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Malware on Google

Shrink

Shrink

macrumors G3
Original poster
Feb 26, 2011
8,929
1,727
New England, USA
I was just doing a Google search, and a "survey" popped up. Asked 4 non-revealing questions (e.g. "Which do you use more" "Google, Chrome, or Both"). I filled in the 4 questions (yes, I'm a dope :eek:) and then I was told that I won a $1,000 gift certificate to K-Mart, or Best Buy, or an Apple iPad.

Even someone as simple as I figured out that it was a phishing site, or possibly a trojan - I exited Google too fast to find out!

Just a heads-up :)
 
Shrink said:
I was just doing a Google search, and a "survey" popped up. Asked 4 non-revealing questions (e.g. "Which do you use more" "Google, Chrome, or Both"). I filled in the 4 questions (yes, I'm a dope :eek:) and then I was told that I won a $1,000 gift certificate to K-Mart, or Best Buy, or an Apple iPad.

Even someone as simple as I figured out that it was a phishing site, or possibly a trojan - I exited Google too fast to find out!

Just a heads-up :)
Click to expand...

A Google Search is not the same thing as being on a Google product. I assume when you search, everything good and bad will pop up. That is why you should use a product like "netcraft toolbar" in Firefox to assist in spotting phishing sites. It would have been interesting to see what kind of info they wanted from you. ;)

What does it take to get infected by a trojan virus?
 
Huntn said:
A Google Search is not the same thing as being on a Google product. I assume when you search, everything good and bad will pop up. That is why you should use a product like "netcraft toolbar" in Firefox to assist in spotting phishing sites. It would have been interesting to see what kind of info they wanted from you. ;)

What does it take to get infected by a trojan virus?
Click to expand...

A trojan is not a virus. Macs don't get viruses (where's GGJstudios when I need him :eek:)

I am far from an expert on this, but my understanding of a trojan is that it is a form of malware that requires the user to invite it in and then open it once downloaded. It doesn't enter the computer unless the user does something to let it in - it can't "sneak in" like a virus. Once in, a trojan doesn't cause damage like a virus might, but it may steal sensitive information.

Once again, you would do well to do a search on this site for "malware" and "virus" - although all you will get on virus is that there has never been a virus infecting a Mac, ever.
 
Shrink said:
Because I came upon malware while searching Google.

Sorry if it was inappropriate of me to post it.
Click to expand...

It was a rhetorical question; I was being a bit rude.

But what happened with what you did, it doesn't matter where you did it; Google has nothing to do with it. It could have been Yahoo, Ask, Bing, or whatever.

Google just provides you with links. Just to be somewhat helpful.
 
MacNut said:
Holly crap, you came upon malware while searching the internet, call the police!
Click to expand...

Insert that meme with the white guy in front of the computer? Here let me find it

memes-computer-at-risk.jpg
 
Shrink said:
A trojan is not a virus. Macs don't get viruses (where's GGJstudios when I need him :eek:)
Click to expand...
And you know this how? Any computer can get a virus if the user is stupid. While it might not be as easy to get a virus on a Mac never assume it is impossible.
 
MacNut said:
And you know this how? Any computer can get a virus if the user is stupid. While it might not be as easy to get a virus on a Mac never assume it is impossible.
Click to expand...

As somebody named "MacNut", you really aren't too well read on your mac products are you?

"Ironyyyy"

*makes more popcorn and sits back*
 
MacNut said:
And you know this how? Any computer can get a virus if the user is stupid. While it might not be as easy to get a virus on a Mac never assume it is impossible.
Click to expand...

By definition, a user doesn't have to do anything to get a virus. A user has to be "dumb" to get a trojan. Phishing does not have anything to do with malware (unless the phished info is used to somehow compromise the user's system).
 
Young Spade said:
As somebody named "MacNut", you really aren't too well read on your mac products are you?

"Ironyyyy"

*makes more popcorn and sits back*
Click to expand...
So let me get this straight, you are saying there is no chance ever of a Mac being compromised? I call that nieve.

(marc) said:
By definition, a user doesn't have to do anything to get a virus. A user has to be "dumb" to get a trojan. Phishing does not have anything to do with malware (unless the phished info is used to somehow compromise the user's system).
Click to expand...
Either way not protecting your system will lead to someone else doing bad things to it. Once you connect to the internet you are putting yourself out there.
 
MacNut said:
So let me get this straight, you are saying there is no chance ever of a Mac being compromised? I call that nieve.

Either way not protecting your system will lead to someone else doing bad things to it. Once you connect to the internet you are putting yourself out there.
Click to expand...

Now you're backtracking and changing what I have said.

Don't put words in my mouth. Address my points exactly as they are written.

The creation of points that hold no relevance to make you seem like you know something serves no purpose here as well. I'm referring to

Either way not protecting your system will lead to someone else doing bad things to it. Once you connect to the internet you are putting yourself out there.

Don't be that guy.
 
Young Spade said:
Now you're backtracking and changing what I have said.

Don't put words in my mouth. Address my points exactly as they are written.

The creation of points that hold no relevance to make you seem like you know something serves no purpose here as well. I'm referring to

Either way not protecting your system will lead to someone else doing bad things to it. Once you connect to the internet you are putting yourself out there.

Don't be that guy.
Click to expand...
Your main claim is that a Mac can't get a virus is that correct?
 
MacNut said:
Your main claim is that a Mac can't get a virus is that correct?
Click to expand...

Yep.

God I thought I'd never say this, Where is that one guy when you need him? He always posts the faq links and stuff.

Just read around and stop thinking you're right all of the time. Its common knowledge that Macs cannot get viruses.

Ugh.
 
Young Spade said:
Yep.

God I thought I'd never say this, Where is that one guy when you need him? He always posts the faq links and stuff.

Just read around and stop thinking you're right all of the time. Its common knowledge that Macs cannot get viruses.

Ugh.
Click to expand...

I think Macs can get viruses, it's just that nobody ever bothered to create one since Windows has a much larger user base.
There are no known viruses that affect Mac OSX in the wild.
 
Young Spade said:
Yep.

God I thought I'd never say this, Where is that one guy when you need him? He always posts the faq links and stuff.

Just read around and stop thinking you're right all of the time. Its common knowledge that Macs cannot get viruses.

Ugh.
Click to expand...

It's a common misconception that Macs can't get viruses. There aren't as many as it's got a much smaller userbase, but there most definitely are viruses for OSX.
 
MacNut said:
Your main claim is that a Mac can't get a virus is that correct?
Click to expand...

Young Spade said:
Yep.
Click to expand...

Hypothetically, a Mac can get a virus.

It would require a remote privilege escalation vulnerability or a local privilege escalation vulnerability to be linked with a remote arbitrary code execution vulnerability to be used to create an exploit.

This has not happened in the wild against OS X.

Remote and local privilege escalation vulnerabilities are rare in OS X.

lbro said:
I think Macs can get viruses, it's just that nobody ever bothered to create one since Windows has a much larger user base.
There are no known viruses that affect Mac OSX in the wild.
Click to expand...

Earlier versions of Windows only required a remote arbitrary code execution vulnerability to create an exploit to achieve system level access to install malware without user interaction.

Also, all versions of Windows have a much higher incidence rate of remote and local privilege escalation vulnerabilities to facilitate the development of malware.

The primary factor causing more malware to exist for Windows is that Windows is a much easier target.

Many analogous examples show that market share is not the primary cause.

For example, more malware targets IIS over Apache despite Apache being released earlier and having greater market share.

All this is explained in more detail in the following posts:

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13013889/

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13135058/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13165199/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13165416/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13165434/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13171321/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13172737/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13173644/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13174147/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13174379/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13174470/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13176305/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13176444/

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13264019/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13277531/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13278074/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13278424/

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1143001/

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13013889/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13015609/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13021092/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13023446/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13024302/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13027546/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13031404/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13031975/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13032042/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13032913/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13036414/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13042727/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13045940/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13057020/
https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/13063020/
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Abyssgh0st said:
Man, you are a stubborn one. Seems like you haven't been a Mac user for very long.

Pirated copies of iWork '09 infecting thousands.

Mac Defender in 2011.

Do some research first.
Click to expand...

And see, that's why I didn't even respond. Those are NOT VIRUSES. You are arguing a point for which you don't even know the definition.

MAC Defender was MALWARE. The iWork pirates? Trojans or malware. Go read up on your terminology please.

See, this is why I don't like coming here anymore; too many new people who don't know diddly who think that, because they read a few posts, know what they're talking about.

There's a difference between viruses and malware.

Which is why I said there were no VIRUSES.
 
Young Spade said:
And see, that's why I didn't even respond. Those are NOT VIRUSES. You are arguing a point for which you don't even know the definition.

MAC Defender was MALWARE. The iWork pirates? Trojans or malware. Go read up on your terminology please.

See, this is why I don't like coming here anymore; too many new people who don't know diddly who think that, because they read a few posts, know what they're talking about.

There's a difference between viruses and malware.

Which is why I said there were no VIRUSES.
Click to expand...

Alright then.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malware

http://i.word.com/idictionary/Malware
 
This is kinda like how my Chrome gave me a huge fuss over a .jpg from a site which apparently has been linked with malware (some cooking website in a "awesome recipies" thread on a different forum hah) and left me wondering... how can a .jpg be a problem?

Then I started thinking and realized just how bad of a problem it would be IF jpegs could be malware/virus sources/etc :eek:
 
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