Half a million Mac computers 'infected with malware'

[Simon]

More than half a million Apple computers have been infected with the Flashback Trojan, according to a Russian anti-virus firm.

An investigation by Dr Web suggests that about 600,000 Macs have installed the malware - potentially allowing them to be hijacked and used as a "botnet".

It says that more than half that number are based in the US.

Apple has released a security update, but users who have not installed the patch remain exposed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17623422

[Rik]

And so it begins...

[Steve]

Thankfully mine isn't one of them.

[Rik]

Give it time, Steve, they're only just getting around to Europe. 

[Tacitus]

Information on how to check if you are infected and how to remove the malware (requires terminal) here:-

http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/trojan-downloader_osx_flashback_i.shtml

[Rik]

Thanks, Tac. 

[Steve]

I only had to copy'n'paste 2 lines.

[Tacitus]

I only had to copy'n'paste 2 lines.

Me too, but I've yet to check the laptop.....   TBH I think you would be unlucky to get infected.  Interestingly I always run as *user* and keep a separate admin account, so I don't know whether this has any effect.  Some say this is unnecessary, but back in the day it was always regarded as good practice.

[Tacitus]

Thinking about it since my last post, maybe disabling Java in all my web browsers has something to do with me not being infected, since the attack vector relies on unpatched versions of Java.

[Bill]

I note that if it detects ClamXAV (amongst others) is installed it quietly deletes itself, so that probably covers a lot of Mac users- they're not all as gullible as the Windows mob likes to believe

I suspect this post on tbb sums it up nicely:

http://forums.thinkbroadband.com/mac/t/4110357-flashback-trojan-affects-half-a-million-macs.html

[Tacitus]

I note that if it detects ClamXAV (amongst others) is installed it quietly deletes itself.......

Makes you wonder if someone is testing the waters for something bigger and more serious... 

[Gary]

I don't have the Java plugin installed, so that cut that vector off. I wont be installing it either.

[pctech]

That'll put a stop to the smug Mac owners argument that malware and viruses are a Windows problem and thus that the Mac is superior as its invulnerable to malware and viruses.

Someone sent this around at work yesterday and one of my colleagues who is constantly banging on about Mac superiority (he's still running a G5 Macbook) was very quiet for a change.

[zappaDPJ]

If anything it's an indication of the popularity of Apple products insofar the hackers now feel it's worth their while exploiting them. However the fact still remains that the PC/Mac virus ratio is something like 100,000,000/1

[Simon]

Well, this is a tech thread, not a platform bashing arena, so let's not turn it into one, again, Mitch.

[pctech]

Fair point Simon.

[Simon]

Thanks. 

[Tacitus]

......its invulnerable to malware and viruses.

Can I just point out that no platform is immune to malware and, that a virus is self replicating which this isn't.  And, with respect Steve, I do get hacked off with the inference that I'm 'smug' simply because I use Macs, even though this probably wasn't directed at me.

Sorry, but it does irritate me.  Over and out.

[Simon]

It was Mitch (Pctech) who made the 'smug' comment, Tac, and it was addressed. 

[Niall]

I'll be keeping a close eye on this, as I'm still rather keen to get that silly expensive macbook pro I was looking at the other day. I'm going to wait for the new ones to come out in a couple of months though, and in the meantime pay all my debts off (all three of them, woo ). I need to investigate whether my Line6 amp works on apple hardware too, if not I'll get an ugly MSI laptop I think

[Gary]

I'll be keeping a close eye on this, as I'm still rather keen to get that silly expensive macbook pro I was looking at the other day. I'm going to wait for the new ones to come out in a couple of months though, and in the meantime pay all my debts off (all three of them, woo ). I need to investigate whether my Line6 amp works on apple hardware too, if not I'll get an ugly MSI laptop I think

You could Google that question  Also if its a new Mac it wont come with Java anyway.

[Tacitus]

Out in June according to the latest rumour...

http://www.electronista.com/articles/12/04/06/reports.center.around.ivy.bridge.anti.glare.glass/

If they really do have anti-reflective glass then I'm up for one as my current MacBook Pro is coming up to 5 years old. 

[Niall]

You could Google that question  Also if its a new Mac it wont come with Java anyway.

I know, I meant that I was off to look

[Niall]

Out in June according to the latest rumour...

http://www.electronista.com/articles/12/04/06/reports.center.around.ivy.bridge.anti.glare.glass/

If they really do have anti-reflective glass then I'm up for one as my current MacBook Pro is coming up to 5 years old. 

I was looking into the current models for photography & developing images. The general consensus was that the matte screens cause images to be too contrasty, which could obviously cause you a lot of problems processing images as you'll not know what the true image looks like. The anti reflective screens are apparently okay though, but I didn't see any images to confirm this when I looked.

[TheMonkey]

That'll put a stop to the smug Mac owners argument that malware and viruses are a Windows problem and thus that the Mac is superior as its invulnerable to malware and viruses.

Someone sent this around at work yesterday and one of my colleagues who is constantly banging on about Mac superiority (he's still running a G5 Macbook) was very quiet for a change.

This isn't an osx issue it's a java issue that macs don't even ship with any more.

You still got to install this bad boy so although it's not great and may catch a few out I think I'll still stay "smug"