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wpotere

Guest
Oct 7, 2010
1,528
1
I did not mean the blog was profesional. I ment for you as the self proclamed "IT Professional" which you so clearly stated in your post to read the artical referenced.

Ah, I see. Well, if you would use proper punctuation in your post it would have helped to understand who or what "professional" was referring to.

Anyway, I stand by my statement. I am not a "self proclaimed" professional, I am a professional with 20 years in the IT industry and a degree to go with it.

Nobody is saying that it can't happen to a UNIX system, in fact it has. However, the difference is that any hole that is exploited is generally plugged by the vendor just like the Linux virus that ran for a while. For many years Windows ran wide open with everything exposed where UNIX took a more secure approach; this made Windows a prime target. Unix based systems are a bit harder to exploit and OSX is in this category. Does this mean it can't happen? Nope! However, as soon as one is released you can be sure that Apple will release a patch that will plug the hole up thus rendering it useless. Still a need to run AV? To date I see no reason to run AV (this may change in the future) on a Mac because to date there is nothing out there to infect a Mac. Should users take caution about installing pirated software? Yep, because when you install it you are giving it escalated permissions and Malware could be installed at the same time.

I'm done arguing with you and I would hope that any user that stumbles upon this thread can see that you are clueless to what you are talking about. Perhaps you should read this to give you a better understanding of how Mac handles things.

http://www.apple.com/macosx/security/
 

snberk103

macrumors 603
Oct 22, 2007
5,503
91
An Island in the Salish Sea
The way I see it, Apple spends as much resources on securing OS X as it needs to. Not more, and not less. We know Apple is not spending less than it needs to, because if it was there would be some serious malware exploiting OS X.

I think Apple isn't spending more than it needs to because of the number of hypothetical exploits that have been identified. I believe that Apple is aware of most of them, and works to close them - but at a relaxed pace - If it's not going to cause problems elsewhere with the OS.

Most things in life carry a risk, and we accept a certain level of potential risk that is balanced by enhanced convenience and efficiency. When the potential risk starts becoming an actual problem, then we change what we are doing.

When actual exploits start cropping up, then we will see how seriously Apple takes security. Will they aggressively close the holes, and continue being able to claim OS X is safe - or we will get the "Oh well, it was a good run while it lasted. Here's some AV software for you."

I think the latter approach. But we will have to wait and see.
 

notjustjay

macrumors 603
Sep 19, 2003
6,056
167
Canada, eh?
"Macs are immune/invulnerable to viruses": false.

"Macs do not currently have any viruses": true (for OS X, to the best of my knowledge).

"Macs do not have any spyware/malware/trojans": false.

"You should be worried about downloading Mac spyware/malware/trojans": false (so long as you avoid downloading pirated software, etc.)
 

MonkeySee....

macrumors 68040
Sep 24, 2010
3,858
437
UK
"Macs are immune/invulnerable to viruses": false.

"Macs do not currently have any viruses": true (for OS X, to the best of my knowledge).

"Macs do not have any spyware/malware/trojans": false.

"You should be worried about downloading Mac spyware/malware/trojans": false (so long as you avoid downloading pirated software, etc.)

Why is the bold statement false?

Just curious on what GGStudios posts
 

roadbloc

macrumors G3
Aug 24, 2009
8,784
215
UK
Why is the bold statement false?
For all we know, a new OS X virus may have been made a few hours ago and has spread it's way onto every MacRumors user using a Mac. And we wouldn't know for a while because MacRumors always seems to be behind when it comes to Mac based news.
 

MonkeySee....

macrumors 68040
Sep 24, 2010
3,858
437
UK
For all we know, a new OS X virus may have been made a few hours ago and has spread it's way onto every MacRumors user using a Mac. And we wouldn't know for a while because MacRumors always seems to be behind when it comes to Mac based news.

ahh ok.

I wasn't thinking of future threats my bad. ;)
 

aristobrat

macrumors G5
Oct 14, 2005
12,292
1,403
Why is the bold statement false?
Because the possibility for OS X to have a virus exists. It's a slim possibility, but it still exists.

And we wouldn't know for a while because MacRumors always seems to be behind when it comes to Mac based news.
Hmm. I have AppleInsider, 9to5Mac, Daring Fireball, MacWorld, TUAW, Macenstein, MacRumors and a few others in my Google Reader, and they all pretty much have the same Mac news within a few hours of each other.
 

notjustjay

macrumors 603
Sep 19, 2003
6,056
167
Canada, eh?
Why is the bold statement false?

Saying that Macs are immune would imply that there will never be a virus. We don't know that. There's nothing special about the Mac architecture that prevents viruses from ever existing. There could be a new virus tomorrow that catches everybody off guard.

What we can say is that in over 10 years of OS X, there has not yet been a virus. One day, if (when?) that day eventually comes, when the first true virus is found in the wild, it will be BIG news in the tech world.
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,556
950
This entire subject I have brought up was only intended to state simply that computers both PC’s and Mac’s are targets for malicious code writers.
If you had said just that, you wouldn't have encountered the challenges that you have. Your original post contained several false statements. Those falsehoods are what was being challenged. No one is claiming that Mac OS X is not at risk from malware, or that it is immune to malware, or even that a Mac OS X virus couldn't exist some time in the future. These are all well-known facts that your thread isn't needed to prove.

If you feel oppressed in some way by the responses to this thread, then stick to posting facts, rather than posting things that simply aren't true.
We still only have like a couple of trojans and I think one actual virus.
Not one virus. None. Zero. Zip. Zilch. And only a handful of trojans, which are easily avoided with some common sense.
Wasn't this thread wastelanded? Or did you post a new one with the exact same original post?
When it was wastelanded, the mods gave the OP the option to have it reopened.
Why is the bold statement false?
Just curious on what GGStudios posts
It's false because Macs are not immune to viruses. There simply ARE none that run on Mac OS X, but that doesn't make it impossible. There were viruses that affected Mac OS 9 and earlier, over 10 years ago, and there could be again. We're still waiting.
 
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chrono1081

macrumors G3
Jan 26, 2008
8,721
5,194
Isla Nublar
I have been using computers since 1984 when virus things were not even heard of. Now they are everywhere. Mac computers have been saying for years that they are not effected. Wake up..... programers that use Macs are working at doing their dirty work as we speak. Now they are creating virus programs that don't just ruin a hard drive........they can go down into the bios chip on the motherboard and you got real troubles. What do you think of that? It might even be that SOME NOT ALL the virus programs are creatred by the very ones who sell anti-virus protection. Just my comments. But we live in a world full of people who want to kill us and kill our computers too. Rodny King said "Why can't we all just get along"...answer is we live in an imperfect world full of evil thinking trolls.

Well, glad Macs don't use a BIOS they use EFI. Honestly this thread needs wastelanded. Sorry OP you have NO clue what you are talking about.

EDIT: Aw a bunch of people beat me to it lol.

Now let me get back to being a programmer and writing a virus to destroy motherboards....*tappyity tap tap tap at the keys*
 
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Choctaw

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 8, 2008
324
12
Ah, I see. Well, if you would use proper punctuation in your post it would have helped to understand who or what "professional" was referring to.

Sorry to confuse you......... Shouds como seu professor de Ingles tambem.
 
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roadbloc

macrumors G3
Aug 24, 2009
8,784
215
UK

1. Nothing has changed in two years.
2. The video shows Slow Leopard protecting the user from installing malicious software, thus making it even more safe than ever. That malware is not a virus, a virus does not have to be installed. I will say this for you again... there are no viruses for OS X. Just a handful of malware which has to be installed by the user (requiring a password).

You've just proven that there is even less to worry about than ever before, as it is now made even harder to accidentally install a program which is actually malware.
 

sim667

macrumors 65816
Dec 7, 2010
1,462
2,934
worst thread evah!

I have thought about this, so do use a free antivirus, and as far as im concerned, i live in a house on my own so no-one is going to install anything without me know.

If someone did put a trojan on it, id find out when littlesnitch pops up asking me if i want to allow it a connection.
 

Choctaw

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 8, 2008
324
12
Wow, nice try.... Still not bothered by it and you are still incorrect.

This was posted May 6, 2011 at ExtremeTech. Mac Malware Finally Comes of Age. http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2384994,00.asp

I don't think I am incorrect at all. Just informed about what is out there and coming to Mac users as we speak. At least one might read some of this stuff with an open mind, instead of stcking your head into the sand and singing that same old song............Mac's are safe.
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,556
950
This was posted May 6, 2011 at ExtremeTech. Mac Malware Finally Comes of Age. http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2384994,00.asp

I don't think I am incorrect at all. Just informed about what is out there and coming to Mac users as we speak. At least one might read some of this stuff with an open mind, instead of stcking your head into the sand and singing that same old song............Mac's are safe.
You're always a day late and a dollar short. That isn't even a trojan. It's simply an installer that automatically launches upon download, if you have that option selected in Safari.
  • If you don't have the option selected selected, nothing happens.
  • If you quit the installer, nothing happens.
  • If you don't enter your admin password, nothing happens.
  • If you don't give them your credit card information, nothing happens.
There's already this thread on this lame excuse for a non-threat (which was posted 4 days before the article you linked).

The only threat in the wild that can affect Mac OS X is an ignorant or foolish or careless user.
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,556
950
Really its an application that doesn't do something it claims to do:p And since I don't have a credit card its not in the least bit dangerous to me.
What does it claim to be? It doesn't pretend to be something other than an antivirus app. It's just aggressive, annoying, intrusive marketing, but it does no harm. It's not like you think you're installing iWork but get a trojan instead or in addition. It is what it says it is.
 

mrsir2009

macrumors 604
Sep 17, 2009
7,505
156
Melbourne, Australia
What does it claim to be? It doesn't pretend to be something other than an antivirus app. It's just aggressive, annoying, intrusive marketing, but it does no harm. It's not like you think you're installing iWork but get a trojan instead or in addition. It is what it says it is.

It claims to be antivirus software but it doesn't actually do anything. It just tells you that you've got viruses and that it's cleaned them up, and it reality it hasn't done a thing.
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,556
950
It claims to be antivirus software but it doesn't actually do anything. It just tells you that you've got viruses and that it's cleaned them up, and it reality it hasn't done a thing.
Exactly. A trojan actually does something.
 
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