Trojan Horse for OS X? Man, I hope not!

[MacVault]

I found this on MacNN.com. Is this for real?

Intego warns of Trojan Horse for OS X, offers update
Thursday, April 8, 2004 @ 2:05pm

Intego today said it released an updated virus definitions for Intego VirusBarrier to protect Mac users against the first Trojan horse that affects Mac OS X. This Trojan horse, MP3Concept (MP3Virus.Gen), exploits a weakness in Mac OS X where applications can appear to be other types of files: "The Trojan horse's code is encapsulated in the ID3 tag of an MP3 (digital music) file. This code is in reality a hidden application that can run on any Macintosh computer running Mac OS X. Intego says the malicious application can delete files, propogate itself by sending a message to other users, and also infect other MP3, JPEG, GIF or QuickTime files.

The company says that Mac OS X displays the icon of the MP3 file, with an .mp3 extension, rather than showing the file as an application, leading users to believe that they can double-click the file to listen to it. But double clicking the file launches the hidden code, which can damage or delete files on computers running Mac OS X, then iTunes to play the music contained in the file, to make users think that it is really an MP3 file . While the first versions of this Trojan horse that Intego has isolated are benign, this technique opens the door to more serious risks.

"Due to the use of this technique, users can no longer safely double-click MP3 files in Mac OS X. This same technique could be used with JPEG and GIF files, though no such cases of infected graphic files have yet been seen."

Intego develops and sells desktop Internet security and privacy software for Macintosh.

 

[Darwin]

I hope its not true, but if it is then I hope Apple can fix this problem quickly, then at least we can still say that Mac OS X is kept secure

 

[GorillaPaws]

Apple needs to get on this STAT!!!

 

[HexMonkey]

Repost

 

[jxyama]

well, here it is... the first trojan for OS X in, who knows how long... (ever?)

i'm sure a lot of Mac bashers will have a party with this news. i'm now curious how long before apple will patch it.

at least, if you are halfway competent, this trojan will not affect system files. i would think twice before an mp3 file asked for admin password.

 

[7on]

I opened it. It doesn't do anything. It's someone just proving that a virus can be made for OSX, not an actual virus itself.

 

[Horrortaxi]

Boo hoo. I'll believe this when I'm infected.

Apparently you'd have to do something silly and open an attachment or download from p2p--things you should be careful about anyway. If they want to punish careless users I'm not going to get in the way. I'm doubtful about this anyway. How exactly are id3 tags executing programs? Has anybody actually gotten this virus? I think somebody has just demonstrated that you can write an OS X virus, not that it's actually out there gunning for you.

Besides, who anounced the virus? An antivirus maker. Who benefits from the existance of a virus? Antivirus makers.

 

[nbs2]

i could have predicted this

i ordered my PB yesterday. i switched to mac b/c it is more secure. just for my happiness, somebody tell me this rarely happens. also, i know where to go for windows updates and patches. where do i go for osx patches/updates?

 

[tomf87]

i ordered my PB yesterday. i switched to mac b/c it is more secure. just for my happiness, somebody tell me this rarely happens. also, i know where to go for windows updates and patches. where do i go for osx patches/updates?

It very rarely happens.

For updates, go to System Preferences and Software Update.

 

[abhishekit]

i ordered my PB yesterday. i switched to mac b/c it is more secure. just for my happiness, somebody tell me this rarely happens. also, i know where to go for windows updates and patches. where do i go for osx patches/updates?

dude...it wont be like windows...now who gives his password fr playin mp3!!!...noone...so it cant do anything..
cheers

 

[Horrortaxi]

i ordered my PB yesterday. i switched to mac b/c it is more secure. just for my happiness, somebody tell me this rarely happens. also, i know where to go for windows updates and patches. where do i go for osx patches/updates?

It rarely happens. This is only the 2nd report of this nature in the 3+ years of OS X's existance. You never see this stuff out in the real world. Don't worry.

For updates, etc you use Software Update. It's under the apple menu and also in System Preferences.

 

[mvc]

Viruses, Trojans and Worms can only succeed with the help of the "network effect", i.e, the more people begin using the same system the more likely it is that others will join it and so on ad infinitium.

Thats why they succeed so well on PC, and why, sadly (in a way), they have little effect on Macs. PCs are everywhere, any random email/download is 95% likely to hit a PC but about 5% likely to hit a mac.

So they never get to critical mass and tend to die.

There were a couple of worms around for Mac back in OS7-9 days, people in the Prepress industry got them and managed to spread them a little because they exchanged files so much, unlike your average user back then.

I got one, back in '97, had to run some anti-virus tool to kill it.

Nothing since OSX though, still there are no reasons why it can't happen at any time, its just that the low level of marketshare means that OSX is not a very infectious host.

 

[26139]

AHHHFHGHGHGHGHGHGFHH!!!!!!

Oh my GOD, the world is coming to an end!!!!!! I don't wanna die a virgin!!!!