Kernel Panic! What Is Malformed Network Packet?

Amie

Amie

Mac Convert for Life
I just had my very first kernel panic (black box of death telling me to restart my computer immediately). I did some research and found that kernel panics are often due to "malformed network packets." What does that mean? Does this mean my Mac has been hacked??? Or someone attempted to hack into it? This was about a month ago. Hasn't happened since. I've had this computer for about 7 months. Should I be concerned?
 
Where did you read this? It's a new one on me. I would not expect malformed packets to be a common cause of kernel panics.

The most common causes of kernel panics are faulty hardware and buggy system add-ons. There are not many add-ons that can cause kernel panics, however, since most programs operate above the kernel level. An example of a program that might create kernel panics is USB Overdrive or Little Snitch, which use kernel extensions to work their magic.
 
Very sorry to bother you Mac geniuses again! But if it's not too time-consuming, could someone please reply to this tonight? I'm wondering if I should contact Apple support and take my computer in...or if it's nothing to worry about?

Thank you so much. Again, I'm sorry for being so urgent. :eek:

P.S. Mikuro, we were posting at the same time! LOL

To answer your question: I did a Google search on kernel panics and it said that most often it's not due to hardware problems on a Mac, instead it's due to malformed network packets from drivers and outside parties on a wi-fi signal. I'm sorry I don't have the link. I read so many articles from so many different websites, I didn't save them.

So, this kernel panic happened only one time in 7 months. Should I be worried? And is it an attempt by a hacker? Hard to believe it's a hardware problem because my computer runs so beautifully, and it only happened once. If it's a hardware problem it would happen more than once in 7 months, wouldn't it?

And, no, I don't have Little Snitch or USB Overdrive or anything like that.
 
Hi, Mikuro!

Thank you! I forgot to tell you, the first thing I did was run Apple's hardware diagnostic test! LOL

My computer passed everything. So I really don't understand why the kernel panic happened. :(
 
Personally, I'd chalk it up to "s*** happens" unless it happens again. *shrug*

Wouldn't hurt to make sure you have a good, non-default password on your home wireless network.
 
Wow...I am SHOCKED. :eek: I went to the Apple store and asked FIVE people what a kernel panic is. They all said the same thing: "A kernel what???" :rolleyes: Apple employees don't even know what it is! How could this be?! :confused:
 
LOL

I know! I felt so "old-school" when no one knew what I was talking about. I started thinking to myself "maybe it's not called a kernel panic anymore; maybe they have a new name for it these days." :eek:

The good news is: It hasn't happened again. I ran Apple's hardware test (the extensive version), which took about 45 minutes to complete, and everything passed and the diagnostics reported "no trouble found."

I am assuming if it was a harddrive or hardware or internal problem of any kind, the test would have picked up on something, correct?
 
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