Secunia: Mac OS X Users Still At Risk

Information Week ^ | 05/25/2004 | George V. Hulme

[TC Rider]

Although Apple issued a patch late Friday afternoon, the security firm warns that users of the operating system still remain vulnerable to an "extremely critical" security flaw.
By George V. Hulme

Security firm Secunia warned Apple Computer users this past weekend that they remain at risk to attack even if they apply a patch Apple published Friday to fill a security hole.

"It is still possible to execute arbitrary code on a vulnerable user's system, just as easy as before Apple issued Friday's security update for Mac OS X," Secunia's security advisory states.

[TC Rider]

Those Macs must be catching on, someone is about to get around to exploiting its security flaws.

[Chad Fairbanks]

This article is a lie. Everyone knows that only Microsoft has security flaws.

[FormerLib]

I think it has more to do with the fact that viruses are only now being ported over to the Mac.

[glorgau]

"It is still possible to execute arbitrary code on a vulnerable user's system

Should have been written as " "It is still possible to execute arbitrary code on a naive and trusting user's system"

[TomGuy]

[snicker]

So much for all the ribbing over the years from Mac-ies about being secure.

Some viruses are also aimed at linux system, any more.

We are all in the same anti-computer invasion war, like it or not.

[antiRepublicrat]

So much for all the ribbing over the years from Mac-ies about being secure

We'll talk when several times a year a Mac worm takes out a non-trivial portion of the user base.

[Rodney King]

I'd buy a Mac, but I'm not gay.

[TC Rider]

I'd buy a Mac, but I'm not gay.

I used to be a major Mac cheerleader. I got tired of being p!ssed on by Apple.

I've been clean now since 1998. NT Forever!

[Bush2000]

Where are the Mac cheerleaders?!?

[TomServo]

Here too....

[longjack]

Where are the Mac cheerleaders?!?

I'm not officially a 'mac cheerleader', since most of my machines at home are windows with some linux, but I am responsible for 45 iBooks at our small school here in Maine.

I really don't worry about virus/worms with the OS X iBooks. They have issues, also, but all-in-all they make a nice platform for schools, and are appreciated by maintenance guys like me.

I have my own iBook, but use my windows laptop more, FWIW, but my windows machine is definitely locked down more.

With DSL just being introduced here (rural) , I often am asked by people about their computer problems (windows machines), I told one guy to download ad-aware, run it, and tell me what happened. He had 600 items on the first scan!

Of course, no one's firewalled, updates their AV or runs spyware detecting apps, and the new broadband customers are getting blasted. $ for $ though, it's still hard to recommend a mac for users on a small budget. If the windows machined are protected with readily available free solutions, and used with common sense, they all would be fine.

longjack

[Bush2000]

The truly ironic thing is that few people would consider working on their plumbing or taking apart their washing machine or fixing problems with their stereo or repairing their car -- but, strangely, people have the unrealistic expectation that just about anyone should be able to service a computer. Wrong. People don't have the slightest clue about how to secure a computer or a network. I can't count the number of wireless APs that I've encountered accidentally in the lobby of an office building. People routinely download and run programs embedded in email -- joke programs, screensavers, adware, spyware, etc -- and then the bigots among us blame the destruction that results on the email program or the operating system (for doing what it was told to do, no less). People run their machines without firewalls. They don't apply patches when their issued. Hell, most people aren't even AWARE that they need to apply patches. None of these machines is as simple to operate as an appliance. Not the Mac. Not the PC. Not Linux. And as long as people connect these devices to a network, they will remain vulnerable. People just have to get over their unrealistic expectations (particularly Mac cultists) and educate themselves.

[TomServo]

People routinely download and run programs embedded in email -- joke programs, screensavers, adware, spyware, etc..

I see you've met my family.

[Swordmaker]

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