[NPMUG] Fwd: apple viruses

[William James]

Well said! Amen.

Bill James


On Jan 27, 2009, at 8:15 AM, Patrick Cranston wrote:

> Viruses by definition are computer programs that spread themselves  
> unaided (virally ) from computer to computer.  Windows computer have  
> this problem because programs can install and replicate themselves  
> without a user having to grant permission for the program to do so.
>
> On a Mac computer this is not the case.  Programs have to be  
> installed by a user.  The user has to give permission ( ie enter a  
> username and password ) for a program to access the core parts of  
> the operating system.
>
> The "viruses" mentioned in this post they are really Trojan horses.   
> Users are tricked into thinking they are installing one piece of  
> software when really they are installing something else.   In this  
> case they are downloading and installing a pirated copy of iWork  
> 09.  The people who posted the software for download have modified  
> the download package to install other nasty programs when the user  
> gives permission to install the pirated iWork.
>
> The real story is not "Mac Viruses on the rise" but a more basic  
> fundamental lesson that should have been learned in kindergarten  
> "Don't steal and don't eat candy from strangers"
>
> Imagine if you were walking down the street and there was a shady  
> character standing at the street corner handing out free opened  
> bottles of Coke.  You take the coke,  drink it and die of cyanide  
> poisoning 3 minutes later.   Should the newspaper headline read -  
> "Coke now has the potential kill you." or should it read "Stupid  
> idiot dies after accepting stolen soft drink from miscreant who  
> laced drink with cyanide."
>
> In these cases the problem is not weaknesses in the Mac OS.  The  
> problem is weakness in people's character who don't want to pay for  
> software, music, videos  etc... because they somehow feel that they  
> are owed these things for free.  Bad people exploit these weaknesses  
> to then wreak havoc on your computer and steal your identity.
>
> Only download and install programs from trusted sources on the  
> internet and you won't find yourself lying on the pavement wishing  
> you had just gone into the store to buy the drink.
>
> Patrick Cranston
> Cranston Consulting & Media, Inc.
> 888-813-5558
> www.CranstonInc.com
> patrick at cranstoninc.com
> Skype: phcranston
>
>
>
>
> On Jan 26, 2009, at 11:05 PM, Bruce Wells wrote:
>
>> Got this from my brother.  Anything to be concerned about?  Old news?
>>
>> CuZinBruce
>>
>> Begin forwarded message:
>>
>> Subject: apple viruses
>>
>>
>> http://www.salon.com/tech/giga_om/mac_love/2009/01/26/more_mac_viruses_similar_sources_time_to_worry
>>
>> More Mac Viruses, Similar Sources: Time to Worry?
>>
>> Darrell Etherington
>>
>> Jan. 26, 2009 |
>>
>> Depending on how closely you stick to the word of the law, you may  
>> or may not be aware of the potentially dangerous trojan called  
>> “OSX.Trojan.iServices.A” unleashed on some of the Mac community  
>> last week via a pirated copy of iWork ‘09. The trojan, discovered  
>> by Mac security software company Intego, allows the distributor of  
>> the malicious software to access and modify the affected system  
>> remotely, performing actions such as adding files. Such a  
>> vulnerability is potentially fatal to an operating system.
>>
>> According to Intego’s numbers, more than 20,000 people have  
>> downloaded the affected file, a number which also says something  
>> about Apple’s ability (or desire?) to curb piracy of its  
>> proprietary software. Instructions on how to rid your computer of  
>> the virus in case you are among that unlucky 20,000 can be found  
>> here, but they can’t take away your shame.
>>
>> This week, another round of infections has appeared, this time  
>> targeting a different, but similar group of pirates. The victims  
>> are users who downloaded a pirated copy of Adobe’s popular photo  
>> editing program, Photoshop CS4. Again, the people responsible for  
>> finding and broadcasting the existence of the trojan are Intego.  
>> This one is aptly dubbed “OSX.Trojan.iServices.B”, and actually  
>> comes from the serial generator that packages with the Photoshop  
>> installer, and not the installer itself. The CS4 trojan presents  
>> the same risks as the iWork ‘09 version. Intego reports 5,000  
>> downloads to date.
>>
>> With two such high-profile virus detections coming so closely on  
>> each other’s heels, the question inevitably arises: Is Mac’s status  
>> as a highly secure option to Windows in danger? Clearly, Mac users  
>> are beginning to present a more attractive target to hackers,  
>> because the platform itself is becoming more popular. Not only  
>> that, but Mac users may be even more susceptible than others, since  
>> they traditionally haven’t had to worry much about malicious attacks.
>>
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