Mac virus: What you need to know, how to remove it

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 3:56 am

I've just come across this, and as we have at least 1 mac user on here I thought I'd give you the heads up on it.

Quote:

(CBS News) Apple Macintosh users have become vulnerable to the Flashback Trojan malware. An estimated 600,000 Mac users have been infected. We've rounded up some of the best ways to check for the Trojan horse and get rid of it.

Full article and related links HERE Wink

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 4:25 am

LIEZ Macs do not get virus's, nothing ever goes wrong with them, only PC's get bugs, Macs are superior, a Mac user told me.

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 3:31 pm

It's a java exploit, and if your java is not up to date windows is just as venerable. If you don't need java it's best to uninstall it, I haven't had a need for it in a long time.

http://krebsonsecurity.com/tag/java/

http://www.webpronews.com/new-variant-of-flashback-malware-exploits-unpatched-java-vulnerability-in-macs-2012-04

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 4:52 pm

trollster wrote:

LIEZ Macs do not get virus's, nothing ever goes wrong with them, only PC's get bugs, Macs are superior, a Mac user told me.

Trollster you nub, thats Linux!!!

....Okay I'm trolling for the sake of it and setting a bad example Laughing

Thanks for the heads up Dezzie Wink

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 4:53 pm

If a mac was not so dang pricey it would have allot more share of the market and then it would have allot more viruses Laughing

They might not get infected as much as windows but they still spread it.

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:50 pm

Indeed taz same goes to the Linux or any other operating system nothing is safe.. but you know something is better than something
Like Linux is far better than Windows..

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 8:57 pm

The software update released a short while ago fixes the issue.
Anyways......Apple has not used or supported flash player for more than a year and does not need it.....quite strange that so many mac users felt the need to install. Also the option for open safe files in Safari ??? who leaves it checked.
The BBC report gave figures of the infected macs worldwide.......funny how cupertino california USA had the highest number of infections...... either they are too complacent or maybe the trojan was a deliberate action to gain access to information.....just a thought.

Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2012 6:19 pm

As more than 90% of current PCs are running Windows as OS, it just wasn't worth for programers to code their malware in MacOSX or different OSs. It's not that it was safer, there just wasn't much malware around.

But I guess that changed now.

Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2012 8:46 am

sTC-M4rshALL wrote:

As more than 90% of current PCs are running Windows as OS, it just wasn't worth for programers to code their malware in MacOSX or different OSs. It's not that it was safer, there just wasn't much malware around.

But I guess that changed now.

I disagree somewhat.
Linux now has a substantial user base and is growing in the education and enterprise sectors quite fast the last 4 years.
Most PC's 90% were sold with an OEM of windows....not always used as linux has improved substantially with its GUI.
Mac's whilst possible to infect thanks to its OS are more difficult.
It has been proven to be safer.
As for Malware.....lets be serious. it is written for the largest part for criminal intent. As MS has had for many years the defacto OS for many corporations it stands to reason that malware be written. Add also the number of miscreants that just do it for the hell of it as it was easy and they were pissed off for whatever reasons.
As the Mac and its OS is now gaining more ground in the business environment then it stands to reason that those who stand to gain financially via malware will now target the OS X.
Whilst the OS used by Mac's is indeed safer the real risk for its users is the complacency that they are safe......in this respect I will agree and think that the post by our resident DJ Dezz was a good call. People using Mac's must not think they have found a safe haven......it is safer yes.....but will be attacked.
What is good news is that since the Mac developed OS X based on Unix 10 years ago it was assumed then that the Mac would suffer. However its OS is still very secure compared to windows as is to be seen by the last 10 years of usage.

As a side note many years ago the nets were almost shut down due to a disruptive malware attacks in the early 90's. Interestingly the MS environment was pretty much shut down for 3 weeks till the servers were cleaned and the attacks nullified. Mac did it in 6 Days......the big surprise was that the then fledgling Linux OS had it under control in less than 24 hours. So open source will always in this respect be the most robust. Open systems are fast on defence the closed proprietary systems where they need to protect their source codes will always be slower.

Bottom line is awareness and not just clicking everywhere and especially opening images of cute chicks......that was a criminals dream as many male users would too often think with their dicks and not with their brains. This is also of great importance to mac users as we are not infected and therefore often do not realise but can and do pass on the virus etc when sending mails to our PC user friends as was mentioned by the Tazzzz.

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2012 7:19 am

thats the problem with legacy kruft hanging in your system. Its not needed not used, and still has kernal priviliges. its open for attack, like an old coal cellar door.