Oh, did I mention it's FUD?
Mac FUD Ping!
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Posted on 08/31/2009 2:46:24 AM PDT by Swordmaker
Munich - It all used to be simpler for Mac users: viruses and other malicious software affected Windows computers, not them. That is slowly changing. "The threats have intensified," says Candid Wuest from anti-virus maker Symantec.
The biggest threat comes from hackers trying to sneak viruses onto computers. OSX. RSPlug. A is the name of one that preys on Mac users. It claims to be a video codec required to watch certain porno films, but in fact tries to redirect the surfer to a website forged to look like an eBay page. An attempt is then made to phish for the access data to the user's real eBay account.
"This trojan hasn't drawn much attention," says Walter Mehl from Germany's Macwelt magazine. That may have to do with the fact that it is spread only through porn sites. It was also shoddily programmed.
Another trojan assumed control of Macs earlier this year, harnessing them into a "Botnet," Wuest says. A botnet is a remote controlled network of computers employed by hackers to send out spam. Some 10,000 to 20,000 computers have been infected to date. That number, however, pales in comparison with the countless Windows PCs infected by the Conficker worm.
Windows is a more common target for attacks partially because it's the user base is much larger. Virus writers know that with so many more computers running the software, even viruses that infect only a fraction of their targets can still rack up big numbers. The same is true for the search for vulnerabilities in applications - common programs are a favourite target.
Malicious software used to be written only for specific operating systems. That has changed to some extent, Mehl says. For example, it was recently discovered that rigged PDFs could exploit a security hole in Adobe Flash, a popular software component. The problem affects both Windows and Mac OS (Operating System) machines. Users are advised to keep not just the operating system and virus scanners current, but also programs like Flash or Firefox.
"There is still less malware for the Mac," Mehl says. Yet more and more people are working with the Mac OS and turning up vulnerabilities that have not yet been exploited. The threat potential has grown. "That's why I feel that protection software is now important on Mac OS as well," says Mehl.
Apple claims that the Mac uses integrated technology to fight off malware. Yet since no system is 100 per cent immune from attacks, anti-virus software provides a supplemental layer of protection. Macwelt magazine sees two usable security programs for Mac OS: Norton Internet Security for Mac from Symantec and VirusBarrier from Intego.
Installing anti-virus software is just part of the battle, Candid Wuest says. "No matter which OS you use, you need to be constantly mindful." Phishing attacks, where criminals try to trick users into divulging passwords or other data, affect Mac users just as much as Windows or Linux users. That means that users should think twice before clicking unsolicited links - be it via e-mail, Twitter, or any other delivery method the internet can provide. (dpa)
The upshot of this is that since the article appeared in May 2009 and the subsequent three-day tempest-in-a-teapot in the computer punditry about the discovery of a Mac Botnet, no one—outside of the bozos who wrote the article about these infected Macs and the huge Macbotnet making the claim—has ever seen another member of this claimed Mac botnet, nor has any evidence of one surfaced. Symantec's own website definition of the Trojan involved STILL reports the total number of infections from the malware that was loaded into the iWork'09 files as Zero to 50. I doubt these two Symantec employees are still employed there.
Oh, did I mention it's FUD?
If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.
Golly. This must be true because anti-virus maker Symantec has no reason to make something like this up < /s>
The biggest threat comes from hackers trying to sneak viruses onto computers. OSX. RSPlug. A is the name of one that preys on Mac users. It claims to be a video codec required to watch certain porno films,
It almost sounds like Symantec.
Another dumb@$$ Symantec marketing ploy...
Well this is not suprising, becasue with Macs going intel processors, this hacking attack was more or less was going to happen.
“Macs now in the crosshairs of hackers”
Oh no! Hackers have discovered us! We knew that there was a magic number when hackers would discover Macs so it’s all YOUR fault for switching. Well, maybe not YOU...but certainly you. Or maybe it was you. It was one of you.
Well it couldn’t have been my fault but I wouldn’t put it past Mr Sears and Mr Roebuck for tempting me with that Performa 6200 that my 7 year old grandson set up for me. OK maybe he was 8...
OK, you’re cleared, but keep an eye out. It was someone around here. I know it was.
BTW, mine was a 550 that I bought from a friend second hand. The next one was a 6400 that I also got from Sears. It was the first NEW computer I had purchased. My very first was a PC. Single 5.25 floppy drive and a couple K of RAM. :-)
You will recall that I mentioned a problem with a web site.The target site was www.lirr.ORG, and I mistakenly typed lirr.COM. Mentioned it to my son, because I did it again today, and told him what had happened when I was getting some schedule info that he needed pretty urgently. Showed him the response to lirr.COM, and he said, "Oh, that's a spam site." He said he was sorry that I had responded to that site, but he didn't seem alarmed (he has a Comp Sci degree).
As I looked out the front door while I wait for the UPS to deliver my copy of Snow Leopard I saw movement in the front yard. There was a malware monster sniffing around the magnolia tree. I had the dog chase it off the property.
There’s movement in the pecan tree now. I think it’s squirrels but with all the malware coming to attack Snow Leopard, you never know. :)
As Macs grow more common, so will idiots using Macs. If the infected bogus iWork torrent story is not true, it will be someday.
There’s no protecting against stupidity. Any computer is only as secure as the wetware at the keyboard.
Say ‘yes’ to an installation of an infected program, you can get infected, that’s all. The only cure for that (besides not being an idiot) is to run an antivirus program that will protect you from yourself. Such are available, including for free, but they are not necessary for Macs whose users are not credulous morons. As the credulous-moron quotient increases among the Mac user-base, the need for anti-malware scanners will also grow. But even then, intelligent users who think before they install will not need anti-malware utilities on their Macs.
It is idiotic reporting like this that truly brings shame to the field - then again, this is par for the course - trashy and biased prose disguised as “journalism”.
OH- and I have about decided that Symantec and MacAfee both have people on the payroll to DESIGN viruses and trojans to keep them in business. Then again, Windows is a big enough target for real nasties - it doesn’t need an anti-virus developer writing new bugs for it.
You are correct - security is only as valid as the user behind the keyboard. But that being said, there is also validity to the fact that some file systems and OS constructions that are more resistant by nature - The old Apple “System” was a good example. There were a few viruses for that platform - my old 6400 got one of them from a download of some freeware (a Tetris clone). The virus at the time was one of the very worst one could get on a Mac - It was cured by deleting the application and the preference file for it - and one additional file. It has been quite some time, so I don’t remember any other details.
For that mater - I don’t remember for sure if there was ever a virus for Apple’s OS in any generation that could actually cause a complete system implosion.
Can’t say that for various versions of Windows.
Was on guard for malware monsters in the yard today.
Nope, not squirrels... it's Steve Ballmer, checking out how well the magnolia tree malware monster was faring in waylaying your Snow Leopard. I grant you that he acts a bit squirrelly at times...
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