spyware
- Thread starter bvijayrao
- Start date
01. Currently, there are no spyware applications on MacOS X.
'... very serious security holes exist in all major operating systems' - have you personally come across even one? If so, what was / were the result(s)? (This is not a personal attack.)
'... so it is important to make sure that you always have the latest security updates installed.' - ... if you do, then periodically, view 'MacFixIt' for (hopeful) resolutions to all the newly introduced problems.
Typically, Apple only provides security updates to MacOS X 10.3.9 ('Panther') and the latest MacOS X 10.4.x ('Tiger') version (10.4.6 at this time). Thus, if you have any earlier MacOS X version (10.3. to 10.3.8, or 10.4.0 to 10.4.5) - you must first update your MacOS X (to 10.3.9 or 10.4.6) - which may then introduce any number of new problems, and then install the latest respective 'Security Update'.
02. If you have been using your Mac with little or no overall problems, and are not directly affected by any (published) 'security holes', then keep your current configuration as is, and continue to enjoy your Mac.
'... very serious security holes exist in all major operating systems' - have you personally come across even one? If so, what was / were the result(s)? (This is not a personal attack.)
'... so it is important to make sure that you always have the latest security updates installed.' - ... if you do, then periodically, view 'MacFixIt' for (hopeful) resolutions to all the newly introduced problems.
Typically, Apple only provides security updates to MacOS X 10.3.9 ('Panther') and the latest MacOS X 10.4.x ('Tiger') version (10.4.6 at this time). Thus, if you have any earlier MacOS X version (10.3. to 10.3.8, or 10.4.0 to 10.4.5) - you must first update your MacOS X (to 10.3.9 or 10.4.6) - which may then introduce any number of new problems, and then install the latest respective 'Security Update'.
02. If you have been using your Mac with little or no overall problems, and are not directly affected by any (published) 'security holes', then keep your current configuration as is, and continue to enjoy your Mac.
timswim78
Regular Guy
barhar said:
Yes, I have come across several security holes in operating systems.
Here are two examples:
A particular OS X security hole that I encountered was the piece of malicious software that was distributed on the macrumors forums a few months back. Someone linked to a piece of software that was supposed to have information about OS X 10.5. Several users on the board downloaded this only to find out that they had been infected with some type of Trojan or virus.
http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/02/20060216005401.shtml
There are other documented OS X "proof of concept" viruses floating around the net. I am sure that they can be found with a quick Google search. Here are some examples of OS X security holes.
http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=14402
http://www.securemac.com/
http://www.macnn.com/articles/06/04/20/mac.os.x.security.holes/
http://software.silicon.com/security/0,39024655,39156900,00.htm
In addition, I have received a virus on Windows that blew right by my antivirus software. It didn't seem to do any harm, but I did not want to take any chances. So, I restored all of my files and installed a new antivirus system. (I do nightly backups.) Since this is a Mac OS X board, I won't go into any more detail about the many threats to Windows security.
The lessons that I have learned are to be cautious when opening any file and to always have the latest security patches.
jbarley
One more, for the road!
timswim78 said:
This is taken from the link on MacRumors you pointed to,
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It appears that there is some debate about the classification of this application, and as it does require user activation it appears to fall into the Trojan classification, rather than self-propogating through any particular vulnerability in OS X.
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And this indicates to me there was NO security hole, just a not too smart operator, opening a file he should'nt have.
jb
Mikuro
Crotchety UI Nitpicker
There was indeed a security hole and a BIG one, at that. The result was that by merely downloading a file in Safari, a program could be automatically launched. From there, it could do just about anything, with no user interaction.jbarley said:
Apple has already fixed at least part of this hole, but there's no question that it was there. And that was not the first time such a security hole has been found in Safari.
OS X has lots more security holes than people like to admit. However, the fact remains that I can count all the actual exploits on one hand, and with the latest security updates, they're all moot. But, of course, there will be more at some point.
Bottom line: spyware, viruses, and all kinds of malware are not big problems on OS X. They hardly warrant any thought at all, really. I just recommend taking two steps:
1. Turn off the "open 'safe' files after downloading" option in Safari (if you use Safari).
2. Be careful what email/IM attachments you open, naturally. Just because something has a JPEG icon doesn't mean it's a JPEG.
'... I have received a virus on Windows that blew right by my antivirus software ...' - yes, let us remained focused with respect to Macintosh security 'holes', etc.
'A particular OS X security hole that I encountered was the piece of malicious software that was distributed on the macrumors forums a few months back.' - so where you, personally, one of the '... Several users on the board ...' who 'downloaded this' (malicious software) 'only to find out that they had been infected with some type of Trojan or virus' ?, if so, please forward me a copy of that malicious software ('latestpics.tgz').
Have you know the actual number of persons involved (infected) in the statement of 'Several users ... had been infected' ?, If so, please specify.
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Place any 'Finder' window in 'List View', with the 'Kind' column visible. If any file ends with a non '.app' extension; but, its 'Kind' includes 'application' or 'Unix Executable File' - think twice before double clicking on it. Think once to trash and delete it (and any associated '.hqx', '.tgz', '.gz', '.zip', etc., file).
In addition to Mikuro's suggestions ... anyone can write, and assign to their downloads folder(s), an AppleScript 'Folder Action' to test any added files 'name extension' and 'kind', and then trash the file, notify the user, etc.
'A particular OS X security hole that I encountered was the piece of malicious software that was distributed on the macrumors forums a few months back.' - so where you, personally, one of the '... Several users on the board ...' who 'downloaded this' (malicious software) 'only to find out that they had been infected with some type of Trojan or virus' ?, if so, please forward me a copy of that malicious software ('latestpics.tgz').
Have you know the actual number of persons involved (infected) in the statement of 'Several users ... had been infected' ?, If so, please specify.
-----
Place any 'Finder' window in 'List View', with the 'Kind' column visible. If any file ends with a non '.app' extension; but, its 'Kind' includes 'application' or 'Unix Executable File' - think twice before double clicking on it. Think once to trash and delete it (and any associated '.hqx', '.tgz', '.gz', '.zip', etc., file).
In addition to Mikuro's suggestions ... anyone can write, and assign to their downloads folder(s), an AppleScript 'Folder Action' to test any added files 'name extension' and 'kind', and then trash the file, notify the user, etc.
timswim78
Regular Guy
I have received a virus on Windows that blew right by my antivirus software ...' - yes, let us remained focused with respect to Macintosh security 'holes', etc.
- This was relevant to the conversation, please do not take it out of context. At that time, someone, namely you, asked me about what security holes I had experienced.
'A particular OS X security hole that I encountered was the piece of malicious software that was distributed on the macrumors forums a few months back.' - so where you, personally, one of the '... Several users on the board ...' who 'downloaded this' (malicious software) 'only to find out that they had been infected with some type of Trojan or virus' ?, if so, please forward me a copy of that malicious software ('latestpics.tgz').
- I saw the posting, but I did not download the file, because I had no interest in the subject matter that it was reported to contain. Consequently, I do not have this file. Furthermore, I would not give it to you or anyone else because I do not know what it does, nor do I know what you would intend to do with it.
Have you know the actual number of persons involved (infected) in the statement of 'Several users ... had been infected' ?, If so, please specify.
- I'd suggest to contact Mac Rumors for more information, since the incident occurred on their sight.
- This was relevant to the conversation, please do not take it out of context. At that time, someone, namely you, asked me about what security holes I had experienced.
'A particular OS X security hole that I encountered was the piece of malicious software that was distributed on the macrumors forums a few months back.' - so where you, personally, one of the '... Several users on the board ...' who 'downloaded this' (malicious software) 'only to find out that they had been infected with some type of Trojan or virus' ?, if so, please forward me a copy of that malicious software ('latestpics.tgz').
- I saw the posting, but I did not download the file, because I had no interest in the subject matter that it was reported to contain. Consequently, I do not have this file. Furthermore, I would not give it to you or anyone else because I do not know what it does, nor do I know what you would intend to do with it.
Have you know the actual number of persons involved (infected) in the statement of 'Several users ... had been infected' ?, If so, please specify.
- I'd suggest to contact Mac Rumors for more information, since the incident occurred on their sight.
This would depend on how you define spyware. The is very little, if any mailicous code out there that can affect OSX without user intervention. However that doesn't mean that there is no spyware.
I would define spyware as an piece of software that looks at what is occuring on my system and contacts another system with this information. Now let me thin, sounds an awful lot like the ministore function in iTunes to me.
I would define spyware as an piece of software that looks at what is occuring on my system and contacts another system with this information. Now let me thin, sounds an awful lot like the ministore function in iTunes to me.
'This was relevant to the conversation ...' - not from a Macintosh perspective - '... please do not take it out of context.' - it was not. Nor should any of the posts of this forum thread.
'... nor do I know what you would intend to do with it.' - look at (examine) it?,
Do you think the '' author unintentionally labeled some of the functions (procedures, routines, etc.,) '_infect:', '_infectApps:', '_installHooks:', '_copySelf:', etc.?
Was Andrew Welch ever questioned as to his intention of having the 'latestpics.tgz' file? Besides, it was released 'into the wild' ...
I have written and demonstrated several simple snap shot capturing and such UNIX and AppleScript scripts, etc., to several persons. It is not the fact that such code can be created; but, its purpose and use.
'... nor do I know what you would intend to do with it.' - look at (examine) it?,
Do you think the '' author unintentionally labeled some of the functions (procedures, routines, etc.,) '_infect:', '_infectApps:', '_installHooks:', '_copySelf:', etc.?
Was Andrew Welch ever questioned as to his intention of having the 'latestpics.tgz' file? Besides, it was released 'into the wild' ...
I have written and demonstrated several simple snap shot capturing and such UNIX and AppleScript scripts, etc., to several persons. It is not the fact that such code can be created; but, its purpose and use.
dmetzcher
Metzcher.com
You could always turn off the MiniStore. The latest version of iTunes, when installed, has the MiniStore turned off by default, I believe. This is probably due to the large number of people that complained about the new "feature", and to the fact that there was a little negative press in the Macintosh community. It was a good move. If I want a MiniStore sending personal information back to Apple, I'll turn it on.timswim78 said: