8 replies to this topic

[Azazello1313]

because someone told me macs don't get viruses

[billay]

Wow, a whole 550,000?

[Avernus]

Mac's are better at hiding viruses from what I hear....but they still get them..

but I'm not a computer expert or anything..

[polksalet]

Linux

[stevegrab]

Fewer people use Macs so they provide a smaller population to target with viruses. Thus they get fewer people targeting them and appear to be great at protecting their users.

But after some recent frustrations with Windows 7 I'm less of a MS supporter than I used to be. But still, at work I really have no choice. And for home use I'm not spending 2-3 times the $$ for the same computing power for a Mac to have a lower chance of viruses.

[detlef]

stevegrab, on 05 April 2012 - 04:23 PM, said:

Fewer people use Macs so they provide a smaller population to target with viruses. Thus they get fewer people targeting them and appear to be great at protecting their users.

But after some recent frustrations with Windows 7 I'm less of a MS supporter than I used to be. But still, at work I really have no choice. And for home use I'm not spending 2-3 times the $$ for the same computing power for a Mac to have a lower chance of viruses.

That said, you might want to consider spending less than 2-3x more for a computer that seems less impressive on paper but still far more than you likely need only doesn't require constant effing updates and optimization to do the kind of stuff you need a home computer to simply do.

Because, that's what you're likely actually looking at when you go from PC to Mac.

[billay]

For the Mac users: (taken from a Mac mailing list I'm on)

This article will tell you how to find out if you are already infected by the Flashback Trojan, and it tells where to go to find instructions on how to eliminate this malware if you are.
http://gizmodo.com/5...600000-infected

A simpler method (i.e. non-command line) than the F-Secure steps to check to see if you are infected by Flashback is this little app that runs the test for you. It just posts a dialog that says whether or not you're infected,  It does not make any attempt to remove the trojan. You can download it here:
http://rsdeveloper.c...t4flashback.zip

Apple has already pushed out an update to Java that includes a patch to make your Mac immune to Flashback.Once you either find out that you aren't infected with Flashback, or you find out that you are infected with Flashback and you eliminate it, it would be a very good idea to go ahead and update Java to acquire immunity to Flashback.
http://support.apple...US&locale=en_US

Java, by the way, is a programming language that is used for applications and advanced features on Web sites. It's use has become very rare. If you think that it is unlikely that you even have a need for Java, it is possible to completely disable Java so that it can be totally eliminated as a vector of malware infection on your computer.:
http://reviews.cnet....e-java-in-os-x/
If you don't know if you need Java for anything...I recommend that you disable it.  If a program or a Web site subsequently gives an error message and refuses to run...reinable it.  It's not a difficult or immutable act.  

There is another Trojan Horse going around that is carried via a Microsoft Office document. Don't confuse this with the Flashback Trojan. Apple has already pushed out a patch to protect you against this Trojan also.
Apple updated XProtect with a definition to catch the Office vulnerability. They refer to it as "OSX/Mdropper.i." This should have happened automatically in the background on your Mac if your are running OS X 10.6 or higher (i.e. Snow Leopard or Lion).
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT465
(There is no version of XProtect included in versions of OS X prior to OS X 10.6/Snow Leopard.)
To find out which version of XProtect your Mac has installed, and when it was last updated you can download this free widget:
http://www.brunerd.c...wnloads-widget/
The latest Mdropper.i update came around April 2.

In addition, if you have Microsoft Office installed, it's a good idea to install the Microsoft updaters for Office. These include a patch against this Trojan also:
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads

[lennykravitz2004]

Azazello1313, on 05 April 2012 - 02:47 PM, said:

because someone told me macs don't get viruses

[Azazello1313]

detlef, on 05 April 2012 - 07:37 PM, said:

That said, you might want to consider spending less than 2-3x more for a computer that seems less impressive on paper but still far more than you likely need only doesn't require constant effing updates and optimization to do the kind of stuff you need a home computer to simply do.

Because, that's what you're likely actually looking at when you go from PC to Mac.

billay, on 06 April 2012 - 10:39 AM, said:

For the Mac users: (taken from a Mac mailing list I'm on)

This article will tell you how to find out if you are already infected by the Flashback Trojan, and it tells where to go to find instructions on how to eliminate this malware if you are.
http://gizmodo.com/5...600000-infected

A simpler method (i.e. non-command line) than the F-Secure steps to check to see if you are infected by Flashback is this little app that runs the test for you. It just posts a dialog that says whether or not you're infected,  It does not make any attempt to remove the trojan. You can download it here:
http://rsdeveloper.c...t4flashback.zip

Apple has already pushed out an update to Java that includes a patch to make your Mac immune to Flashback.Once you either find out that you aren't infected with Flashback, or you find out that you are infected with Flashback and you eliminate it, it would be a very good idea to go ahead and update Java to acquire immunity to Flashback.
http://support.apple...US&locale=en_US

Java, by the way, is a programming language that is used for applications and advanced features on Web sites. It's use has become very rare. If you think that it is unlikely that you even have a need for Java, it is possible to completely disable Java so that it can be totally eliminated as a vector of malware infection on your computer.:
http://reviews.cnet....e-java-in-os-x/
If you don't know if you need Java for anything...I recommend that you disable it.  If a program or a Web site subsequently gives an error message and refuses to run...reinable it.  It's not a difficult or immutable act.  

There is another Trojan Horse going around that is carried via a Microsoft Office document. Don't confuse this with the Flashback Trojan. Apple has already pushed out a patch to protect you against this Trojan also.
Apple updated XProtect with a definition to catch the Office vulnerability. They refer to it as "OSX/Mdropper.i." This should have happened automatically in the background on your Mac if your are running OS X 10.6 or higher (i.e. Snow Leopard or Lion).
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT465
(There is no version of XProtect included in versions of OS X prior to OS X 10.6/Snow Leopard.)
To find out which version of XProtect your Mac has installed, and when it was last updated you can download this free widget:
http://www.brunerd.c...wnloads-widget/
The latest Mdropper.i update came around April 2.

In addition, if you have Microsoft Office installed, it's a good idea to install the Microsoft updaters for Office. These include a patch against this Trojan also:
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads

the juxtaposition of these two posts is rather amusing