I was at a book store today and was looking at a book titled Hacking for Dummies. I was looking through it and saw Hacking a OS. Under that It had Windows and Linux, but no mac! Lol Cant hack a mac.
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Can't Hack a Mac!
- Thread starter Pathfinder55
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I know sadly.
I feel with you
have a PC too though I'm saving for a Macbook Pro, maybe just a Macbook if the refresh turns out to be fabulousWell, there is more then one type of hacking. I'm guessing that book discusses fun and useful hacks, not malicious hacks. Regardless, it is possible to do any kind of hacking to OS X, it would be silly to think otherwise.
Hacking into an OS that the world knows is unhackable... I think it would give the hacker notoriety. Besides... of the small group of people that say this statement (that it's not worth hacking into a Mac) no one has ever done so to prove that Macs can be hacked, so the fact that they can be hacked remains to be false.
Hacking is hacking, whether for fun or for malicious reasons, but you are correct in thinking that NO hacking whatsoever can be done in Mac OS X, that is false, but it usually takes the full participation of the user to let someone in.
Don't believe Goober. It wasn't fake
What is sad is that because of idiots like Goober, we're less secure. Without Maynor, who may I remind you, was part of a security group that was bought up by IBM, meaning that this guy is the real deal, we're left with smoke and mirrors and the reality distortion field emanating from Apple to keep us safe.
I think you may be a little over confident in OS X. People have hacked into OS X, just look at what the guy above me said. I remember some other exploits that have been posted on the front page of this site. People just don't see much worth in hacking OS X.
OSX hackable??
Pictures, or it didn't happen
it just needs to be worthwhile to someone before it's possible.
Pictures, or it didn't happen
it just needs to be worthwhile to someone before it's possible.
I will admit, I am sure someone could find a way into it after a while. I guess the real question would be: "Is it worth working very hard to get into the OS and not be able to do any major damage that would get noticed as a virus so that I could take the name of 'only guy able to create a malicious Mac virus'"
I have seen some glitches in Mac OS X on other computers that are obvious issues with software, could it be a virus? Or could it be software issues? I think the real problem is that hackers can hack into OS X after some time, but they wouldn't be able to do any real damage other than shutting apps down unexpectedly. Not the level of damage that Windows sees.
Sorry, but this is by far the worst argument ever. Market share has little to do with it.
I love it when people say, "The only reason Macs don't have Virii is because the market share is too small to care"
First off, no OS is immune I am sure everyone knows this by now. Not going to go into this.
Second, explain why Linux has so few virii ? But, before you answer ... please, make note of the mass number of Linux servers installed in the world. Way more then you think, hell most of Google servers are running it. (Maybe all I dunno)
Now, take that number of virii and compare it to the Windows world. Notice something interesting ?
Well aren't you just the fun police.
Oh, that's rich. Really. I can't believe I missed this gem of wisdom until now.
People, please, please, please read this article series. It's not hard to make a worm for OS X.
http://www.rixstep.com/2/2/20070810,00.shtml
No more speculation. A real world scenario.
If you have physical access to a Mac it's a trivial task to crack it (as for most machines). Remote cracking is more difficult but certainly not impossible. Where the improved security controls come into play is really around virii and trojans and damage limitation of any infection, which are completely different to someone cracking your machine.
I think people do believe that OS X is hackable... we just need to see wide spread incidents and not conspiracy theories and such. In the real world... no one is getting serious problems with OS X and hackers and malicious programs. It MAY happen, or it may not.
I don't use any AV but I go to lenghts to protect my user. A hosed system can be replaced but a compromised user folder is compromised forever. Along with all your important data like bank records, credit cards, ... i.e. your "identity" stolen.
While there are no known viruses that attack Mac OS X at the present time, it is possible for spyware to get onto your Mac. The best way to avoid that is by using your built-in firewall which is industrial strength and/or a hard wired router, downloading only from "trusted" sites, installing all security updates and being careful about what you give administrative power to. It is also recommended to run day to day tasks from a non-admin account.
Don't use Limewire or any other P2P service to download your software, get it from reputable sources. In addition, always keep at least your users backed up, preferably a clone of your entire system on a separate disk. And put your sensitive passwords, bank accounts, credit card numbers in a "secure note" in a new keychain or in an encrypted folder.
If and when a Mac virus does appear it will be headline news and you can download the AV software then. If you feel you have to run an AV program I'd suggest ClamXav a mac friendly freeware app that is very stable with Tiger. It will check for known virus signatures at any rate.
-mj
While there are no known viruses that attack Mac OS X at the present time, it is possible for spyware to get onto your Mac. The best way to avoid that is by using your built-in firewall which is industrial strength and/or a hard wired router, downloading only from "trusted" sites, installing all security updates and being careful about what you give administrative power to. It is also recommended to run day to day tasks from a non-admin account.
Don't use Limewire or any other P2P service to download your software, get it from reputable sources. In addition, always keep at least your users backed up, preferably a clone of your entire system on a separate disk. And put your sensitive passwords, bank accounts, credit card numbers in a "secure note" in a new keychain or in an encrypted folder.
If and when a Mac virus does appear it will be headline news and you can download the AV software then. If you feel you have to run an AV program I'd suggest ClamXav a mac friendly freeware app that is very stable with Tiger. It will check for known virus signatures at any rate.
-mj
WTF! you guys are talking like gutter press. Hacking is the oringinal term for people coding heavily into the night on caffeine and so on. It's just hacking away at the keyboard like a lumberjack hacks away at wood. thwack thwack thwack on the keys! sheesh! you guys!.
Hacking Linux is one of my cv filling things - I was thrashing away at the console trying to make X work when most lcd's weren't supported at native res - when you hack the x86config file for hours on end guestimating the modeline timings of your screen hoping to get a screen that doesn't burn out your hardware.
Why is hacking just a bad thing like lame-o films like HACKERS!!
arse.