Virus cum Trojan cum Worm

[Diver]

Originally Posted by TykeMerc View Post
Unfortunately while there are far fewer attacks on Mac software they're far from unknown and there are less utilities available to deal with the attacks. Mac users have considered themselves attack immune for years, but sadly they're deluded.

Bollocks. Provide links to real (as in found in the wild) viruses or worms on OSX or I call bulltulip.

It seems that Mac security is a thing of the past. Welcome to the rat run.

[NickFitz]

http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/ne...acosxleap.html

It seems that Mac security is a thing of the past. Welcome to the rat run.

Hmm...

http://www.infoworld.com/article/06/...acvirus_1.html

"...the "critical" label affixed to the viruses by security vendors are alarmist..."

"It is a nonstory that has been given legs by virus software vendors that get their names in the papers by branding as extremely critical malware that's been harmless to date - the very same vendors that then admit that one check box's worth of tilting the balance between convenience and safety is all that's required..."

"It only takes one touch of truth to show this manufactured tempest for what it is. Stories claiming that Leap.A is OS X's first brush with malware are lazy journalism."

Carry on chaps - Windows users, you may have to wait until your essential anti-virus software has deigned to give you a few percent of your processor back

[wurzel]

Thanks for the useful advice people. FYI I picked up the infection through a public hotspot in Spain - something somebody else in this thread alluded to.

[bogeyman]

It seems that Mac security is a thing of the past. Welcome to the rat run.

As a Mac user I somewhat disagree, but I do think smug complacency could be our (Mac users) downfall when I read some of the previous comments.

Good security practices apply as much to OS X as to Windows or anything else.

I can't see me running some bloated AV-ware any time soon though.

[TykeMerc]

As a Mac user I somewhat disagree, but I do think smug complacency could be our (Mac users) downfall when I read some of the previous comments.

Good security practices apply as much to OS X as to Windows or anything else.

I can't see me running some bloated AV-ware any time soon though.

I hope you never have to, but sadly as the Mac user base grows the attack probability rises.
Sizable doses of common sense are the best real defences against malware.

[bogeyman]

I hope you never have to, but sadly as the Mac user base grows the attack probability rises.
Sizable doses of common sense are the best real defences against malware.

I think that's a given.

But thankfully, OS X is still a niche OS and doesn't attract any serious attention from the hardcore cyber-crims out there. Windows is still there to take the hit for all of us, and I'm grateful I don't have to worry about it much.

The thing that does worry me is that many home users and SMEs are becoming disenchanted with how Windows is developing (Vista, 7 etc.) that they may decide to cut their losses and jump ship to OS X or Linux in fairly large numbers in the years ahead.

If that happens, it's going to level the playing field considerably.

The stereotypical airhead Mac user crying "But I use a Mac - I'm immune from all this stuff!" won't help us much then.

[Cowboy Bob]

I hope you never have to, but sadly as the Mac user base grows the attack probability rises.
Sizable doses of common sense are the best real defences against malware.

This is sensible.

Unfortunately while there are far fewer attacks on Mac software they're far from unknown and there are less utilities available to deal with the attacks. Mac users have considered themselves attack immune for years, but sadly they're deluded.

This is sensationalist bulltulip.

The basic facts are that OSX (and Linux and all other *nix like operating systems) are more secure than Windows by design as they were originally built as multi-user, networked machines from their very first line of code, whereas Windows comes from a single-user non-networked background. Throw in the fact that most Windows users run as admin/root and you compound the problem. This doesn't mean that the possibility of a virus doesn't exist on *nix like systems, just that it's undoubtedly harder to write, and therefore it's not just popularity that's a factor in how many viruses exist for a particular platform.

Of course, this doesn't mean that the possibility of a threat should be ignored, good security practice is good security practice regardless of OS.

[bogeyman]

This doesn't mean that the possibility of a virus doesn't exist on *nix like systems, just that it's undoubtedly harder to write, and therefore it's not just popularity that's a factor in how many viruses exist for a particular platform.

Viruses are no harder to write for *nix. What's harder is finding a vector to exploit to get a *nix system infected and your virus running with enough privileges to do real damage.

Viruses are a sideshow anyway. The real problem is trojans. Trojans rely on the user actually installing them (by some deception or other).

If you install a trojan on OS X or *nix - it's just as compromising as it would be on Windows.

[scooterscot]

If you install a trojan on OS X or *nix - it's just as compromising as it would be on Windows.

It's a good point.

And you know how many times I've had to download / install a piece of software since taking my machine out of the box over 18 months ago? Well let's just say I can still count the number of downloaded installs with one hand. Most of these were open source in any case.

It's been my experience that a regular windows user has to install programs more often on a month by month basis, irritating as @£$@£ and more often than not loaded with spyware.

[bogeyman]

It's a good point.

And you know how many times I've had to download / install a piece of software since taking my machine out of the box over 18 months ago? Well let's just say I can still count the number of downloaded installs with one hand. Most of these were open source in any case.

It's been my experience that a regular windows user has to install programs more often on a month by month basis, irritating as @£$@£ and more often than not loaded with spyware.

I take it you're a Mac user, right?

Well, so am I.

I don't know what you actually do for a living, but I'm mostly a software developer, and I download stuff for my Mac a lot - like daily.

I need specialist tools, utilities, SDKs, things to evaluate - you know, stuff.

If your Mac came with every piece of software you'll ever need then I am truly happy for you, but you're not exactly a demanding user, are you?

BTW being 'open source' doesn't necessarily mean it isn't crapware.