Apple Fanboi's - watch your data

[ferret]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8304229.stm

Not the first Mac bug (although the first for a good few years AFAIK) that has caused massive data loss. A heads up if you are upgrading....

[daviejones]

Does anyone log in using the guest account? Mine is disabled, never use it...

[xchaotic]

I had a friend come over so yes, I logged him in as a guest so that he wouldn't see my pr0n^H^H^H^H code collection.
Then again, I let others beta-test new OS releases, be it OS X or Win 7.

[OrangeHopper]

Never logged in directly to the guest account but I am using it indirectly. My main machine has a external 1TB hard drive that I'm using with Time Machine to backup all the machines on our home network. These other machines login in as a guest that has sharing rights to the backup drive.

Ah, I see. Nope, the guest account isn't enabled, only access to the shared folders is permitted.

[Sysman]

I've never used the guest account either. My Tiger system doesn't even have one (I might have deleted it myself).

From Security Configuration For Version 10.5 Leopard Second Edition, Page 63

Securing the Guest Account

The guest account is used to give a user temporary access to your computer. The guest account should be disabled by default because it does not require a password to log in on the computer. If this account is enabled and is not securely configured, malicious users can gain access to your computer without the use of a password.

In security sensitive environments the guest account should remain disabled. If you do enable the guest account, enable parental controls to limit what the user can do. Whether or not the guest account itself is enabled, disable guest account access to shared files and folders by deselecting the “Allow guest to connect to shared folders” checkbox. If you permit the guest account to access shared folders, an attacker can easily attempt to access shared folders without a password.

When you finish with this account, disable it by deselecting the “Allow guests to log into this computer.” This prevents the guest user account from logging into the computer.

For more information about parental controls, see “Controlling Local Accounts with Parental Controls” on page 64.

Note that the "Allow guest to connect to shared folders” checkbox" is on by default.

[TheSurfer]

First day on the forum and I've actually got some useful information Guest account now disabled.

[dinker]

Should have bought a PC.