Flashback Trojan Returns With a Multi-Pronged Infection Strategy

[rickrocknrolls]

Have you heard about Microsoft Security Essentials? 1-st party, free and it's all you need. The claim about old viruses (or any viruses to that matter) affecting Windows 7 is simply ridiculous. You do know that OS/X is the oS that is the easiest to break judging by the results of the annual hacking contests, right? If you don't here is a link.

You are aware that they are talking about hacking browsers, and not operating systems - neither OS X or Windows, correct? If not, then I suggest you re-read the article you linked more carefully before making such bold statements and peddling a misrepresentation as fact.

Granted, Safari did poorly and is designed by Apple, but Firefox and Chrome had no such issues on OS X or any other platform. And did you happen to notice how poorly Internet Explorer scored on your Windows platform??

 

[KnightWRX]

And I know that UNIX currently has a lot of things that prevent a virus from infecting the system

Which Unix system are you talking about and can you name these "things" ?

 

[rickrocknrolls]

Not sure if it's been mentioned here, but to check to see if you're a victim of this trojan, go to your terminal (Applications>Utilities>Terminal), open it and paste the following code and hit return:

ls /Users/Shared/.*.so


After you hit the return key, if the response in the terminal says, "No such file or directory," then all is good. If you instead are shown files with an .so extension, I'm afraid you've been hit.

 

[faroZ06]

Which Unix system are you talking about and can you name these "things" ?

The current version used in Darwin, and the "things" being sudo access for many commands as well as other stuff I don't know about. Someone very knowledgeable about this told me that they have a lot of safeguards, but I don't know specifically what besides the permissions.

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Not sure if it's been mentioned here, but to check to see if you're a victim of this trojan, go to your terminal (Applications>Utilities>Terminal), open it and paste the following code and hit return:

ls /Users/Shared/.*.so


After you hit the return key, if the response in the terminal says, "No such file or directory," then all is good. If you instead are shown files with an .so extension, I'm afraid you've been hit.

Nice information, but I'm sure they change that frequently .

 

[wordsworth]

We're not merely tilting at windmills…

With regard to an earlier part of this thread, I am delighted that GGJstudios and others are stubborn enough to attempt to help ensure accuracy on these forums, and I'm disappointed that they receive criticism for their good intentions and efforts.

The periodic 'debate' about what we mean by virus, trojan, etc is absurd. By now surely there ought not to be any debate necessary, as GGJstudios repeatedly and valiantly attempts to point out to those with this particular conceptual blind spot.

What we have are specific terms, clearly defined, and just because millions of people are sloppy thinkers when it comes to using and understanding this terminology does not change the nature of the actual terminology and what it means. What it means to the sloppy thinkers is another matter, of course.

Such rigour in language – dictionary definitions, for example – enables us to conduct sophisticated communications and exchanges of ideas. Accuracy is a very sound basis for effective communication. Once accuracy is lost then confusion can very quickly become the norm.

For example, if my bank account password security access hinges on whether I know the difference between 'loose' and 'lose', and that I am also able to spell both correctly, then my bank account will be accessible to me. If I can't differentiate between the two, then I'm probably in trouble.

I use that admittedly laboured example merely because I see people use 'loose' when they mean 'lose' on this very forum quite often. It's sloppy but, yes, it does happen, and it is reality. One can acknowledge such. It doesn't make it right, though.

If instead, say, my bank account security hinges on my ability to know the difference between a trojan and a virus, and how to deal with them, then things become a little more complicated. A little more thought and effort is required. That's why, I imagine, so many people choose instead to simply consider them all merely viruses and duly slap a 'virus detector' onto that problematic computer of theirs, hoping or believing that everything is 'cured'.

When otherwise rational people, especially on these forums, imply or state baldly that such terminology doesn't matter, then there's something sadly wrong.

Don't tell me it's a banana if it's an orange.

 

[Steve121178]

So developed that the user needs to run 3rd party Antivirus/malware/spyware blocking/cleaning software to prevent the whole system from falling on its face?

They are not allowed to pre-install Antivirus/Malware protection as the EU will cry & then fine them $3248029384908324823 billion for anti-competitive behaviour.

 

[AidenShaw]

With regard to an earlier part of this thread, I am delighted that GGJstudios and others are stubborn enough to attempt to help ensure accuracy on these forums, and I'm disappointed that they receive criticism for their good intentions and efforts.
...
Don't tell me it's a banana if it's an orange.

Yes, exactly.

I think the point, however, is that we can waste tons of time and messages and completely derail discussions on pedantic arguments - or we can shrug our shoulders and simply accept that for the overwhelming majority of non-technical folks that "malwares" and "viruses" are the same thing - even though we "high priests" know that "viruses" are a subset of "malwares".

If you run into a hunky guy wearing a fight gravity t-shirt - do you pull him aside and point out that gravity per se doesn't exist - it's just an approximation of the effects of spacetime curvature created by mass according to Einstein's general theory of relativity? (Actually, if the guy is really hot I might do that, and then ask him if I can come to his house to see his pitons....)

Do you correct everyone who says MB when they mean MiB? Or, if they say that it's a 100 km drive to X do you ask how fast they are driving (since obviously the faster you drive the shorter the distance)?

 

[MonkeySee....]

For all you people installing Sophos. This "experts" scaremongering has done the trick. You are all installing his product.

GGStudios will tell you why not to install it if he hasn't already.

 

[clibinarius]

OS 9 had a far smaller share and more malware.

OS X has been on the market for nearly twelve years and all we have are a handful of trojans. And all this despite over 50 million users.

The old market-share argument dictates that we should have at least 1000 viruses by now, and that's being conservative. Right now we still have zero viruses and a few trojans.

The iDevice ecosystem (and the rapid proliferation thereof) has rendered this entire virus discussion moot anyway.

I would venture two reasons for this: Its much easier still to do windows due to a long history of this going around and a large backbone, but furthermore, Windows still has over 50% marketshare. As you approach 50%, I would say it goes up exponentially and that this is not linear. For instance, as Android approached 50%...

 

[MVallee]

Just removed flashback. Its been crashing Safari for me all week so I figured something was up.

 

[BaldiMac]

I think the point, however, is that we can waste tons of time and messages and completely derail discussions on pedantic arguments - or we can shrug our shoulders and simply accept that for the overwhelming majority of non-technical folks that "malwares" and "viruses" are the same thing - even though we "high priests" know that "viruses" are a subset of "malwares".

If you run into a hunky guy wearing a fight gravity t-shirt - do you pull him aside and point out that gravity per se doesn't exist - it's just an approximation of the effects of spacetime curvature created by mass according to Einstein's general theory of relativity? (Actually, if the guy is really hot I might do that, and then ask him if I can come to his house to see his pitons....)

Do you correct everyone who says MB when they mean MiB? Or, if they say that it's a 100 km drive to X do you ask how fast they are driving (since obviously the faster you drive the shorter the distance)?

Sure, but that ignores that these discussions inevitably start when someone claims that the latest trojan is proof that all those people who made claims about Macs and viruses are wrong.

 

[faroZ06]

and this is why the 2 most important parts of computing are:

1. keep your computer up-to-date

and

2. use a little common sense when something pops up (though I admit that is easier to more knowledgeable people like us than the wider 'mass' consumer)

The first one isn't necessarily correct. I don't think this trojan is compatible with my brother's iMac G5 running Leopard.

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Just removed flashback. Its been crashing Safari for me all week so I figured something was up.

Where did you download it from?