Laptop got a virus using Firefox, how do i remove!

[spinnerlys]

Fame is nice, but I'm sure cash is a much stronger motivation. Like I said to another, if you can't understand why potential install base (market share) would factor in to someone's decision process when writing a piece of malware or even a legitimate software package, I'm not sure what anyone could say.

But why were there viruses for Mac OS then, when the market share was much lower than it is today?

 

[GGJstudios]

Fame is nice, but I'm sure cash is a much stronger motivation. Like I said to another, if you can't understand why potential install base (market share) would factor in to someone's decision process when writing a piece of malware or even a legitimate software package, I'm not sure what anyone could say.

How many hackers who write viruses get paid for that? Or get paid, based on the number of computers affected? To assume that a virus creator's motivation is the same as a software marketing company is to assume quite a lot, with absolutely zero evidence to back it up.

 

[avediswolf]

Fame is nice, but I'm sure cash is a much stronger motivation. Like I said to another, if you can't understand why potential install base (market share) would factor in to someone's decision process when writing a piece of malware or even a legitimate software package, I'm not sure what anyone could say.

80% of viruses are written by 15 year olds who are too smart for their own good.

Fame is everything.

 

[dsprimal]

No one has said "Mac OS X cannot get viruses." It COULD, if a virus existed. There simply ARE no viruses in the wild at this time that can affect Leopard and Snow Leopard. That could change tomorrow, but the world would quickly find out about it.

That's why antivirus apps can't protect you from a Mac virus. They can't protect you from something that doesn't yet exist, because they don't know what to look for. In theory, a code could be written to exploit some vulnerability in Mac OS X. What that might look like, what the vulnerability is, and what it might do as a result is completely unknown at this time.

No, you can't get malware simply by visiting a porn site. If you give your email address, you can get spam. If you create a user name and password for the site, that has nothing to do with your administrator password on your Mac (unless you're foolish enough to use the same password!)

Currently, the only threats are trojans. For a trojan to work, you must first download it, then install it, entering your administrator password. You will also get a popup warning when you first launch a downloaded app, asking if you're sure you want to run it. As you can see, there are many safeguards built into Mac OS X. If you get a trojan, it's because the user did something foolish.

Ok thanks GGJ, so basically even if i filled out a registration form on a web cam site with my email. the only SPAM i'll get is e-mail spam. basically saying anything i did on these porn sites wont effect my macbook pro at all, but instead effect the email i put in. so no spyware/viruses/malware is possible through internet browsing....even porn site!

lastly, what settings should i have on to protect my computer. because ive seen the pop ups asking me "this program has been downloaded from the internet, do you want to proceed?"

and also i never came across a pop that asked me to enter my admin password (im thinking i may have that set off, if it isn't an automatic thing to pop up).

thanks for the help ggj and all

 

[AVonGauss]

But why were there viruses for Mac OS then, when the market share was much lower than it is today?

More interest, more vulnerability? How would any of us know? If you trying to point out OS X is more secure than the original Mac OS? I would agree with that, again, I didn't and don't think anyone else has suggested OS X is a virus haven. To answer the question as stated, you would have to compare the number of virus efforts at the time against say the number of virus attempts for Windows at the time to reflect on how market share impacts efforts. Likewise, to answer how market share impacts today you would have to compare the efforts against the different platforms.

 

[GGJstudios]

Ok thanks GGJ, so basically even if i filled out a registration form on a web cam site with my email.

Be aware that if you're on a webcam site and you broadcast your own cam, others can record what they see, both in still images and video. You may not want your likeness put on unsavory sites.

lastly, what settings should i have on to protect my computer. because ive seen the pop ups asking me "this program has been downloaded from the internet, do you want to proceed?"

That functionality is built into Mac OS X. You don't have to do anything to turn it on.

and also i never came across a pop that asked me to enter my admin password (im thinking i may have that set off, if it isn't an automatic thing to pop up).

That usually only pops up when you install software that needs administrator privileges. If you haven't installed anything, it's likely you won't see it, unless you modify certain things on your system.

 

[AVonGauss]

How many hackers who write viruses get paid for that? Or get paid, based on the number of computers affected? To assume that a virus creator's motivation is the same as a software marketing company is to assume quite a lot, with absolutely zero evidence to back it up.

Okay, lets run with the fame argument for a minute. For fame I want to make the news, so your contention is Mac OS X has NEVER had a virus and hence I would be famous for writing the first successful one? If not, then I'm thinking I need impact which is going to be more than likely a combination of either number of infections (market share) or damage done (lost files, credit cards numbers, etc). Is there another path for my fame?

 

[dsprimal]

Be aware that if you're on a webcam site and you broadcast your own cam, others can record what they see, both in still images and video. You may not want your likeness put on unsavory sites.

That functionality is built into Mac OS X. You don't have to do anything to turn it on.

That usually only pops up when you install software that needs administrator privileges. If you haven't installed anything, it's likely you won't see it, unless you modify certain things on your system.

ok thanks ggj! im fully aware of using the webcam feature on there, i definitely will not be doing that lol. but anyways, it feels good to know that even going to such sites/registering etc wont affect my macbook pro =]

 

[kyleh613]

I got a virus on my macbook pro using firefox bc, a popup keeps showing up saying my computer is infected. How can i scan it for viruses and remove?

This is almost as bad as those people who click those links saying their IP address is being broadcast.

 

[Penn Jennings]

Isn't that beautiful? No matter how hard we try to infect our machines with the dozen of malware products for Mac OS X, we just can't surpass Windows vulnerabilities to those kind of software.





It most certainly refers to their kernels and the architecture involved in the OS.

And that it is easier to infect a Windows machine, without protection, than it it to infect a Mac OS X machine, also without protection.
In Mac OS X you have to enter your password when you want to install something that needs access to the system files and folders, thus only an inbred and computer illiterate can infect her or himself.

If there would be viruses for Mac OS X, I certainly would have got one, as I'm quite handy in attracting them. I can stand besides a Linux PC and it will hiccup.

As much as I hate to get back into this. I will point out some thing. With buffer overflows and "arbitrary code execution" vulnerabilities, a user doesn't have to do ANYTHING to be totally compromised. Let me say that again, in some case just going to a web site is all you need to do. And Apple just patched some arbitrary code execution vulnerabilities in March I believe. There certainly no reason to think that some don't still still exist.

It is extremely unlikely that just view a document, email or web page will compromise you.... but it happens.

 

[GGJstudios]

Okay, lets run with the fame argument for a minute. For fame I want to make the news, so your contention is Mac OS X has NEVER had a virus ...

Try reading the thread before making ridiculous statements. How many times have I said in this thread that there WERE viruses in the past that affected Mac OS, but there ARE none in the wild that affect current Mac OS X (Leopard and Snow Leopard.) Please read it as many times as needed to finally comprehend it.

and hence I would be famous for writing the first successful one? If not, then I'm thinking I need impact which is going to be more than likely a combination of either number of infections (market share) or damage done (lost files, credit cards numbers, etc). Is there another path for my fame?

Which do you think you'd get more notoriety and "street cred" for?:

1. Releasing a virus in the wild that infects 1 million Windows computers.
2. Releasing a virus in the wild that infects 100 Mac computers.

Your arguments are tiresome, repetitive, baseless and not worth continuing this discussion. Believe what you choose to. I honestly don't care. Just don't post misinformation that can confuse others.

 

[kyleh613]

I would think writing a virus for a Mac that infects even one Mac would get some attention. However the task of doing so is nearly impossible. I'm sure people have tried, and they realized they aren't going to get anywhere and so they give up.

 

[AVonGauss]

Try reading the thread before making ridiculous statements. How many times have I said in this thread that there WERE viruses in the past that affected Mac OS, but there ARE none in the wild that affect current Mac OS X (Leopard and Snow Leopard.) Please read it as many times as needed to finally comprehend it.

Which do you think you'd get more notoriety and "street cred" for?:

1. Releasing a virus in the wild that infects 1 million Windows computers.
2. Releasing a virus in the wild that infects 100 Mac computers.

Your arguments are tiresome, repetitive, baseless and not worth continuing this discussion. Believe what you choose to. I honestly don't care. Just don't post misinformation that can confuse others.

...and this is usually how this discussion ends on this topic here, in someone just being rude to another. I have read the entire thread and my comprehension skills are quite good.

If you don't like what I post, feel free to ignore it, but unless you're a moderator now, don't try to tell me what to or not to post just because it doesn't agree with what you personally believe.

 

[kyleh613]

...and this is usually how this discussion ends on this topic here, in someone just being rude to another. I have read the entire thread and my comprehension skills are quite good.

If you don't like what I post, feel free to ignore it, but unless you're a moderator now, don't try to tell me what to or not to post just because it doesn't agree with what you personally believe.

When you post things that are clearly stupid and very wrong, you can expect to be called out on it. Don't throw a fit when this happens, just stop posting. You've posted a lot in this thread, most of it has been pretty dumb.

 

[Eddyisgreat]

...and this is usually how this discussion ends on this topic here, in someone just being rude to another. I have read the entire thread and my comprehension skills are quite good.

If you don't like what I post, feel free to ignore it, but unless you're a moderator now, don't try to tell me what to or not to post just because it doesn't agree with what you personally believe.

Don't get frustrated now. You're saying that OS X is only secure because no body cares. We are telling you that's not the case.

 

[AVonGauss]

Don't get frustrated now. You're saying that OS X is only secure because no body cares. We are telling you that's not the case.

I really tend to forget how many here simply resort to being rude to each other rather than actually having a discussion. No, that's not what I said and have already several times stated explicitly that is not the case. What I have said, again, is that Windows is a larger target due to its market share and also because of some poor design decisions by Microsoft in the past.

 

[kyleh613]

I really tend to forget how many here simply resort to being rude to each other rather than actually having a discussion. No, that's not what I said and have already several times stated explicitly that is not the case.

This is the internet, no one cares if your feelings are hurt. You are posting dumb stuff and people are naturally correcting you, deal with you. You are whining because you can't stand the thought of being wrong, just stop posting if it bugs you that much.

 

[Eddyisgreat]

I really tend to forget how many here simply resort to being rude to each other rather than actually having a discussion. No, that's not what I said and have already several times stated explicitly that is not the case. What I have said, again, is that Windows is a larger target due to its market share and also because of some poor design decisions by Microsoft in the past.

lol.

Ok so Windows is a larger target due to market share.

Answer this ONE (two) question.

Can you show me an actual virus where I can plug in an infected USB drive and introduce the payload to a network of, say , 25 macs, autmatically with no user intervention (other than pluging it in)? I have a room full of macs that I will test it out on RIGHT NOW.

If not, why not?

 

[AVonGauss]

This is the internet, no one cares if your feelings are hurt. You are posting dumb stuff and people are naturally correcting you, deal with you. You are whining because you can't stand the thought of being wrong, just stop posting if it bugs you that much.

No.

 

[dukebound85]

lol.

Ok so Windows is a larger target due to market share.

Answer this ONE (two) question.

Can you show me an actual virus where I can plug in an infected USB drive and introduce the payload to a network of, say , 25 macs, autmatically with no user intervention (other than pluging it in)? I have a room full of macs that I will test it out on RIGHT NOW.

If not, why not?

Hey sounds reasonable....macs have over 5% market share....surely there would be a virus to do such a thing in the present time.......oh wait can't seem to find any virus

dagnabit

Maybe AvonGauss is more resourceful than I and the rest of the tech world (who surely would have picked up on this) in finding these virii

 

[kyleh613]

No.

If you are going to continue to be a whiny ****, then don't tell people to stop being "rude", and really no one is being rude to you. You just can't stand being wrong.

 

[Eddyisgreat]

Hey AVon.

I hate sending you on a wild goose chase looking for what doesn't exist.

But I figured i'd answer my own question, but for windows. An easy task, actually

Worm:W32/Brontok
Worm:W32/Generic
Net-Worm:W32/Koobface.gen <- this one doesn't count. It's stupid facespace and mybook users calling the shots lulz

 

[AVonGauss]

If you are going to continue to be a whiny ****, then don't tell people to stop being "rude", and really no one is being rude to you. You just can't stand being wrong.

I haven't told anybody to stop anything, just stated people such as yourself resort to being rude to others in discussions such as this. Nor have I called people names or as you say throw a fit - you've been doing that all by yourself.

 

[kyleh613]

I haven't told anybody to stop anything, just stated people such as yourself resort to being rude to others in discussions such as this. Nor have I called people names or as you say throw a fit - you've been doing that all by yourself.

Wow, you are really something else.

Hey AVon.

I hate sending you on a wild goose chase looking for what doesn't exist.

But I figured i'd answer my own question, but for windows. An easy task, actually

Worm:W32/Brontok
Worm:W32/Generic
Net-Worm:W32/Koobface.gen <- this one doesn't count. It's stupid facespace and mybook users calling the shots lulz

There is no way he would ever respond to something like this. It doesn't go along with his troll persona, which he is pretty horrible at.

 

[AVonGauss]

I hate sending you on a wild goose chase looking for what doesn't exist.

Thanks, but I really wasn't out trying to chase one down. The Windows USB auto run I think would fall under the poor design decisions by Microsoft category from my first reply, no?