PLEASE HELP get keylogger off my mac. Urgent!

[Archangele]

also, i don't have a working disk drive, it's broken. is there a way to wipe my computer clean and reinstall the harddrive/computer without using that disk?[/QUOTE]

No, there isn't any practical way to do this. One thing I used to do on my Windooozzze machines is to remove the infected hard drive. Put a new hard drive in, install the Windows operating system and then install a good virus software. I'd then install the original infected hard drive in an external USB drive bay. Then I would scan that drive and flag any infected files. Next, I would scan every file as I moved it to the new drive. This saved those files I wanted to keep. You can do this to a Mac as well. There are virus suites that are designed for the Mac which you could use to scan your old drive with. But, this will require you to buy a USB drive bay, a new hard drive for your Mac, and either a new optical drive for your Mac or an external one so you can load the OS. This is a good way to safely save your files and do a totally clean install on your Mac, which should rid your system of the keylogger. Another alternative is to use another computer and connect both to the same network. You have to set permissions so the other computer can read your hard drive. Now, search for the files you want to save and save them to the hard drive on the other computer. Probably wouldn't be a bad idea to have some sort of scanning software on the other computer to check for any malicious stuff so you don't infect that computer. I'm curious, how did you get this keylogger? Was it installed as part of a legitimate piece of software? If so, it is probably harmless. Kind of like the things that allow the software to alert you to updates. But, if it was picked up via some online activity, then it potentially could be logging key strokes for a predetermined amount of time to be uploaded to some place where they will mine it for personal information.

 

[bobtomay]

Now, why would it make a difference where the license owners live? Last year, I was going to do the same thing with some people from work, as in share a license. If you pay, how is it illegal ?... those are some mighty fine semantics at work right there, if you asked me.

Even if there were a clause stating that license owners had to be family related or live in the same house... what if one of the people whom had the license, moved ? Should they then have to purchase another copy? Sounds like a ludicrous idea to me. Just sayin.

Doug

The EULA makes it pretty plain. It is not intended for friends at work to share on their individual computers. All Mac Family Packs are intended to be used by, uhm, yep, FAMILY.

"B. Family Pack License. If you have purchased a Family Pack license, then subject to the terms and conditions of this License, you are granted a limited non-exclusive license to install, use and run one (1) copy of the Apple Software on up to a maximum of five (5) Apple-branded computers at a time as long as those computers are located in the same household and used by persons who occupy that same household.

Whether you agree or don't, doesn't really matter. The intent is pretty clear.

Edit: To make it even more clear that this is for a "family", the license also goes on to add that a student living away from the "family" is also allowed to use it.

 

[Archangele]

Now, why would it make a difference where the license owners live? Last year, I was going to do the same thing with some people from work, as in share a license. If you pay, how is it illegal ?... those are some mighty fine semantics at work right there, if you asked me.

Even if there were a clause stating that license owners had to be family related or live in the same house... what if one of the people whom had the license, moved ? Should they then have to purchase another copy? Sounds like a ludicrous idea to me. Just sayin.

Doug

Most software licenses state exactly how many users they accommodate. A lot of software won't completely install or installs and works for only a limited trial period until it is allowed to connect via the internet and register it's serial number. Apple's iWork can be bought as either a single user or family. The difference is that the license for the former is only good for one computer while the other is good for several.
If you read the license statement, it spells out pretty clearly exactly how many computers a particular disc can be loaded on. I can see people trying to load the same copy of a Microsoft software suite on a bunch of computers. They do charge rip off prices. But Apple software?? I mean, the OS is all of $25.00 and iWorks is a whopping $49.00 for single license and I believe $79.00 for a family multi machine license. I'm sorry but not even my boss is that cheap,, Well, maybe he is, but most people aren't.

 

[DarkestRitual]

The family pack is only for computers owned by you in your immediate household. A friend doesn't count, especially one who doesn't live there.

So yes, you have an illegal, pirated copy of OS X. I suggest you buy one.

Just curious, but where in the EULA does it say that? It's just a 5 license pack afaik.

*i stand corrected*

just got to bob's quote at the bottom.

 

[chas_m]

I mean, the OS is all of $25.00 and iWorks is a whopping $49.00 for single license and I believe $79.00 for a family multi machine license. I'm sorry but not even my boss is that cheap,, Well, maybe he is, but most people aren't.

I have to correct you -- iLife 11 is $49, but iWork is still $99.

Both products represent an INCREDIBLE value IMHO -- Keynote ALONE is worth more than $99 easily, and Pages is worth at least that much again.

 

[chscag]

Amazon is selling iWork09 right now for $61.98. A great bargain for the suite.

Rumor has it that Apple will sell the iWork applications separately when they open their new App store next year. It'll be interesting to see how much they charge for each App.

 

[schweb]

Just curious, but where in the EULA does it say that? It's just a 5 license pack afaik.

*i stand corrected*

just got to bob's quote at the bottom.

I don't make stuff up, just sayin'

 

[Doug b]

Haha.. Ok. So the EULA wins with its incredibly dumb semantics. I really don't think however, that the execs at Apple really give a rats patoot whether or not the actual users of said exclusive license are family by blood or by other means. You can argue that ones friend is more of a family member to them than their actual family. Yep, semantics again.. but IMO it's the same thing.

I'm not saying this to be argumentative or combative, I'm just debating the semantics of it. That line being drawn with the EULA is an incredibly thin and almost transparent one. I wouldn't go so far as to call it "piracy" by the OP (if he did indeed shell out whatever minute amount of money he claims to for the license).

Heck, a friend or colleague who pays for part of a license sounds like a better deal than a 20 something year old mooch who lives at home! Again... just sayin.

Doug

 

[schweb]

But the EULA is very clear that they are for computers in the same household, physical location. This would exclude your idea of random friends at work sharing a family pack.

Ultimately though, it doesn't matter what you think or your opinion of Apple's position since it's the one they have and it's not changing.

 

[chas_m]

As a lawyer once told me:

"Your OPINION on the law doesn't amount to squat until you can get a judge to agree with in writing. That's the basis of the entire Western legal system, persuading judges to agree with your views *in writing.*"

 

[harryb2448]

And chas if it was not for lawyers - we would not need lawyers.

Until folk interpret their own view on things!