Ancient flaws leave OS X vulnerable?

ZDnet ^ | 25 January 2006 02:11 PM | Munir Kotadia

[Salo]

For discussion.

[Salo]

Pings

[proxy_user]

Does Mac have any listeners running in a default install?

If there's no way to connect, hackers will have to try to trick you into installing their malware.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

""Bugs like this require a simple glance over the code to notice and are long dead on other operating systems.… When we spoke to Apple on the phone about this issue, the security team had never even heard of the application, and burst out laughing at the simplicity of the vulnerability," said Archibald"

Interesting

[joesnuffy]

When you've swallowed the cult's line long enough you can only function in denial...

[MillerCreek]

I knew it was a matter of time.

To my view, most of the bugs, hacking, malware and spyware has been written on MACs and of course targeting Windows. Now that it's more "cutting edge" to target OS X, well, it's just a matter of time.

But, does this now make up for even a tiny amount of the ridicule that's been written by MAC people about Windows and those of who use it?

[Uri’el-2012]

The only thing which has kept Mac OS X relatively safe up until now is the fact that the market share is significantly lower than that of Microsoft Windows or the more common UNIX platforms.…

Mac OS X is *nix

[MillerCreek]

I've spoken with a whole lot of "technicians" on the phone with computer whatnots and cable companies and I often know far more than they do. "Customer Service" workers are there to contend with answering the calls. Shouldn't even begin to anticipate highly, if even at all, intelligent comments from them. They're there to interact with issues like, "have you deleted your temporary internet files recently" and things like that, to answer questions similar to, "why do I keep seeing popups on my monitor?"

[savedbygrace]

"The only thing which has kept Mac OS X relatively safe up until now is the fact that the market share is significantly lower than that of Microsoft Windows or the more common UNIX platforms.… If this situation was to change, in my opinion, things could be a lot worse on Mac OS X than they currently are on other operating systems, regarding security vulnerabilities," said Archibald.

So, using all the lopic their brains can contain, Windows supporters conclude that it wouldn't be wise to use OS X today because it might be less safe untold years from now.

Then, Windows supporters apparently assume that Apple will code its OS in a vacuum as it becomes more popular and, as OS X starts to receive more and more attacks, Apple will steadfastly refuse to adjust and modify its policies and procedures.

[Lx]

Bump for the inevitable flame wars to come. Go OS/2!

[toddlintown]

Hah-hah!

[brownsfan]

"Mac OS X is *nix"

Bingo. Mac is BSD. Mac has been safe for 2 reasons, small market share, and proprietary hardware. Now that OS X will run on Intel, and Mac seems to be gaining in market share, they will become a more attractive target.

However, the Mac zealots will point out, correctly, that for some time to come you'll still be safer on a Mac.

[brownsfan]

"So, using all the lopic their brains can contain, Windows supporters conclude that it wouldn't be wise to use OS X today because it might be less safe untold years from now. "

See, it's trollish responses like that that cause people to view Mac users as zealots as opposed to someone who just likes another flavor.

Not all Windows users are stupid. Not all Mac users are smart. Some Mac users even check for typos on their posts. :)

[Uri’el-2012]

Mac OS X is *nix

It is based on BSD Unix which was designed for DARPA
in the late 70s & 80s to be hack proof.

[rlmorel]

"...as opposed to someone who just likes another flavor..."

And, that would be YOU, right?

[Bush2000]

So, using all the lopic their brains can contain, Windows supporters conclude that it wouldn't be wise to use OS X today because it might be less safe untold years from now.

Bzzzzzzzz! Thank you for playing, but, no, that's not what people are saying here. They're simply saying that Apple's safety rests on the fact that it hasn't been the subject of hack attacks. Not some kind of imaginary security advantage.

[savedbygrace]

spell check is for wimps.

[brownsfan]

"spell check is for wimps."

Right, some of us can actually spell without it. But, you are a Mac user, so I can understand the shortcomings.

[brownsfan]

"And, that would be YOU, right?"

Actually, I use Windows. Always have. I'm a computer professional who is also a hobbyist. Macs were never hobbyist friendly. But it is an interesting platform, and I can understand why someone would choose Mac.

[glorgau]

I worked on a major Apple owned aqpplication that had one of the old ../../whatever flaws in a file open scenario. It was quite a hoot for the other engineers when we found it. Those sort of things happen. ;-)
As far as we know it was never exploited at a customer site. They didn't know, and we never told them. Management was informed just so it didn't look like we were layabouts.