Beware

[Glenn]

A spyware application that surreptitiously scans chat logs and hard drives of unsuspecting Mac users has found its way onto three of the more popular download sites, security researchers said Tuesday.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/06/01/mac_spyware/

[Rik]

I suppose it had to happen.

[Steve]

I spotted that on Macrumors we'll see what Apple's response is if any . 10.6.4 is due soon.

[Bill]

10.6.4 is due soon.

About time too, my iMac hasn't had a reboot for nearly two months

[Rik]

 

[Steve]

About time too, my iMac hasn't had a reboot for nearly two months

I just checked mine,24/04/2010 its good occasionally to put the power button through its full range of movement

[pctech]

 

What was it Mac users used to say about there being no viruses/malware on a Mac?

[Rik]

Don't get them worked up, Mitch, they're a ferocious bunch when roused.

[pctech]

Just a friendly jibe.

[Steve]

97,467 Windows viruses vs 1 Mac not too much to get exited about yet.

[Rik]

Getting excited is good, let's throw a party.

[Bill]

What was it Mac users used to say about there being no viruses/malware on a Mac?

I think you'll find most sensible Mac users also run a virus checker, I certainly do! Not resident, but I do a scan periodically.

I liked this comment in the OP link:

The Windows threat has grown so large that Google has begun advising its new employees to use alternates, The Financial Times has reported.

Pretty rich coming from Google 

[pctech]

The malware author's aim is to get their code running on as many machines as possible so I expect the malware count to increase quite quickly now that the Mac is moving from being what was a niche platform.

I'm pretty sure that if the Google Chrome OS becomes popular (I suspect they will subsidise these machines to a certain extent) then it too will become a target.

[Technical Ben]

97,467 Windows viruses vs 1 Mac not too much to get exited about yet.

I am sure there was more than 1 Mac virus. It's just every time I mention more than one, a big white van pulls up at the door. I don't remember anything after that. 

[pctech]

 

[Steve]

I am sure there was more than 1 Mac virus. It's just every time I mention more than one, a big white van pulls up at the door. I don't remember anything after that. 

There were some others but they were before OS X which is not affected by those.

[Technical Ben]

There were some others but they were before OS X which is not affected by those.

Well, Can I wipe the last 10 years of MS's slate clean then with Win 7? 

[Bill]

Using Win7 to wipe something clean is probably the best use for it 

[vitriol]

I'm pretty sure that if the Google Chrome OS becomes popular (I suspect they will subsidise these machines to a certain extent) then it too will become a target.

Speaking of Chrome OS, here's a demo video

Some interesting concepts and boy does it boot !

[Glenn]

Is it booting from an HDU or SSD though, I would think the latter?

[Gary]

Since I don't download programs for the Mac online, I have what I need at this time and it all came in shine packages I am not worried yet, I wish Eset would get on with their Mac AV, but as has been said there are no real viruses for Macs, a couple of Trojans which OSX 10.6 knows about and now this Malware, I'm not to worried, the thing is most AV solutions for Macs are cumbersome and buggy, intego are awful their system is so bloated, Clam AV is to slow and not really up to much, Kaspersky...well less said the better there, most do more harm than good. When Eset get their act together I'll go for that as needed but the same beta has been out since December last year,  being part of the apple community online means if something bad happens you soon find out what's best to use, if something bad came along, well my wifes laptop will be used  I do wonder though if AV companies push Malware fear, or even Malware to sell products 

[Lance]

About time too, my iMac hasn't had a reboot for nearly two months

I've a old Windows desktop I've not rebooted for something getting on towards a year. Mind you, that's because I've not actually turned it on in the first place 

[Rik]

[pctech]

What do all Apple buyers have in common?

More money than sense.

[Rik]

[pctech]

Was thinking the same thing 

[Tacitus]

........I do wonder though if AV companies push Malware fear, or even Malware to sell products 

No operating system can guard against this type of social engineering.  Once you give your admin password it's game over.

The real problem is that when Intego find something that is truly bad, nobody will be listening.

[pctech]

No there's a conspiuracy theory

[Gary]

No operating system can guard against this type of social engineering.  Once you give your admin password it's game over.

The real problem is that when Intego find something that is truly bad, nobody will be listening.

Oh people are listening already, its just that Intego is like symantec was years back, bloated and unwanted, which is why people are keeping their eyes on forums and watching for the answer, and its not a bloated suite that no body needs with ten running processes, if you get my drift 

[Tacitus]

Oh people are listening already, its just that Intego is like symantec was years back, bloated and unwanted, which is why people are keeping their eyes on forums and watching for the answer, and its not a bloated suite that no body needs with ten running processes, if you get my drift 

TBH of all the AV suites for the Mac, Intego was the one that gave the least trouble when I gave it a trial run.  Since it never found any malware, I can't vouch for whether it was doing what it was supposed to.    Norton OTOH, installed all sorts of low level kernel stuff, no doubt in an effort to catch some of the rootkits, but this gave endless trouble.

However with Intego's new version they've added a firewall.  Whereas with the previous version, if you stopped subscribing you simply didn't get the updates, now the whole thing - firewall included - just stops working, potentially leaving your machine in a relatively insecure state.  Before the PC comedians start, I use the term 'relatively insecure' since there's no such thing as 100% security.....   

Whereas in the past I would have considered Intego AV, now I wouldn't.

[Gary]

TBH of all the AV suites for the Mac, Intego was the one that gave the least trouble when I gave it a trial run.  Since it never found any malware, I can't vouch for whether it was doing what it was supposed to.    Norton OTOH, installed all sorts of low level kernel stuff, no doubt in an effort to catch some of the rootkits, but this gave endless trouble.

However with Intego's new version they've added a firewall.  Whereas with the previous version, if you stopped subscribing you simply didn't get the updates, now the whole thing - firewall included - just stops working, potentially leaving your machine in a relatively insecure state.  Before the PC comedians start, I use the term 'relatively insecure' since there's no such thing as 100% security.....   

Whereas in the past I would have considered Intego AV, now I wouldn't.

Its sad when companies get greedy but X6 is horrid, I trust as Macs become a bigger market better AV's will develop, alas greed governs everything, I have the Mac OS firewall, my routers firewall I only need an AV when the times comes, something that does not overly complicate issues either. Its a big open field, I'm sure we will see something decent arrive. 

[Adam]

I run Kaspersky on my Macs, it sits nicely in the background and works perfectly. OS X may be more secure in certain ways thanks to the UNIX core, but nothing is 100% secure. Running no protection at all and relying on security through obscurity is asking for trouble. 

[Gary]

I run Kaspersky on my Macs, it sits nicely in the background and works perfectly. OS X may be more secure in certain ways thanks to the UNIX core, but nothing is 100% secure. Running no protection at all and relying on security through obscurity is asking for trouble. 

I would never touch Kaspersky myself it messes with your harddrive by tagging files permanently, I have suffered at the hands of that AV before, on Windows and would never touch it again, even if you paid me to, that's just my opinion on that AV.

[Tacitus]

.... Running no protection at all and relying on security through obscurity is asking for trouble. 

Depends where you hang out of course.....   

I know a Mac user who never pays for software and gets it all from torrrents and Warez sites.  Despite all my warnings about the risks, she runs no AV at all and claims never to have had a problem.  How she would know remains a mystery, since I doubt she regularly watches processes with Activity Monitor, even if she knew which was which.

Now that really is asking for trouble....

[Gary]

Depends where you hang out of course.....   

I know a Mac user who never pays for software and gets it all from torrrents and Warez sites.  Despite all my warnings about the risks, she runs no AV at all and claims never to have had a problem.  How she would know remains a mystery, since I doubt she regularly watches processes with Activity Monitor, even if she knew which was which.

Now that really is asking for trouble....

Thats scary tbh, I check regularly and have tightened down OSX as much as possible, but I will use a AV as and when its needed, and not one that messes with OSX permissions system.

[pctech]

Only machine you can run without AV at all these days is one without any network connection whatsoever.

[Steve]

Not forgetting though the person operating the keyboard, I used Windows for 18 years and never had a virus detected despite all that money I spent on AV software perhaps I've been lucky.

[Gary]

Not forgetting though the person operating the keyboard, I used Windows for 18 years and never had a virus detected despite all that money I spent on AV software perhaps I've been lucky.

I never did as well but then I never opened emails with titles like luVed Yu in ThI3 V1d30 but times are changing even for macs, I just cant see a decent AV yet that really benefits Macs, most benefit Windows users.

[cavillas]

I just cant see a decent AV yet that really benefits Macs, most benefit Windows users.

Thats because most anti virus software is built using Windows software and most virus writers use Linux or windows to write the viruses bacause they can't afford a MAC.

[Gary]

Thats because most anti virus software is built using Windows software and most virus writers use Linux or windows to write the viruses bacause they can't afford a MAC.

a article about Mac Malware http://www.reedcorner.net/thomas/guides/macvirus/