viruses

[mlecho]

is it true? that an apple can not get a virus that will effect the system?

 

[Murlyn]

No, not true, it's much harder to write one and there are a whole lot less out there.

 

[mlecho]

No, not true, it's much harder to write one and there are a whole lot less out there.

Murlyn...does this mean i should/need to get an antivirus software....or are these mac virusus much less threatening.

 

[Murlyn]

I've had a mac for hmm.. about 7 years.. and I have never had a virus.. so I would say not to worry about getting av software

 

[Graphite]

Ive had a mac/apple for 20 years and havn't needed an av. Im not even sure OSX has a virus yet... if they do, who wrote it, and wow horrible job at it.

 

[sLiCk_InCoNtRoL]

Just get .mac if your worried it comes with an A/V called virex, it hardly ever decects anything on my machine, or try not to download lots of .hqx or .bin files and nowadays you can get viruses in a jpeg!

 

[Graphite]

in a jpg? no. I doubt it.

 

[StarManta]

You can't get a virus *in* a jpeg, but you could get a virus disguised as a jpeg - on the web by masking the address (to my knowledge you can only do that in IE for windows...) and in email by calling it Anna Kournikova.jpg.exe (outlook usually hides the extension, leaving you to think it's a harmless .exe). But these don't change the fact that the virus would still be written for Windows.

AV software for mac is only a peace-of-mind issue.

 

[Andreades]

Yeah, antivirus is fluff... especially in OS-X; but as I type this brief my G-5 is struggling with a browser hijacker.

It ain't a virus, but it's a pain to be redirected to doubleclick and/or manipulated by someone there. Or where ever.

Running Aladdin Systems' Internet Cleanup is a waste of time. Its spyware remover finds zip.

A

 

[NJ Tom]

Is there a need for anti-spyware with macs?

 

[StarManta]

Yeah, antivirus is fluff... especially in OS-X; but as I type this brief my G-5 is struggling with a browser hijacker.

Which browser and why aren't you using Safari?

As far as I know, there's no spyware for Macs.

 

[rman]

Since everyone is concerned about viruses, I give you one.

You have just received the Amish virus. Because we
don't have any computers, or programming experience,
this virus works on the honor system. Please delete
all the files from your hard drive and then manually
forward this virus to everyone on your mailing list.
Thank you for your cooperation and God bless you.

The Amish Computer Engineering Department

 

[Murlyn]

*rofl* nice

 

[ApplejustWorks]

Hilarious!

 

[Andreades]

Reply to Starmanta's comment

Which browser and why aren't you using Safari?

As far as I know, there's no spyware for Macs.

StarManta,

I'm using Safari 1.2 v 125- the latest. Believe me- if you're targeted by the ad-mob or the MOB mob... they'll find a way to get you.

Since posting the comment this threads to I've already zeroed-out my drive and reinstalled OS-X, 10.3.2, so this G-5's free of unwanted guests for now, but it's been my experience that the condition probably won't last long.

The myth Apple Computer wants to foment and perpetuate regarding spyware is just that... a bunch of baloney. Yes, MAC is probably more secure (for now) as far as the Unix kernel goes than, say, secret squirrel's (Microcrook's) no-longer-secret kernel... but just keep in mind, please, the old caveat "where there's a will there's a way." Besides, there's this little much-evolved software program called P.R.O.M.I.S. in the wild. N'est pas?

I was hacked recently (just before a previous format/reinstall) when a component named WildTangent (yeah, I'm talking MAC here) MD5- [51EC645Fd01] was rammed in. Yeah... I paid old Mr. Dover a visit on that one. We all know 'ol Ben... as in BENDOVER. It (the spyware component) had so many threads that It was impossible to find and terminate them all. This was in OS-X 10.3.2. Sudden death (formatting)
beats languishing in defeat, right?

Before that, using Jaguar, I got snake-bitten by some slum-ware tracking cookies that could not be deleted from Safari. They were probably just the tip of the tamale, 'cuz every time I tried to make 'em go south they reappeared again in exactly 5 seconds. I timed it. They were associated with a browser hijacker that redirected Safari to the same web site time after time, no matter what URL I typed.

Acting as "base camp" of operations, the main spy file was regenerating its clones upon each deletion. I never found the main Gorgon, and ad nauseam, there's no spyware removal tool for MAC that can help a situation like that. Aladdin Systems' Internet Cleanup incorporates a spyware remover as a component in that suite, but it's extremely limited in its abilities. At least, this has been my take on it. So the only alternative is... yeah. That.

The bottom line is: regardless of what kind of computer or OS a person uses he will become vulnerable at some point in time. Maybe most of us are simply not in a high-risk category like yours truly; and then others are members of the black hat community... the very ones doing the hacking. According to rumors from high places, some of the latter bunch may be on Mr. Billy's payroll.

Would a hacker hack a hacker? Probably. Would the hacker-hackee post to this forum? Doubtful. But who knows?

Most of the nice people who post here are not political activists and have no enemies in low places dedicated to "getting them." So don't worry... as long as you remain either neutral or cooperative in re despotic government by emulating docility and silence in the face of horrendous wrong-doing, you'll be safe.

There are times, though, when safety comes at too great a price. Poisonally, I'll keep putting my mouth where my keyboard is and take the flack like a man. Squeak.

A