[X-Newbies] MAC VIRUS

[Steven Rogers]

On Feb 17, 2006, at 2:00 PM, J wrote:

> So just how does it spread through iChat? Wouldn't you have to  
> download something first?

Right - it involves receiving a file from someone in your buddy list  
that purports to be a screenshot of 10.5 Leopard. When you double- 
click to uncompress it, it runs the virus/trojan.  It probably will  
ask you to authenticate with an admin password - the announcements  
don't give details. I'd be very surprised if the program doesn't  
require admin authentication - and it shows how idiotic the Windows  
community is (both journalists and professionals) that they don't  
even mention this issue. It is the MOST IMPORTANT THING relevant to  
the security of the system.

> And is this just for the Macs with the INTEL chip? If so, you can  
> see now why some of us will never buy a Mac with an INTEL  
> chip...already it brings the same problems as Windows users have...
>
> Such a shame Apple is on the downslide to mediocrity.

It has nothing whatever to do with the chip. Yes, I see why some  
people will never buy a Mac with an Intel chip - because they don't  
have a clue about how the thing works (which is perfectly OK) but  
then take adamant positions based on nothing (which is the problem).

Its still important to note that this is VERY different from Windows  
vulnerabilities - i.e. on the Mac, you have to trick the user into  
running the insecure code. No operating system can be proofed against  
that. The people who are blind to the Windows issues are already  
trying to pump up the rationale that we're just now seeing this  
because the Mac is so unimportant that nobody has been interested  
until recently in writing a virus for the Mac. And that this proves  
there's no real difference between security on the Mac (i.e. Unix) vs  
Windows. For example:

http://news.inq7.net/infotech/index.php?index=1&story_id=66510

"Some owners of Mac computers have held the belief that Mac OS X is  
incapable of harboring computer viruses, but Leap-A will leave them  
shell-shocked, as it shows that the malware threat on Mac OS X is  
real," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos."

This is just amazingly idiotic crap from people who are supposed to  
be professionals.

SR