Forums | MacLife

Good for us it's the emptiest article in a long time

edit: ok, I see now there one has to login to get the rest. Still, and article starting by "becoming an increasingly tempting target" doesn't scare me much.
People have said that since OSX came out.
There is what, one crappy pornsite "malware"? It's just a bad application, with my lack of knowledge I could also make an applescript, give it a name and icon, and voila, malware..

Last edited by pirloui (2007-12-05 7:54 pm)

As with other attacks against Apple, the Zlob gang relies on tricking users to install its malicious software, rather than on exploiting any inherent software vulnerability.

Once again, no virus.  Just a program that can do bad stuff if you're dumb enough to install something that you don't know for sure what it is.

Apple can't protect users from what software users choose to install.

btw, I couldn't read the article since the site was down.  I'm just guessing by your reactions that it's the same stuff we've heard about before.

Last edited by Mr. T (2007-12-05 10:38 pm)

pirloui wrote:

Good for us it's the emptiest article in a long time

edit: ok, I see now there one has to login to get the rest. Still, and article starting by "becoming an increasingly tempting target" doesn't scare me much.
People have said that since OSX came out.
There is what, one crappy pornsite "malware"? It's just a bad application, with my lack of knowledge I could also make an applescript, give it a name and icon, and voila, malware..

Jut change the url from "false" to true:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c79b814e-a364-11dc-b229-0000779fd2ac,Authorised=[b]true[/b].html?nclick_check=1

New linky

edit: added "corrected" link

Last edited by SpacemanSpiff (2007-12-06 12:33 am)

Just do a few scans of your pr0n.

Article wrote:

Apple’s Rising Popularity Lures Hackers
By Kevin Allison in San Francisco

Published: December 5 2007 19:18 | Last updated: December 5 2007 19:18

After years of relative safety, the Apple Mac is becoming an increasingly tempting target for malicious computer hackers, according to a new report published this week.

Security researchers have been aware of the threat to Apple since last year, when they detected the first piece of malicious code – or “malware” – specifically designed to target Apple.

Over the past few months, however, the number of malicious programmes has increased, according to a report published this week by F-Secure, an internet security company.

“Over the past two years, we had found one or two pieces of malware targeting Macs,” said Patrik Runald, an F-Secure security researcher. “Since October, we’ve found 100-150 variants.”

The rising security threat could present a challenge to Apple, which has long touted the security advantages of its platform over those of Microsoft, whose software is a perennial target for hackers.

“As Apple’s platform becomes more visible, it will increasingly come under the gun,” said Roger Kay, an analyst at Endpoint Technologies.

Apple declined to discuss specific steps it was taking to counter the growing number of attacks. However, Apple said: “We take security very seriously and have a great track record for addressing vulnerabilities before they can affect users.”

Mr Runald said the jump in attacks against Apple appeared to be the work of a single gang of professional hackers. The group, known in security circles as the “Zlob gang”, makes programs that infect PCs by tricking users into thinking they are installing software needed to view copyrighted video files.

As with other attacks against Apple, the Zlob gang relies on tricking users to install its malicious software, rather than on exploiting any inherent software vulnerability.

Apple sold 2.1m Macs in the third quarter, up from 1.1m in the first quarter of 2006, according to Gartner, the research group. After years of catering to a niche audience of Mac lovers, Apple now commands about 10 per cent of the consumer PC market, according to Mr Kay.

News of Apple’s growing profile among professional criminals comes as the number of viruses and other malicious computer programmes loose on the internet has doubled over the past 12 months, according to F-Secure.

F-Secure said it had detected 500,000 viruses, trojans and worms in 2007, compared with 250,000 last year.

As with other attacks against Apple, the Zlob gang relies on tricking users to install its malicious software, rather than on exploiting any inherent software vulnerability.

OH NOES!

F-Secure said it had detected 500,000 viruses, trojans and worms in 2007, compared with 250,000 last year.

P.S. The number of those viruses and worms that work on the Macintosh platform is . . .


Yup, the sky is definately falling this time.

As usual, I'm shaking in my boots.

These articles always seem to be put out by companies that would have a financial incentive in getting people worried about the security of their Macs.

Eventually? Many of the first viruses and indeed the first worm were designed on Unix operating systems.

That of course does not mean that OS X is some virus riddled malicious target. In fact the history and long development timeline of UNIX in general is the reason why I believe most UNIX systems are pretty solid these days.

Regardless of operating system you should treat a computer like a gun, assume its loaded and be aware of how to operate the safety!