[X-Newbies] spyware?

[Randy B. Singer]

On Jul 19, 2007, at 7:50 PM, John Park wrote:

> are macs vulnerable to spyware?  Is there a recommended program to  
> guard against it?

Macs are vulnerable to spyware, viruses, Trojan Horses, etc.  It's  
just that OS X was designed with security in mind, and Apple has been  
good about keeping up with security patches.  As a result, there  
hasn't been much successful malware written for OS X.

As for spyware, it depends on what you mean by the term.  There are  
applications that phone home, but they usually do so for innocuous  
reasons, such as checking to see if there is an update.  There are  
cookies that do things like keep track of how often you visit certain  
Web sites.  Some folks consider that spyware, others don't.

There is no seriously malicious spyware that I know of that can  
install itself on your Macintosh without you knowing it when you  
visit a Web site, or via e-mail.  (Windows users really wish that  
they could say the same.  Over 91% of computers running Windows are  
infected with Spyware!
http://www.mcafeesecurity.com/us/about/press/mcafee_enterprise/ 
2004/20040212_085446.htm   )
There _is_ spyware for the Macintosh that requires that the "spy"  
have physical access to your computer to install it; but it is  
extremely unlikely that you will encounter it just because of the  
physical access requirement.  There was an unsuccessful attempt at a  
Trojan Horse that was supposed to install spyware on your computer a  
year or so ago.

So, for now, there is nothing to be particularly concerned about.

There are a number of anti-spyware programs available for the  
Macintosh.  But there is no reason to have them.  They are just  
making money off of your fear.

MacScan
http://macscan.securemac.com/

Internet Cleanup
http://www.allume.com/mac/cleanup/index.html

HenWen
http://seiryu.home.comcast.net/henwen.html

There is one, Little Snitch, that some folks like.  It acts as a  
reverse firewall.  That is, it blocks all outgoing communication from  
your Mac without your allowing it, so that if an application phones  
home, or if a copy protected application checks for other  
unauthorized copies of that application on your network, it blocks  
that.  People pirating software, and the paranoid, love Little Snitch.
http://www.obdev.at/products/littlesnitch/index.html

___________________________________________
Randy B. Singer
Co-author of The Macintosh Bible (4th, 5th, and 6th editions)

Macintosh OS X Routine Maintenance
http://www.macattorney.com/ts.html
___________________________________________