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Worm Claimed For Apple OS X

Posted by kdawson on from the apple-trees-have-roots-too dept.

SkiifGeek writes "Controversy is slowly building over the development of a claimed new worm that targets OS X systems, dubbed by its inventor Rape.osx. Using a currently undisclosed vulnerability in mDNSResponder, the worm is said to give access to root as it spreads across the local network. As with a number of recent Apple-related security discoveries, the author, InfoSec Sellout, is delaying reporting the vulnerability to Apple until after completing full testing of the worm. While the worm has yet to leave a testing environment (with 1,500 OS X systems), it is bound to join the likes of Inqtana and Leap as known OS X malware."

5 of 398 comments (clear)

  1. *ahem* by Duncan3 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As with a number of recent Apple-related security discoveries, the author, InfoSec Sellout, is delaying reporting the vulnerability to Apple until after completing full testing of the worm.

    If by fully testing you mean "auctioning it to the highest bidder" then yea.

    --
    - Adam L. Beberg - The Cosm Project - http://www.mithral.com/
  2. Tipping the scales? by dsdtzero · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The fact that the breaking news on slashdot is "someone found the third way to attack a mac machine" is a compelling argument to purchase a mac over a PC. Unless someone can explain to me how this is the seed of an impending snowball of mac-targeted malware.

  3. Re:I question the ethics, and my legality by Tobenisstinky · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Good idea. However, a serious discussion on /. is unlikely.

    --
    wha'? where am i?
  4. Re:Okay... let me get this straight... by BlueDjinn · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I don't know of a single Mac user or vendor who has ever claimed that OS X is *COMPLETELY* invulnerable to viruses/etc, only that there hasn't been a demonstrable, malicious, in-the-wild true OS X virus released YET, which is true.

    Major difference. In fact, every Mac user I know expects a "true" virus or two to show up for OS X sooner or later, but what of it? So the ratio will go from a bazillion to zero to a bazillion to one or two.

    Apple has roughly a 2.5% worldwide market share--wake me when they have anywhere close to 2.5% as many viruses as Windows and I'll start being overly concerned.

  5. Re:I question the ethics, and my legality by fox1324 · · Score: 5, Insightful
    If what he's doing isn't illegal now, maybe it should be.


    Maybe it shouldn't be. There are hundreds of /. threads filled up with complaints about the US government and legal system. Our rights are constantly eroded by attempts to 'legislate morality'. Repeat with me: just because something is unethical or immoral does NOT mean it needs to be illegal. Ethics and morals are nothing more than opinions, and they vary greatly from person to person.

    Neglecting to report a vulnerability is not remotely criminal, no matter how much you disagree with his motivation.