You probably don't have to click through the installer, but you do have to be running as an administrator. Something that no one should ever do on a day to day basis, for any reason.
No, you don't need to be running as admin. It makes no difference if you run as a standard or admin user.
the days of malware free macs are over!
If you've read the thread, you know by now how foolish that statement is.
Another question is where the hell are they downloading this. I still haven't come across MacDefender. And I may or may not frequent sites that shall go unnamed.
Many have encountered it in Google image search results, as well as sites like Yahoo, Facebook, etc.
For me the download started automatically.. I don't know if it was the case for others.. I came across Mac Guard...
Uncheck "Open "safe" files after downloading" in Safari Preferences.
Coming from an all OS owner I hope at least this will stop Apple fanboys from immediately saying that "Macs don't get virus' ".
Fanboys don't say that. Fanboys say "Macs
can't get viruses", which is false. "Macs don't get viruses" is an accurate statement, if you're talking about the past 10 years since Mac OS X was released. That's because no Mac OS X virus has ever been released in the wild.
Do you like contradicting yourself? We can go back and forth between "virus"/malware argument but what's the point.
The point is there's a significant distinction. If you don't want to take the time to learn the difference, that's your choice. A prudent computer user would learn the difference if given a chance.
Meanwhile personal data is being compromised, stolen and/or destroyed.
No, personal data is being voluntarily surrendered by foolish users.
Agreed The same "malware" attacks (Not virus) attacks that have targeted Windows users are now hitting Macs..
Trojans have been around for both platforms for decades. Viruses were around for both platforms up until 10 years ago. Since then, none for current Mac OS X.
This is why I use Sophos
No connection with Sophos other than I run their software, and obviously, I am glad that I do!
Sophos is
not recommended, as it can actually increase your Mac's vulnerability. Read the link at the bottom of this post.
Can you guys please stop saying "Uhh this isn't a virus!"
This isn't a virus. It's not nitpicking. There is a significant difference between a trojan and a virus. If you don't understand the difference, read the link at the bottom of this post.
So yeah, in my opinion it is nitpicking. Like I said before, "Trojan Horses", "ANSI Bombs", and "Worms" alllll use to be under the "Virus" umbrella. The definition was changed by the people who make money off of them.
No, they're all under the malware umbrella. The definitions have been around for decades. Just because someone chooses to refer to a tree as a truck, doesn't make it so.
The amount of false information going around that is factless and not correct is amazing to me. .... In fact, the first computer virus ever reported in the wild was on an old Unix system a good 30 years ago or so.
Speaking of false information...
A program called "Elk Cloner" was the first computer virus to appear "in the wild" — that is, outside the single computer or lab where it was created. Written in 1981 by Richard Skrenta, it attached itself to the Apple DOS 3.3 operating system and spread via floppy disk.
The Mac OS has been attacked and here we have people arguing over semantics.
The Mac OS hasn't been attacked. Uninformed or foolish Mac users have been attacked. This is a user problem, not an OS problem. The user has 100% control over whether this gets installed or not. The threat would be the same on any OS.
It took some time but now it has begun.....
Nothing has "begun". It's the same old story.
Please educate me by example just how deep into the kernel one needs to be before a virus counts as a "REAL virus"?
How "deep into the kernel" is not a measure of whether something is a virus or trojan. Read the link at the end of this post to learn the difference.
You know I have to use your post and link as an example of how Apple fans use the term "virus" both ways.
There's only one correct way to use the term virus. See the link below.
This is why I recommend having your primary userid NOT have administrator privileges.
It makes no difference whatsoever whether you run as a standard or admin user.
How come an installer is classed as a safe program :/
Because an installer is a "safe" program. It's the app that gets installed that may not be safe.
Ok I don't have this virus but I only have 1 account on my MBP. But at the same time every time I got to install a app I have to put in my admin password. Am I safe from this auto install or should I make another account to run off?
You're fine running as admin, as long as you're careful about what you install.
I have long ago unchecked the automatic opening of a file in Safari so that isn't the problem. MacDefender opened the installer without needing me to click on it. I, assuming, it was the program I meant to install clicked yes.
If you had unchecked the "Open "safe" files after downloading" option, the installer would not have opened without you opening it. Even with that aside, common sense suggests you actually read the screens that come up during installation and think about what you're doing.
Here's the bottom line(s):
- There are several forms of malware, which includes viruses, trojans, worms, etc.
- There is a meaningful difference between viruses and trojans, so understanding the difference is important to any prudent computer user.
- A virus can infect a computer without the user being aware or taking any action, and can replicate itself without user action or permission.
- A trojan requires deliberate action on the part of the user in order to install and cannot replicate itself without user action and permission.
- There were viruses that affected Mac OS 9 and earlier versions, but there has never been a virus in the wild that can affect Mac OS X since its release 10 years ago.
- The only malware that exists in the wild that runs on Mac OS X is in the form of trojans, which have been around for decades, affecting different versions of Mac OS, including Mac OS X.
- MacDefender/MacSecurity/MacProtecter/MacGuard is a trojan (at best), because it cannot be installed without the user actively installing it.
- Whether the install process requires an admin password or not, it still requires the user to actively proceed with the installation.
- It makes no difference if you run as a standard or admin user.
- Antivirus cannot protect a Mac from a virus that does not yet exist, because it doesn't know what to look for.
- Some antivirus, such as Sophos, can increase your Mac's vulnerability.
- No antivirus can protect a Mac or Windows or Linux or Unix system from the number one threat to any computer: the user.
- There is no substitute for a user being informed, cautious and thoughtful while using a computer, especially when choosing and installing software.
- Because someone states facts that you don't like or disagrees with your position doesn't make them a fanboy. Overuse of this term speaks more about the maturity level of those using this term. Please expand your vocabulary!
- If you really want to help friends, relatives, coworkers, forum members, don't attack or insult them; educate them!
If you want to respond to anything in this post,
please do NOT quote this entire post. I know it's long, so there's no need to make copies.
