Viruses on OS X

[Captain Code]

The threat is low. Don't open email attachments from people you don't know, and don't download strange programs from strange websites. If you follow that you are OK.

[dlbk]

I'm not sure if this is the place to post, but tonight I got home from work, opened my e-mail and when I try to open any mail in my in box, the field stays blank and it appears it's working to open, but at the bottom of the page where the connection script is running, up pops: js.worthathousandwords.com and nothing opens. This was at one yahoo address, yet another is working fine. Would this mean it's definitely a Yahoo issue? Or do I have an OSX bug?

Thanks,
Deb

[dlbk]

I tried the same mail address at work this morning and there's no issue, no getting stuck with a blank page, so should I assume there's a bug on my iMac @ home?
Does anyone have any recommendations I could follow to fix the problem?

Thanks,
Deb

[Doctor X]

A He Who Must be Obey'd suggested "add to the existing thread" rather than start a new one. I prefer that, but some boards get "touchy" over thread.

Ran into more than one person with a Mac complaining about slow internet connections. Noticed a few threads asking the same thing. Recommended DNS Changer Removal Tool fixed problems.

The creator of the DNS CRT advertises a program to hunt down more Trojans, vira, and the like. I researched that about a year ago in a fit of paranoia--found this thread--and learned it does not really remove anything save, perhaps, parts of programs that check for updates.

So . . . any update on the nature of security threats for Macs?

--J.D.

[fryke]

The DNS Changer trojan is the only threat I've found on any Mac in recent years (!), and it was only on _one_ customer's iMac (and not a MacBook he's using in the same local network). Since the DNSChangerRemovalTool works fine eliminating the threat, I'd say the risks of living the Mac life online are still on quite a comfortable level.

[Doctor X]

Thanks, allow me to ask what may be a stupid question. In my many PC versus Mac I have had a PC user claim that Macs are "just as" potentially insecure. Obviously he does not know what he is writing about--he found a virus for . . . System 6!

Obviously, the guy does not know what he is writing about; however, he cited "evidences" that the Mac has more "security problems." The actual data shows otherwise; nevertheless:





what are these "vulnerabilities" and "criticalities?"

--J.D.

[Rhisiart]

I have always understood that the main reason for Macs' excellent security record is that Apple has too small a share of the global computer market (currently 8.2%) to be attractive enough for hackers to spend the time and effort to target them. Of course Apple's robust system operating system plays a factor too.

I understand that these days hackers are generally more interested in criminal activity that just hacking for fun and corporate PC systems are still the most lucrative market.

Perhaps if Apple reached > 15% of the global market, the situation may change. Then the MACOSX may be tested to the full.

[fryke]

The market share part is only an excuse by Windows users. 8% is more than enough market share for exploits to be used. The thing about most of the really scary Windows-security stuff is how multiple exploits can be used together. Of course the scale _does_ play a certain role, but the fact that most issues on the Mac actually need the user to install something fishy kinda makes them "critical" only to - sorry to say this - rather naïve users.