For all MACusers

[meenaghman]

In case you aint seen this yet ..

http://www.wired.com/politics/security/news/2007/11/mac_trojan

although it should be noticed that its the user not the machine OS being targetted with this attack. Still 8 percent of computer users makes for a significant target.

 

[SamNichols]

Surely it's not 8% of computer users, but the percentage of mac users who want to download free porn? I have no urge to watch free porn, or in fact any downloaded video, so I won't fall for their tricks.

 

[Carwash]

although it should be noticed that its the user not the machine OS being targetted with this attack. Still 8 percent of computer users makes for a significant target.

Yeah, so you have to:

1) Go to a pr0n site,
2) Try to watch a video,
3) Accept to download the missing 'codec' it says you need,
4) Manually install said 'codec' once the download has finished...
5) ...providing your admin password to do so.

I think people who trust software from teh pr0n sites with their root privileges deserve everything they get on this one.

I daresay it'll spread to more mainstream sites in time. In any case, you need to be sensible about installing untrusted software wherever it comes from - as root or otherwise.

 

[meenaghman]

The first Windows/Dos Viruses required users to load them. Later they concentrated on attacking vulnerabilities in the OS (loads) or applications (even more). I think the point about the article is not so much concerned with the actual virus (which the author believes wasnt released properly anyway) but in the actual targetting of mac users. So while the OS does on the face of it provide more security, the fact that its never been seriously challenged before doesn't necessarily mean its not vulnerable.. its probably more down to a simple business equation - is there any profit it it ? with the MAC and other Apple devices selling well, that point may have been reached.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

as carwash says

 

[Carwash]

Gruber is spot-on as usual:

Security Researcher Gadi Evron Jizzes His Pants Over Mac Trojan ★

From a sensational Wired News store on the Mac porno codec Trojan:

“Apple’s day has finally come, and Apple users are going to get hit hard,” security researcher Gadi Evron said. “OS X is the new Windows 98.”

It’s unfortunate, because this Trojan is an actual attempt by Ukrainian criminals to hijack Macs, but it’s not exploiting any sort of security hole in any version of Mac OS X. To get hit by it, you must (a) be the sort of moron who downloads “video codecs” from porno sites; ( mount the disk image and launch the installer; and (c) grant the installer administrator privileges to install whatever it wants, wherever it wants on your system. No system can prevent that.

If anything, the fact that you have to manually install the software and supply your administrator password is a sign that Mac OS X security works.

 

[starseven]

As well as the mac, I have a pc. I havent used any anti virus software on ether for over 2 years,(other than xp firewall) no problems.