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To: Star Traveler
Just because you have only had one run-in with a virus does not make it free of other risks... OS X vulnerabilities

For your viewing pleasure...... Not as secure as one might be led to believe.

24 posted on 06/13/2007 4:02:33 PM PDT by rightwingextremist1776
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To: rightwingextremist1776

It’s the same result with a lot of other Macintosh users. I don’t run across any Macintosh user who ever tells of any problems with any viruses — at all. There are no reports of any Macintosh users being infected by viruses on Mac OS X operating system. They just don’t exist. So my experience is just like all the other Macintosh users.

The biggest argument in the Macintosh world — about viruses — is whether anyone who owns a Macintosh should ever bother with getting an anti-virus program. Many Macintosh users thinks it’s a scam for companies to sell an anti-virus program for the Macintosh.

For my part, I’ve got one, but it seems to be useless... it never registers a single peep about anything.


26 posted on 06/13/2007 4:07:46 PM PDT by Star Traveler
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To: rightwingextremist1776
Not as secure as one might be led to believe.

Secunia has issued a total of 102 Secunia advisories in 2003-2007 for Apple Macintosh OS X. Currently, 5% (5 out of 102) are marked as Unpatched with the most severe being rated Less critical.

102 security advisories in FOUR YEARS. I'm underwhelmed. Average 25 a year. I have been following these since OSX was released in 2001... and the vast majority of them are announced by Secunia the DAY AFTER Apple announced the patch that fixes them... usually with a press release that somehow glosses over the fact that is was Apple that made them public.

Of the five "unpatched" vulnerabilities, four are only potential local exploits where a local user can crash the application (not the OS) causing a Denial of Service condition. Only one of the five, also a local vulnerability, claims it might lead to escalation of privileges after crashing the application and causing a DoS.

I have news for you. If I have local access to a Mac, I can control everything about it... including getting root access. It's not hard. Getting access to a user's data... now that's hard... especially if File Vault has been turned on. If it has, Root access won't help me.

Local access security is more about who you trust to have access to your computer.

107 posted on 06/15/2007 1:00:12 AM PDT by Swordmaker (Remember, the proper pronunciation of IE is "AAAAIIIIIEEEEEEE)
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To: rightwingextremist1776

Sooo according to that link.... there are 5... counte’m FIVE so called unpatched vulnerabilities.

And all five require a BAD LOCAL USER to be sitting AT the mac, logged in to execute them.

Hardly an exploit.

Disk Utility could be considered an exploit if I am sitting there logged in for Pete’s sake.

Their solution.... only grant access to trusted users...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!

No F’n kiddin’ ??

Get real...


108 posted on 06/15/2007 2:11:01 AM PDT by RachelFaith
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To: rightwingextremist1776; Star Traveler; Yossarian
Just because you have only had one run-in with a virus

He said that was in 1990. Why are you blaming OS X?

With regard to your link, I'm sure there are vulnerabilities but Macs have yet to be hit with any malware. And even Secunia -- which is not an unbiased observer in this since spreading FUD regarding Macs is in its self-interest -- notes just about all the holes have been patched and the ones that haven't are vulnerabilities that "can be exploited by malicious, local users". Why not just say don't leave you laptop lying unattended on a subway.

To check you vulnerability on the web try ShieldsUP

113 posted on 06/15/2007 6:00:01 AM PDT by Tribune7 (A bleeding heart does nothing but ruin the carpet)
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