security seriously. It's just mac was never even worth hacking because pc dominated the entire market. Besides, there are free anti-virus programs (avg, microsoft security essentials, etc) that can take down any viruses. I'm just saying this as someone who has used a pc for over a decade without virus problems. (now own an iMac owner)

I don't even know why I'm ranting about this. I guess it's just that I find everything fine with windows, and I find the majority of the criticisms lacking any substance.

Go ahead and stoke the fires of the Apple/MS holy wars but slavery will NOT be tolerated here.

 

[Popeye206]

"Monthly? Software Removal Tool?" How old are your Windows versions, guys, and where have you been hiding? Windows Vista and Windows 7 receive updates for the built-in "Windows Defender" - as it is actually called - almost daily. And if you want some real anti-virus software on your system, you can also install the FREE(!) Microsoft Security Essentials on your system, which are as good ESET NOD32 or other pay-for anti-virus software suites.

Anyway. The only real news here is that Apple for the first time ever officially acknowledged the existence of malware for Mac OS X and that OS X can actually be infected. So much for their "Macs don't get viruses" campaigns. Even back then there was malware for Mac OS X, Apple had only comfortably ignored that fact and lied to its customers.

But since more and more of those malware-for-OS X-reports have been surfacing during the last couple of months, it's rather obvious that OS X has become attractive for malware authors and that the platform is nowhere near as secure and safe as Apple and their customers always wanted to believe. (Just let's not forget the amusing fact that OS X still comes with its Firewall DE-ACTIVATED in the default system configuration; that already tells us enough about how serious Apple takes security.)

No platform is absolutely safe and secure. It's just that nobody else runs around with a big mouth and pretends to be immune to threats, and everybody else - including Microsoft - patch and update their software quicker and more regularly than Apple.

Anyway. Welcome to the real world, Apple and Mac users.

Sorry... we're not there yet Winni. I don't consider software you have to knowingly install (or in this case, tricked unknowing Windows converts into installing) the same as a Windows device that just collects virus like trading cards.

The day I feel I need to run a "virus scan" or install legitimate virus software, then we're there. So far it's been 25 years and I've never had to.

 

[Dreamer2go]

It's only the front page and there's already some serious apple circlejerking. How about the news that Apple told the Apple Geniuses to not even recognize the Mac Defender, and pretend it's nothing?

There are so many apple news daily that just doesn't get covered in the Macrumors echo chamber, it kinda sickens me.

And yes, Microsoft takes its security seriously. It's just mac was never even worth hacking because pc dominated the entire market. Besides, there are free anti-virus programs (avg, microsoft security essentials, etc) that can take down any viruses. I'm just saying this as someone who has used a pc for over a decade without virus problems. (now own an iMac owner)

I don't even know why I'm ranting about this. I guess it's just that I find everything fine with windows, and I find the majority of the criticisms lacking any substance.

someone needs to take a chill pill.....
why go to a mac site when you're in love with windows?

 

[BillyBobBongo]

Can't Apple just remove the people that were foolish enough to install this?!

I think this is one of the issues with the iOS ecosystem, people are too quick just to click and install and have stopped thinking.

 

[Popeye206]

Can't Apple just remove the people that were foolish enough to install this?!

I think this is one of the issues with the iOS ecosystem, people are too quick just to click and install and have stopped thinking.

+1

To expand on your comment, this is the issue with the Mobile OS's. Too many normal confirmations and updates, so you're always confirming something and I can see someone's going to figure out a way to trick people into installing Malware. But I think Android is more at risk since they have a more open environment with no App checking in place.

 

[chrono1081]

Apple need to stop the "no viruses" line. It's going to backfire majorly if they don't. Now they're going to have a mass of users downloading all sorts just because they think "Macs don't get viruses!"

And to be clear, most users will think virus = any malicious software.

Except that they never once said "no viruses". People just think that because no one ever bothers to look on Apples website, they instantly demonize the company and think everything it does is evil for some reason.

Take a look what Apple really says:

http://www.apple.com/macosx/security/

They say "Mac OS X doesn’t get PC viruses. And its built-in defenses help keep you safe from other malware without the hassle of constant alerts and sweeps." Which is exactly what they are doing by updating.

They also go on to say: "Defense against viruses and other malware.

With virtually no effort on your part, Mac OS X offers a multilayered system of defenses against viruses and other malicious applications, or malware. For example, it prevents hackers from harming your programs through a technique called “sandboxing” — restricting what actions programs can perform on your Mac, what files they can access, and what other programs they can launch. Other automatic security features include Library Randomization, which prevents malicious commands from finding their targets, and Execute Disable, which protects the memory in your Mac from attacks."

Nowhere in either of those statements does it say "Mac OS never gets viruses".

 

[Jolly Jimmy]

Nope. Apple always releases "security updates" which block such things.

http://www.apple.com/macosx/security/

Yeah, thanks, I've heard of security updates. I'm talking about the specific singling out and removal of certain malware that is already present on a system.

 

[logandzwon]

nice to see them take a page out of MS book on dealing with this.

What exactly are you talking about?

First, there was the article about Apple telling their support reps to be quite about it, (what Microsoft does.) Now, Apple is actively planning to remove the malware from all Macs everywhere, (something Microsoft has never even attempted.)

MS has done a lot of security work. I'm not saying they haven't. But their efforts have been more focused on stopping existing bot networks at the heads. Apple is killing them at the node level. One shot that kills all infections, everywhere at once. It is a completely different approach. One Microsoft has been unwilling to try as they seem to think it is unrealistic.

 

[chrono1081]

Yeah, thanks, I've heard of security updates. I'm talking about the specific singling out and removal of certain malware that is already present on a system.

Ah ok my bad. I misunderstood. I'm not sure if they have done this before or not, I've only been using Macs for about three years, maybe 3.5.

What exactly are you talking about?

First, there was the article about Apple telling their support reps to be quite about it, (what Microsoft does.) Now, Apple is actively planning to remove the malware from all Macs everywhere, (something Microsoft has never even attempted.)

MS has done a lot of security work. I'm not saying they haven't. But their efforts have been more focused on stopping existing bot networks at the heads. Apple is killing them at the node level. One shot that kills all infections, everywhere at once. It is a completely different approach. One Microsoft has been unwilling to try as they seem to think it is unrealistic.

Thats one thing I never got about Microsoft. They have helped bring down botnets and have a ton of info on exploits (an article I read mentioned how script kiddies always accidentally send MS crash reports) yet there is not more done to protect their OS (such as moving away from a registry based system ).

 

[logandzwon]

Thats one thing I never got about Microsoft. They have helped bring down botnets and have a ton of info on exploits (an article I read mentioned how script kiddies always accidentally send MS crash reports) yet there is not more done to protect their OS (such as moving away from a registry based system ).

I think Microsoft was traditionally seems virus and malware as "someone else's problem." To a degree, I have seen what I believe is Microsoft genuinely trying to change this approach. Vista/Win 7 have a much better core architecture leaving behind a lot of the legacy BS that made that platform such a hot bed for malware. In addition, they have finally dropped that "Microsoft Defender" crap and are now trying to offer "Microsoft Security Essentials." They have a ways to go as MSE only has about a 55% detection rate, and is only for residential users, but I think in a few years they could actually have a platform relatively safe.

 

[mijail]

"And if you want some real anti-virus software on your system, you can also install the FREE(!) Microsoft Security Essentials on your system, which are as good ESET NOD32 or other pay-for anti-virus software suites.

No, it isn't. In fact it is the second worst between the ones tested by AV-test.org

So if you don't mind I'll stay with the antivirus-less OS X, thank you very much.