Yes. The industry has just wrapped it all up into one term. Viruses have actually been less of the "problem" of recent times.
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Researcher Set to Announce 20 Zero-Day Holes in Mac OS X
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Yes. The industry has just wrapped it all up into one term. Viruses have actually been less of the "problem" of recent times.
I don't think this definition of virus is correct. MS-DOS viruses didn't need to rely on any system flaws. They typically would search for executable files and write copies of themselves into that executable. All perfectly legitimate operations that did not involve exploiting a flaw.
Your definition is probably closer to that of a worm.
I'll believe it when I see it.
We've seen these lists of OS X security issues announced before and it always turns out to be theoretical and inconsequential security issues that don't affect anyone. This strikes me as more a grab for attention than anything else, and since CanSecWest is the host of the attention-whoring PWN2OWN contest, it only stands to reason that this is B.S.
Still, I'm open to the possibility, but this particular boy has cried wolf a few too many times for me to take him seriously. We'll see.
People still connect to the internet directly through a cable modem?
I'm pretty sure that is the only way (reasonably) you can get hit like that, as every cheap POS home router on the planet should only allow outbound connections by default...
Not true, but what most amateurs seem to pass along. There is a bsd security layer in Mac OSX that has been vetted over many decades. There is plenty of interest in writing viruses for Macs. Hell, it's the top prize now at many security conventions. Truth is, it's not that easy.
Lol. Tell that to Mac OS 9. God knows how many viruses that had while it only had 1-3% of the market if even that. I love these people that shout market share as the reason Mac OS X doesn't have viruses.
Feel free to avail yourself to the article linked to in my sig which lays out all the counter-arguments to the argument you're making. This idea that "market share" is the primary cause of viruses has been debunked so many times, it's almost silly to see people cite it.
And note that the article was written 2 years ago at a time when we were deluged with articles by security "experts" claiming OS X's sudden increase in popularity was going to cause an outbreak of viruses and malware. Still hasn't happened.
don't really care why I'm safe, important thing that I'm safe
Like it or not its 20 ways for me to get root access to your machine.
Very good, we need guys like Miller to shake things up a bit and keep Apple on their toes as they push their market share forward. What we don't need are Apple apologists or zealots, that gets nothing done. Apple will appreciate what Miller has to offer too, it's free R&D, and the publicity from Miller's event won't cost them any sales as it's not necessarily negative, we all know that it's win win.
The funny thing is most people don't even understand how the "hacker" community works. There are basically 3 camps (over-simplifying, but still):
1) White hats - These are the good guys who are finding the wholes before the bad guys.
2) Russian mafia - I don't even want to say black hats, as these guys are simply the equivalent of soldiers for the Russian mob. In some cases, they are contracted out, but basically it is a bunch of Eastern European hackers who sell their services to whoever pays. If you can find some of the shadier IRC channels out there, you'll be shocked how cheap you can get hundreds of SSNs, CC #s, etc in flat text files. I'm talking millions of dollars worth of credit card numbers for $500
3) Script kiddies - the douchebags who hack websites using some no-talent automated tool like metasploit. They wait for some smarter people than them to do the leg work so they can reap the rewards.
So this idea that "I'm sure SOME hacker would want some press" completely misses the point. Group #1 is getting the press finding these exploits without doing any real harm, group #2 would rather have a 10 million user botnet of desktops hooked up to DS-3s left on 24/7/365 in an office because corporate AD policy pushes windows updates once a month, and #3 isn't smart enough.
1) White hats - These are the good guys who are finding the wholes before the bad guys.
2) Russian mafia - I don't even want to say black hats, as these guys are simply the equivalent of soldiers for the Russian mob. In some cases, they are contracted out, but basically it is a bunch of Eastern European hackers who sell their services to whoever pays. If you can find some of the shadier IRC channels out there, you'll be shocked how cheap you can get hundreds of SSNs, CC #s, etc in flat text files. I'm talking millions of dollars worth of credit card numbers for $500
3) Script kiddies - the douchebags who hack websites using some no-talent automated tool like metasploit. They wait for some smarter people than them to do the leg work so they can reap the rewards.
So this idea that "I'm sure SOME hacker would want some press" completely misses the point. Group #1 is getting the press finding these exploits without doing any real harm, group #2 would rather have a 10 million user botnet of desktops hooked up to DS-3s left on 24/7/365 in an office because corporate AD policy pushes windows updates once a month, and #3 isn't smart enough.
so this guy is gonna reveal the loopholes, so hackers can hack osx???
what is wrong with that guy??
Hackers can already do that if they find the holes.
So this guy is gonna reveal the loopholes so Apple can fix them so hackers can no longer find and use them.
Keep in mind it was two years in a row this guy won for hacking OSX. The first year he came with two exploits and the first one worked so he won. The second exploit he didn't tell anyone about and a year later it was still unpatched and he used that to win again. So maybe apple patched it quickly once he told them about it but it doesn't change the fact that the exploit was out there for more than a year. The next contest begins again next week.
He also said that OSX was easier to hack than windows and that windows vista and 7 are more secure. Though he also said OSX is safer.
Most exploits these days will coming in the form of phising and social engineering. The operating system can't protect you from that.
There is also a trojan out there, the famous one attached to pirated copies of iwork. Now you say, "I don't pirate anything so I have nothing to worry about". Not true. Hackers don't have to necessarily hack OSX. Rather they hack the servers where you download software from and attach their malware to that. Looks legit to everyone, after all you've been using that software for years, and then one day you are infected and don't even know it.
Yes, back in the days of when XP just came out, many people only had one computer, therefore they did not buy a router. However, having a router still doesn't make you immune to stuff like this.
Nice, but wrong.
Your groupings are oversimplified and far from complete. There is a fourth group of malcontents who are like evolved script kiddies, who have some know-how and real skills, who just like to cause trouble and they would surely do it just for the "LULZ." The most famous virus outbreaks are usually caused by them tinkering with existing viruses and reintroducing them into the wild.
Every virus that affected PCs of people I knew either came from Office macros or downloading what they thought was music/porn from share sites.
Microsoft Office -- what a p.o.s. that system was for a long time. I always explain that I've never had much of a problem with Windows, just loathe MS Office on Windows -- even though I use it fairly often like everyone else does.
Microsoft Office -- what a p.o.s. that system was for a long time. I always explain that I've never had much of a problem with Windows, just loathe MS Office on Windows -- even though I use it fairly often like everyone else does.
“Obscurity” IS a factor that helps the Mac. It is not the ONLY factor, though.
But they’re all GOOD factors, not bad ones. They put us in the great position we are in today! And even if, someday, we see the first successful Internet-spreading virus/worm for Mac, it will still be nothing compared to Windows. (Where the worst part, for me, isn’t the malware—it’s the hassle of all the defenses you must put up and all the self-education you must waste time on. Or you could take your chances, like my tech-savvy Windows friends who think it can’t happen to them, until it does.)
As for security research, I’m all for it. But tell the vendors first. It’s only responsible.
But they’re all GOOD factors, not bad ones. They put us in the great position we are in today! And even if, someday, we see the first successful Internet-spreading virus/worm for Mac, it will still be nothing compared to Windows. (Where the worst part, for me, isn’t the malware—it’s the hassle of all the defenses you must put up and all the self-education you must waste time on. Or you could take your chances, like my tech-savvy Windows friends who think it can’t happen to them, until it does.)
As for security research, I’m all for it. But tell the vendors first. It’s only responsible.
Still no known viruses...eat that.
Yeah Well thats quite a load of
. Here are few:Virus (PoC): OSX/Inqtana.A
Trojan-Downloader: OSX/Jahlev.A
Backdoor: OSX/iWorkServ.A
Worm: OSX/Tored.A
And still many Mac users do essentially just that. There is no such thing as an immune OS.Oh please.
Her car "keeps getting stolen" and yet she continues to leave the keys in it and the doors unlocked?
Yes, that's believable.
I switched to the Mac because it was the better platform. And it still is the better platform for many reasons. But Windows 7 is ahead of OS X in security features. Some people just need to get over it.
And even if some Windows virus would not effect you, you might be spreading the crap around. Theres just no good excuse not to use anti-virus.
These holes are about PDFs this time and those 20 are from Preview. You can read a bit more from Integos blog.
Yeah Well thats quite a load of
Virus (PoC): OSX/Inqtana.A
Trojan-Downloader: OSX/Jahlev.A
Backdoor: OSX/iWorkServ.A
Worm: OSX/Tored.A
And still many Mac users do essentially just that. There is no such thing as an immune OS.
I switched to the Mac because it was the better platform. And it still is the better platform for many reasons. But Windows 7 is ahead of OS X in security features. Some people just need to get over it.
And even if some Windows virus would not effect you, you might be spreading the crap around. Theres just no good excuse not to use anti-virus.
These holes are about PDFs this time and those 20 are from Preview. You can read a bit more from Integos blog.
Yes, because using Macs since 2006 makes you an expert on such matters. I have been using them consistently for 20 years. Not just using them mind you, I mean administering them. Never once have I seen a real world exploit.
I imagine you are 13 years old. You have a lot of imagination. Now, go and try W7 and you'll see how ridiculous your posts sounds.