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Snow Leopard Antimalware Feature Gaining Publicity

please answer this

First things first is there is a program that acts just like a virus that is on a mac today, that is Skype however we allow it to act as one. But in saying that I would love someone to answer this. If there is no virus on the market and that is because no one can be bother writing one why is it that we have people writing code out there and hacking things for fun or for their ego? I know if I was into doing that I would love to be responsible for the first virus in the world that actually made the media for getting into and spreading through mac, the fact is that the virus on a PC can't just be replicated onto a mac, it just does not work that way.
 
Hi
pounce said:
if you are smart about what you are downloading you are fine. if you are pirating software and are all over the torrents, then you might get a malicious program. that's your own damn fault, too. no sympathy here. i own four macs right now, and i've owned macs for many years. never a problem, not a single one. can't say the same for my windows computers.
Click to expand...
That's the overall truth. I've run Windows in Parallels, Boot Camp, and at work and none have ever been infected. On top of that... I use the one at work to remove viruses from other people's computer ( connect the drive's via USB to scan ). It's primarily people downloading "nifty", "cute", etc toolbars, games, etc Another is people trying to download free fixes to try to remove the infection they caused and that "free" program is not legit or at the minimum just a trial version. Lastly... A good percentage is family computers with ( mainly teenagers ) using Limewire, Kazaa, and other P2P apps to try and get free music, movies, and even porn. In the end, these all require the cost of removing these infections and therefore not worth the risk. Plus, I find the quality of P2P content quite terrible. Once a year or so I download a song or two to preview before buying the album but delete it. Thirty second previews aren't very revealing.

One final thing to note that I find somewhat humorous is that most of these infections can be prevented or reduced in severity if people just kept their programs, OS, and anti-virus programs up to date.
 
Master Chief said:
Yes they do, and that's a fact. And now read this:

"Software is considered malware – AKA Badware – based on the perceived intent of the creator rather than any particular features. Malware includes computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, most rootkits, spyware, dishonest adware, crimeware and other malicious and unwanted software".
Click to expand...

And what is your source? I'm not saying OSX is NOT ABLE to get viruses. I'm not stupid lol. But there simple fact is that at this time, it doesn't get them. Any OS is able to be compromised, but OS X has not been affected.

Master Chief said:
Right. So because nothing seriously bad happened, yet, we should leave the door open? I guess that's why Apple is stepping in.

As a reminder: 50% of all Mac's sold are sold to "switchers" – Apple sale numbers – and these people might not have a clue whatsoever. And Apple knows this, and likes to prevent a real PR nightmare, because trust me, Microsoft is going to rub it into their face when it happens. Just a matter of time IMHO.

Just look at the media reports about the (two?) French "exploded iPhone/iPod"'s. Not good, and Apple don't want this sort of events to happen all too often, or their stock value might drop some day soon.

And as an example: Even I could have been a target to a malware attack. What did I do? Well, all I did was to download a zipped Open Source source program, which was modified without the real author's consent – they've put a "convenient" compiled version in it, which I know was used by someone else (all hell broke lose when I told him about it).
Click to expand...

I agree with you. Hence the reason I stated that Apple is taken measures now not later! That is the smart thing to do. Doesn't mean there is any real danger yet.
 
Hi
rwilliams said:
I tell Windows users to run as far away from Symantec and McAfee as possible, and to use AVG instead. We have McAfee here at work, and it is the suck.
Click to expand...
Agreed. I'm not quite as forceful but I do tell the facts to people. The 'brand name' anti-virus programs are quite resource intensive and 'large'. Another issue is the high percentage sales of "Internet Security" products over the regular anti-virus / anti-spyware, etc products. Ugh!!! Let's add a resource draining, annoying, possibly update blocking, possibly Internet access stopping, and little effective third party firewall and spam blocker on top of everything. You'd likely be surprised on how many times Norton Internet Security, etc can get damaged and cause virus like annoyances. Using their removal tools and installing a good anti-virus / anti-spyware, etc program fixes most right up. To be fair, I'm not a hypocrite and don't even recommend AVG Internet Security.
 
3rd party

now, that it is a known place where OS checks about safety of downloads
1. 3rd party utilities can update it daily, so users are safer.
2. Malware can update it too, so their other stuff can sneak in.

Unless Apple chooses to encrypt the file and would update it regularly, at least as microsoft updates monthly virus definitions with security updates
 
Hi
TeeJayEm said:
I don't see how people would get annoyed with this. I mean, unless you want a burglar in your house then you need to lock the doors and unless you want someone trashing your yard then you need to put a fence around it. God forbid you make one extra click ONLY when a suspicious file is detected. Are you that lazy with locking your doors too? If so, please give me your address and a time when you'll be away.
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While I don't necessarily argue with protecting oneself, I'm more in favor of stopping the problem at the source. As with burglars, virus writers, etc; I think, they should get only one more chance to prove they can be useful to society or face extreme punishments ( not just jail time because we all know how well that usually works :p )
 
"Apple has not revealed any details about the feature on its extensive security page for OS X Snow Leopard, referring only to the existing standard scan of downloaded files to determine if an application is included in a given package"

While I agree that Apple hasn't really revealed details per se, anyone else notice that the security page states:

"With virtually no effort on your part, Mac OS X offers a multilayered system of defenses against viruses and other malicious applications, or malware."

Viruses and Malware are specifically mentioned... at least on the Canadian Apple site http://www.apple.com/ca/macosx/security/
 
I'm really not understanding why people are getting so up in arms over this :confused:

It's kind of like car insurance. Generally (there are exceptions to every rule) you get car insurance when you don't need it (you need it because it's the law, but I'm talking about not needing it as in you're not shopping for car insurance @ the accident scene). But it's there if/when you do need it. Nobody plans on getting in a wreck, but ***** happens when you don't expect it and it's better to be covered. Imagine the outcry if say 6 months from now the 1st major Mac malware attack comes out and there wasn't any protection from it? I know, don't click on unknown emails or links or whatever, but we all know that although the individual is smart, people are stupid and the 1st *stupid* Mac user to get a virus will be the 1st in line to sue Apple for false advertising and you KNOW there are lawyers who will jump all over that. I see this as more of an insurance measure than anything else. I probably won't need it and I don't expect to need it, but it will be nice to have it *if* I do need it.
 
jzuena said:
And even if they return in the next version of Office, if the malicious macro tries to do something to the system itself, OSX will still not let it happen unless you authenticate with an administrator's username and password. This is a foundation of Unix security. This is still better than Windows' UAC which will just ask if you want to proceed. Someone using your machine that doesn't know your password (or you if you aren't thinking) can click on proceed and get infected without needing to give any passwords.
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Windows Vista and 7 default account created is known as "admin-approval mode". In this mode, the user runs applications at medium integrity level. When a high-integrity level process is required, you get a UAC prompt to confirm by clicking "Continue." Windows Vista & 7 can also run in the Standard User mode account, which FORCES the user to type in the password to continue (instead of clicking a button) each time UAC is prompted.
 
So here is the good and bad side of this:

Good: It's almost impossible to get the very rare OS X virus.

Bad: The anitmalware will take power to run (even if it is very little power).
 
Neotyguy40 said:
Good: It's almost impossible to get the very rare OS X virus.
Click to expand...


LoL. It's certainly possible that this statement is absurd.

Which mythical tooth fairing big footed Bermudas triangled one are you referring to?

OSX.Trojan.iServices.A , OSX.Trojan.iServices.B, or OSX.RSPlug.A, OSX.RSPlug.B, OSX.RSPlug.C, OSX.RSPlug.D , or OSX_LAMZEV.A?

Because all of those are user installed trojans.

Nevermind. My buddy from Atlantis just called me and said he is gonna send me a disk with a debilitating OS X virus on it.
 
Extra protection when it is critical? And you guys are complaining? Seriously?

Stop already, please.

As said earlier, about the windows fanboys going crazy over this;

It would be ignorance on their part. Trojan doesn't = Virus, and virus doesn't = trojan. If anyone knows best its them. ;)
 
thedbp said:
Oh you exist, you're just wrong. There's plenty of Macro virii that can infect Office documents. Granted, they generally can't do anything on the scale of a virus on Windows, but the fact remains - they are virii, they can affect a Mac. They aren't widespread, but they're out there. Much more prevalent in the OS 9 days.
Click to expand...

They were "much more prevalent in the OS 9 days" because cross platform Office/Word Macro viruses never worked on OS X.
 
NeverhadaPC said:
Can I turn this feature off?? :confused:

I do not want to have SL turn into Vista where my OS turns into a high-security prison.

Disallow or proceed?
Click to expand...

Not the same thing. UNIX OS's require a root password to install anything. Without the password, nothing gets installed. It's as simple as that. Vista's UAC is a completely useless "dumb dialog box."
 
Ahh ok. THESE are the virii everyone have been worrying about. I didn't even know my Macbook Pro had 2 hard drives AND an optical drive. That's some good looking scareware though.
 

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Neotyguy40 said:
So here is the good and bad side of this:

Good: It's almost impossible to get the very rare OS X virus.

Bad: The anitmalware will take power to run (even if it is very little power).
Click to expand...

Installed viruses on os x can't execute their code because viruses are written for windows. They are basically useless.

Right?
 
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