Slashdot Mirror
Mac Malware Evolves - No Install Password Required
An anonymous reader writes "The latest versions of the Mac Defender malware attacks no longer require users to enter their admin credentials (username and password) upon install. A threat called 'Mac Guard' installs itself into areas of the Mac OS X system that only require standard user privilege. On Windows the criminals did this to avoid UAC warnings, and have copied this trick to their Mac OS X releases."
This still requires the user to deliberately install the malware. Since it's not compromising the system, but the user, it doesn't need privileges to do this.
Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
The only real issue is the "auto-download safe content" default option in Safari.It should'nt be enabled by default. Just uncheck it.
Another case of iClicitys (rush of advertisement clics generated by apple buzz)
Not really. And I wasn't really surprised to find that this is a slashvertisment. Sophos makes anti-virus software for Macs. I prefer to get my news from someone who doesn't have a vested interest in selling me stuff directly related to the content of the article.
I still cannot find the droids I am looking for...
It's an ongoing joke, he's been challenged to use the word "ladyboy" in every comment he makes.
If all else fails, immortality can always be assured by spectacular error.
not just that, but the sophos article glosses over the fact that you still get
1. an operating system warning about executing a file downloaded from the internet (complete with reference to where it was downloaded from). They mention it in the text, but omit it in their "slideshow" showing the steps to getting infected.
2. an osx installer gui which means it can be canceled
What this is *not* is a hidden and silent install like what is going on with Windows.
Yes, I can clearly see my mom running that on her laptop...
This is a problem for the random user, not for the geeks who know what ps, grep and piping are used for.
Really? A Mac is not a personal computer? What kind of device is it, then?
Steve's computer.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
My goal has nothing to do with karma on Slashdot, I'm pretty sure it's already as high as it can go (half the time I don't even see scores next to anyone's posts, I haven't bothered to look into why). Yes, I checked the link. I realize that people commonly use "PC" to refer to Windows, for whatever reason. That still doesn't mean that it's incorrect to refer to a Mac as a PC. We've established that a Mac is in fact a personal computer. How much longer did you want to argue about this?
"Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black