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Apple Hit By Hackers Who Targeted Facebook

snydeq writes "Apple was recently attacked by hackers who infected the Macintosh computers of some employees, the company said on Tuesday in an unprecedented disclosure that described the widest known cyber attacks against Apple-made computers to date, Reuters reports. 'The same software, which infected Macs by exploiting a flaw in a version of Oracle Corp's Java software used as a plug-in on Web browsers, was used to launch attacks against Facebook, which the social network disclosed on Friday. ... A person briefed on the investigation into the attacks said that hundreds of companies, including defense contractors, had been infected with the same malicious software, or malware. The attacks mark the highest-profile cyber attacks to date on businesses running Mac computers.'"

148 comments

  1. Hackers reported that the malware "just worked." by crazyjj · · Score: 5, Funny

    Thank you folks, I'll be here all week.

    --
    What political party do you join when you don't like Bible-thumpers *or* hippies?
  2. There is no OS-based security. by i+kan+reed · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Among my computers is a windows machine. I have no fear of being compromised because it has no exposed ports, a safe browser, and all 3rd party plugins disabled until I activate them.
    I also have an android phone, and I'm near certain it'll get malware from an advertisement someday, because I have no means of blocking anything. It has nothing to do with the underlying safety of the system, but always the weakest link the chain.

    1. Re:There is no OS-based security. by gstoddart · · Score: 3, Informative

      I also have an android phone, and I'm near certain it'll get malware from an advertisement someday, because I have no means of blocking anything.

      AdBlock runs just fine on an Android phone, in case you didn't know. I put it on mine pretty much the day I got it.

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    2. Re:There is no OS-based security. by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      Chrome for Android is safe. Plugins are click-to-play and you can even disable Javascript. Adblock is available for Android and all apps run sandboxed. It is basically as safe or better than your desktop, the biggest vulnerability being user stupidity.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    3. Re:There is no OS-based security. by mlts · · Score: 1

      There are things to do to help mitigate chances of malware on Android, especially if one has root:

      1: There are AdBlock-like utilities available for Android which can actively firewall, add hosts entries, or block on the app layer.

      2: For older versions of the OS, there used to be an app called LBE Privacy Guard, which would prevent apps that wanted full kitchen sink perms from being able to do their dirty deeds.

      3: Some Android ROMs allow permissions to be edited. That way, an app wanting all and sundry might get the ability to yak on the network, but that's it.

      4: Droidwall is an old standby. Unless one explicitly wants an app to hit the network, it won't.

      Android has a good amount of privacy/security tools available. However, Android's main weakness is that the app stores need to have two tiers, one tier being the default, with rigorous app scanning, then the other tier as we have now, with phones set to only access the more policed tier as default.

    4. Re:There is no OS-based security. by inglorion_on_the_net · · Score: 2

      a safe browser

      A what?

      Web browsers are complex software, I would say on about the same level as Oracle's Java implementation, or the Flash plugin. The ones in common use are all written in C++, which is perfectly capable of expressing programs with exploitable security holes in them. I would say that the probability that your web browser is free of exploitable holes is about the same as the probability of that being true of Java or Flash. In other words, I hope waking up from that dream won't be too harsh.

      --
      Please correct me if I got my facts wrong.
    5. Re:There is no OS-based security. by Lazere · · Score: 1

      Take a look at your app permissions for me. It doesn't matter that they're sandboxed if they have access to things they shouldn't have access to.

  3. Facebook by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    compromising your privacy and security since 2004...

  4. Macs don't get viruses by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I suspect this is an elaborate hoax perpetrated by Microsoft or possibly Google.

    1. Re:Macs don't get viruses by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or Oracle...

    2. Re:Macs don't get viruses by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      I suspect this is an elaborate hoax perpetrated by Microsoft or possibly Google.

      In a week or two, someone finally manages to throw back the curtain to find... *gasp*.... THE ORIGINAL NEXT CUBE TEAM, back for revenge?!?

      "You thought you were rid of us, didn't you? Jobs thought that, too. And Jobs forgot to buy US out! We're here to take back what's ours!"

  5. Re:That's Impossible! by Lisias · · Score: 0

    They hired Robert T. MORRIS.

    --
    Lisias@Earth.SolarSystem.OrionArm.MilkyWay.Local.Virgo.Universe.org
  6. Re:That's Impossible! by trdtaylor · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Introducing the new Viri virus scanner, for only $30 it will prevent all infections and coo to you while it does it!

    Scan different

  7. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by jhoegl · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Being that this was a Java exploit which required a visit to a website at the least, I would say that those that got infected have more time on their hands than they know what to do with.
    Security starts and ends with the user. If someone gets a virus, it is most likely that they do not care, are not paying attention, or are clicking on stupid links that go to stupid things that are not related to their work duties.
    Corporations have yet to learn that training is required (less than 30 minutes to show someone the tricks to look out for), and an actual damage assessment and punishment system in relationship to breaches.
    Sure IT may get an increase in calls at the start, but it is worth it in the long run.

  8. Re:That's Impossible! by guruevi · · Score: 1, Informative

    Yes, Unix is secure by design and Mac OS X has a built-in virus scanner. There is no need to run additional software as none of it would've stopped this exploit short of disabling Java (which was also lauded as secure by design/sandboxing)

    --
    Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
  9. I like Macs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Redundant

    And I've only owned and used PCs for the past 15-20 years. Yes, Macs it does just *work* but never did I ever consider it 100% or foolproof. I like their design and simplicity. But I'm also learning Bash shell in Red hat which throws me back to the DOS days and I like it even better. I can't stand people who put Macs on a pedestal and glamorize its terminal and *nix roots. True, it's there and functional but the people who preach that to me have never used it.

    At the end of the day, computers are just tools, and the perceived danger is proportional to what kind of data is in the computer and the particular role the computer is playing in the workplace/ home. If I'm just storing movies or working as an occasional render machine, then it's disposable as far as I'm concerned. But if it's mission-critical, then I treat it like Fort Knox with several layers of security and backup plans.

    Anyways, computers are just tools and I believe the attack vector will always be the operator. Seems like Spear Phishing is the best balanced attack for the amount of effort these days.

  10. Re:We're taking national defense seriously. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    as opposed to all the ones running windows? Ever seen the computer banks at a military base? I would expect MOST of them have been compromised by adware/malware or the like.

  11. Java in the Browser? by tonywestonuk · · Score: 1

    'The same software, which infected Macs by exploiting a flaw in a version of Oracle Corp's Java software used as a plug-in on Web browsers"

    I thought Apple disabled Java in the browser months ago?

    1. Re:Java in the Browser? by kthreadd · · Score: 1

      They block individial versions which are known to be vulnerable. New versions are not blocked unless they are also found to be vulnerable. And if you absolutely want to run a vulnerable version you can just activate it yourself.

    2. Re:Java in the Browser? by Joce640k · · Score: 1

      They block individial versions which are known to be vulnerable.

      At this point in history, can't we assume that's "all of them" and start whitelisting?

      --
      No sig today...
  12. You can sense the glee in the writeups... by RocketRabbit · · Score: 2, Insightful

    This is such a delicious day for the tech "press" because despite their constant barrage of warnings to the contrary, Apple viruses have been pretty much non-existent. Sure, OS X has had some vulnerabilities, but they were generally in various Unix packages and daemons, and those same problems generally affected Linux and BSDs and Solaris and so forth.

    Anyway, my question: who the hell uses Java as a browser plugin anyway? On my rigs, it is disabled and has been for years. It's still installed (unlike Flash) because some desktop software needs it, but in the browser? Fuck that.

    1. Re:You can sense the glee in the writeups... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Any IT worker that has to deal with:

      EMC SAN Management
      Brocade SAN Switch Management
      Citrix Netscalers
      Various random pieces of network equipment with horrible GUIs
      etc, etc, etc.

      If a device has a web gui that is doing anything remotely complicated, 99% chance it will require Java. Bonus points if it requires an ancient old version to work.

    2. Re:You can sense the glee in the writeups... by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Java included with the OS? Last time I installed MacOS (IIRC it was Leopard) Java was there and required me to install multiple updates (and reboot after every one). The updates were in the system updater app along with all the OS and Apple app updates.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    3. Re:You can sense the glee in the writeups... by jbmartin6 · · Score: 1

      In the business world, there are hordes of 'web based applications' that use java from the browser.

      --
      This posting is provided 'AS IS' without warranty of any kind, implied or otherwise.
    4. Re:You can sense the glee in the writeups... by RocketRabbit · · Score: 1

      Don't those products all support terminal controls over SSh as well?

      Yeah, though, e state of "enterprise" management tools is pretty sad. These devices go for tens of thousands to perhaps even millions of dollars a pop, and the management software / GUI control options seem like they were created for people who failed elementary school.

    5. Re:You can sense the glee in the writeups... by sribe · · Score: 1

      Anyway, my question: who the hell uses Java as a browser plugin anyway?

      Enterprisey bullshit: HR/time tracking apps, medical apps, CRM, and so on...

    6. Re:You can sense the glee in the writeups... by mlts · · Score: 1

      If given the choice of command-line SSH tools versus a broken Java-based web UI, just give the SSH tools. One can write a front-end if they really felt like it then.

      To boot, why is Java even needed these days on the client end? HTML5 + Javascript can do a lot. I can generate RSA keys using JS using aSSL.

    7. Re:You can sense the glee in the writeups... by thetoadwarrior · · Score: 1

      A lot of businesses do conferencing and desktop sharing through java applets so it's more likely companies will be running them than consumers.

    8. Re:You can sense the glee in the writeups... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not anymore. Apple pulled Java support after the billionth exploit.

    9. Re:You can sense the glee in the writeups... by scarlac · · Score: 2

      Actually... Everyone in Denmark, thanks to the national authentication system called "EasyID" (translation). It forces people to have Java enabled. Nobody likes it, but we're forced to use it.

    10. Re:You can sense the glee in the writeups... by gtall · · Score: 1

      Anyone who has to use Oracle forms.

    11. Re:You can sense the glee in the writeups... by RocketRabbit · · Score: 1

      It's not needed, it's just momentum. After all, the CIO knows from reading Gartner reports that Java is "enterprise-ready" and so that's good enough for him!

    12. Re:You can sense the glee in the writeups... by mlts · · Score: 1

      The ironic thing is Java had its chance. Had Sun/Oracle did it right, there would have been no need for Flash or Shockwave, no need for HTML5, and perhaps no need for any other browser extensions, period.

      The fact that a JVM != a JVM is one of the things that killed Java as a usable platform. Had there been some consistency where code running under IBM's JVM would work without issue on Oracle's or Microsoft's, or just even between versions, Java would likely be a must have on today's desktop.

      I wish Oracle would invest in Java some more. At least deal with the fact that applications pretty much have to install their own instance of Java for any guarantee that their stuff will work right. Some guarantee of backwards/forwards compatibility would go a long ways. Worst case, perhaps have some sort of compatibility libraries. On a machine running Windows 8, I can still run .NET 1.0 programs, although it might take some updates. Perhaps Java should do similar.

    13. Re:You can sense the glee in the writeups... by RocketRabbit · · Score: 1

      I'll go one further for you: Had Sun done it right, there would be no need for Windows or the Macintosh or Android at this point. Java was designed ultimately so that the virtual machine could be swapped out for an actual machine without changing the software and without the user noticing at all. It was supposed to be beautiful, something that would be software and / or hardware agnostic, that would be running on our spaceships 3000 years from now.

      If they would have stuck to the idea of having one unified Java with one unified interface, as you say, there would be no need for a lot of stuff we have now. Instead they let the bean counters and Pharisees monetize the whole thing to the nth degree and thereby lost the goose that laid the golden eggs.

    14. Re:You can sense the glee in the writeups... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      wtf, IBM JVM is real fine, you must be talking about WebSphere version 7 and below. I tried to crash a spring webflow application on tomcat 7 running on the linux 64bit jdk1.7 j9 jvm. And my testing tool crashed at 893 simultaneous user, but the tomcat was only using 168Mb but the system had a load of 187 and the request service time climbed to 30sec but all request were correctly served. I tried a similar benchmark against a simpler php application and I had to use ulimit -n 4096 before it stopped crashing.

    15. Re:You can sense the glee in the writeups... by mlts · · Score: 1

      Nail, head, hit. It would be a nice world where one didn't have to worry about the underlying architecture, and it could be designed for specific tasks.

      For example, one set of CPUs would be designed to run bytecode as energy efficiently as possible. When CPU load goes over a threshold, the JVM is passed to another CPU/core set which is optimized for performance. Once the CPU is back under a threshold for a certain amount of time, it goes back to the watt-saver dies.

      Done right, improvements with computers, even architecture changes (like to Harvard from von Neumann) would not even be noticed by applications.

      I almost wish Oracle could spin Java off to a small corporation whose job it would be to repair the damage (in both PR and JVM), and to perhaps make what the original vision was going to be.

  13. Here's what Apple said on their website by Thrill+Science · · Score: 5, Funny
    They have since removed this:

    Highly secure by design

    Mac OS X doesn't get PC viruses. And with virtually no effort on your part, Mac OS X protects itself from other malicious applications. It was built for the Internet in the Internet age, offering a variety of sophisticated technologies that help keep you safe from online threats. Because every Mac ships with a secure configuration, you don't have to worry about understanding complex settings. Even better, it won't slow you down with constant security alerts and sweeps. And Apple responds quickly to online threats and automatically delivers security updates directly to your Mac.

    1. Re:Here's what Apple said on their website by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      And Apple responds quickly to online threats and automatically delivers security updates directly to your Mac.

      I'm sure you're trying to make a point with this post but the thing is that quote is accurate. Especially the last sentence. You see, Apple identified the security issue (third party Java plug ins) and have already released an update that deals with the problem. They didn't wait weeks (or months...) - they responded to the online threat quickly.

      So, while I can guess what point you were trying to make with your post, I must say I don't think you quite succeeded...

    2. Re:Here's what Apple said on their website by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Because every Mac ships with a secure configuration"

      This part is also relevant. You'd have to change from the default secure setting to a less secure setting at own risk to be affected by this.

    3. Re:Here's what Apple said on their website by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nice pinpointing one thing and ignoring the rest of the paragraph.

      Incidentally, wasn't there that SSL Certificate authority issue last year where they were the last company to respond?

    4. Re:Here's what Apple said on their website by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They have since removed this:

      Highly secure by design

      Mac OS X doesn't get PC viruses. And with virtually no effort on your part, Mac OS X protects itself from other malicious applications. It was built for the Internet in the Internet age, offering a variety of sophisticated technologies that help keep you safe from online threats. Because every Mac ships with a secure configuration, you don't have to worry about understanding complex settings. Even better, it won't slow you down with constant security alerts and sweeps. And Apple responds quickly to online threats and automatically delivers security updates directly to your Mac.

      They removed it in June of last year.

    5. Re:Here's what Apple said on their website by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As a /. reader I believe it featured here.

  14. Re:That's Impossible! by kthreadd · · Score: 2, Informative

    According to TFA the eploit was in Oracle's version of Java, a third party product that was installed on the machine. Hardly something that the OS could be blamed for.

  15. Only if they used windows! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Only if they used windows then the users would have noticed something was wrong. Oh wait...

  16. Re:I guess they didn't have to "think different" by kthreadd · · Score: 2

    Of course they can, especially when the hacked software was an installed copy or Oracle's version of Java.

  17. Re:That's Impossible! by Thrill+Science · · Score: 0, Informative

    Virus scanners on Windows catch Java exploits! Having a virus scanner technology could have prevented this.

  18. Re:That's Impossible! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    >Java
    >secure
    Choose one

  19. POSTING AS AC by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Among my computers is a windows machine. I have no fear of being compromised because it has no exposed ports, a safe browser, and all 3rd party plugins disabled until I activate them.
    I also have an android phone, and I'm near certain it'll get malware from an advertisement someday, because I have no means of blocking anything. It has nothing to do with the underlying safety of the system, but always the weakest link the chain.

    I don't understand - explain each and every line.

    I'm not in security. Please help in my ignorance ....

    1. Re:POSTING AS AC by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Among my computers is a windows machine.

      Slashdogma is that Windows will inherently have more infections than a discount callgirl.

      I have no fear of being compromised because it has no exposed ports,

      It ignores outside communications.

      a safe browser,

      Hard to say without more details, but almost any browser younger than 1-digit Firefox releases can be configured to be safe.

      and all 3rd party plugins disabled until I activate them.

      He turns off Java, Flash, ActiveX, etcetera until he decides it is important to have one of them on.

      I also have an android phone,

      If you don't know why this matters here, go read a few more articles.

      and I'm near certain it'll get malware from an advertisement someday, because I have no means of blocking anything.

      Unless you get the right non-standard Android-like replacement OS for your mobile device, Android applications will ask for permissions once. They tend to ask for a lot more permission than needed to do their stated job, and if you disagree it does not run. This can be contrasted to Windows with a Firewall blocking unwanted outgoing communications and that awkward greyscreen asking when something wants to change your registry.

      It has nothing to do with the underlying safety of the system, but always the weakest link the chain.

    2. Re:POSTING AS AC by NatasRevol · · Score: 1

      He turns off Java, Flash, ActiveX, etcetera until he decides it is important to have one of them on.

      And acts like this will stop him from getting a java/flash/activex malware.

      It won't.

      --
      There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
    3. Re:POSTING AS AC by i+kan+reed · · Score: 1

      How exactly is software that doesn't run going to get exploited, pray tell? Objects dependent on any code outside firefox are replaced with plain-boring html until I click-to-run them, which is the only time their associated libraries get loaded into memory at all.

    4. Re:POSTING AS AC by NatasRevol · · Score: 1

      Seriously?

      It'll get exploited when he is running it.

      --
      There are two types of people in the world: Those who crave closure
    5. Re:POSTING AS AC by i+kan+reed · · Score: 1

      He being me, just for reference. The vast vast vast vast majority of malware infections come from sites you never intended to visit: domain squatters, advertisers working with shady sites, SEO space-wasters, bogus links. I only run 3rd party software I actually have reason to trust.

  20. Re:That's Impossible! by the_B0fh · · Score: 4, Funny

    I think you've got Mac OS X mixed up with OpenBSD.

  21. Dupe article by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What is new in this post compared to the last one?

  22. Re:I guess they didn't have to "think different" by the_B0fh · · Score: 0

    Well, to be fair, it is a *different* virus... :)

  23. Re:That's Impossible! by ByOhTek · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Funny, if it's Windows that gets hit, the first thing said around here is that the OS should be secure enough to prevent such attacks.

    And, unless the attack affects one user account only... They are right. That goes for Windows, MacOS, Linux, *BSD, and INSERT_ANY_OTHER_FSCKING_OS_HERE

    --
    Self proclaimed typo king, and inventor of the bear destroying coffee table (patent not pending).
  24. Re:That's Impossible! by FrankSchwab · · Score: 4, Informative

    Well, not having the details at hand (although I did RTFA), it seems that the OS allowed a user app to corrupt the system.

    So, yes, I can blame it on the OS. Java may have been the initial vector that allowed the malware entry to the system, but the OS allowed the malware to do things it shouldn't have been able to.

    --
    And the worms ate into his brain.
  25. Java 6 SE vs Java 7 SE ? by SpaceManFlip · · Score: 1

    So it sounds like the newer, Oracle Java 7 SE was the vulnerable hole? Also hasn't that been the case for the last several months' worth of "Java Exploit" headlines?
    I am's be wonderin' .... who need dat Java 7 anyway? What is it's be for?
    I never installed it, just running the good ole' Java 6 SE which lets me run all the crap the interwebs brangs forth towards me.

  26. Which version of Java? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    TFA doesn't say which version of Java was responsible, only "a version". Was it Apple's modified Java 6, Oracle's latest and greatest Java 7, something in between, or something earlier?

    1. Re:Which version of Java? by kthreadd · · Score: 1

      It says it was Oracle Java, and Oracle does not provide Java 6 for OS X so it must have been Java 7.

  27. Is there an App for that? by sl4shd0rk · · Score: 0

    Yes.

    --
    Join the Slashcott! Feb 10 thru Feb 17!
  28. Re:That's Impossible! by v1 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Apple's advanced 1969-era OS is "secure by design". It is immune from viruses, and there's no need to run a virus scanner.

    Trojan != Virus for the love of god trolls, please learn this. I am sooo tired of hearing trojans being called viruses. They're both "malware", but that's where it ends.

    Anyway, this is why Apple is getting really sick and tired of Flash and Java, they've been the top two security thorns in their side for the last decade. Feeding the Apple bashers and giving Apple a bad rap. Apple doesn't write the flash or java interpreters, they don't have much control over the code monkeys at oracle and adobe.

    --
    I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
  29. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by pszilard · · Score: 5, Informative

    Being that this was a Java exploit which required a visit to a website at the least, I would say that those that got infected have more time on their hands than they know what to do with.

    That was a bit quick to jump to conclusions:

    Rather than using typical targeted approaches like "spear phishing" with e-mails to individuals, the attackers used a "watering hole" attack—compromising the server of a popular mobile developer Web forum and using it to spring the zero-day Java exploit on site visitors.

    "The attack was injected into the site's HTML, so any engineer who visited the site and had Java enabled in their browser would have been affected," Sullivan told Ars, "regardless of how patched their machine was."

    Source: http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/02/facebook-computers-compromised-by-zero-day-java-exploit/

  30. Re:That's Impossible! by gstoddart · · Score: 1

    So, yes, I can blame it on the OS. Java may have been the initial vector that allowed the malware entry to the system, but the OS allowed the malware to do things it shouldn't have been able to.

    Well, to play devil's advocate -- does the install of Java end up bypassing some of the security?

    I see a lot of stuff which doesn't want to install into user space, but wants Admin rights and wants to integrate tightly with other things. At which point, installing what should be trusted software is really just opening you up to all sorts of problems.

    Though, at this point, it's hard not to conclude that all versions of Java browser plugins are insecure and not to be trusted.

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  31. Re:That's Impossible! by Thrill+Science · · Score: 0

    Exactly! Yet the /. cabal calls *me* a troll!

  32. Re:That's Impossible! by nightfury · · Score: 1

    This post should be modded up an additional forty, with a side note that it applies to mobile OSes as well.

  33. Re:That's Impossible! by crazyjj · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Let's be honest here. Apple doesn't dislike Flash and Java because of security. They dislike them because people can use them to play games and use apps without Apple getting their 30% cut.

    --
    What political party do you join when you don't like Bible-thumpers *or* hippies?
  34. Re: Apple users by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Qft

  35. WHAT popular mobile developer Web forum? by jtara · · Score: 1

    "compromising the server of a popular mobile developer Web forum"

    So far, all of the press reports and statements from those compromised have left off the most important bit of information: WHAT "popular mobile developer Web forum" was used?

    One would imagine this would be important information to disseminate to developers...

    1. Re:WHAT popular mobile developer Web forum? by tsamsoniw · · Score: 4, Informative

      According to The New York Times: "But according to a person with knowledge of Facebook’s investigation, the compromised site, iPhonedevsdk, an online forum for software developers, is still infected. (In other words, unless you want to be owned by hackers, do not visit the site.)" http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/apple-computers-hit-by-sophisticated-cyberattack/

    2. Re:WHAT popular mobile developer Web forum? by Algae_94 · · Score: 1

      It would be of minor importance. The more important thing is how the exploit worked so that you can avoid it entirely. The idea is if one site was compromised, you really can't be sure that any other site isn't also compromised. Avoid the exploit not just one known exploited site.

    3. Re:WHAT popular mobile developer Web forum? by SuperKendall · · Score: 1

      Thanks - that's one.

      If StackOverflow were also infected at any point, then I would start to be concerned... that's the primary site developers use.

      --
      "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  36. Re:That's Impossible! by mlts · · Score: 1

    On OS X, I can purchase/download a game from a third party maker, and be off and running. In fact, there are a few utilities (InsomniaX) that are not up for sale in Apple's store due to doing low level kernel functions.

    Now, iOS is a different story. Without a JB, one is forced to go through iTunes (beta apps, or enterprise apps) or they go through the App Store. However, this doesn't apply to OS X.

  37. Where's Nancy Reagan when we need her? by mschaffer · · Score: 2

    Just say NO to Java.

    1. Re:Where's Nancy Reagan when we need her? by dkf · · Score: 1

      Just say NO to Java.

      Just say no to Java in the browser. It's ugly, it's resource-hungry, it's insecure. Java's OK for implementing other types of applications, especially server-side, where the security exposure surface profile is rather different, but the browser plugin part has just been trouble for years. (I've had it disabled for years too, along with Flash, not as a security measure but rather to stop excessively annoying ads and other low-value embedded content.)

      --
      "Little does he know, but there is no 'I' in 'Idiot'!"
    2. Re:Where's Nancy Reagan when we need her? by mschaffer · · Score: 1

      Do you think Nancy Reagan would know that difference?

  38. Soimething doesn't make sense though.... by Nidi62 · · Score: 1

    If you can compromise computers across so many companies, including defense contractors which obviously would have access to classified/sensitive information, why would you waste it by attacking Facebook?

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    1. Re:Soimething doesn't make sense though.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      http://www.troll.me/images/futurama-fry/not-sure-if-kidding-or-just-stupid.jpg

    2. Re:Soimething doesn't make sense though.... by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      If you can compromise computers across so many companies, including defense contractors which obviously would have access to classified/sensitive information, why would you waste it by attacking Facebook?

      Because spamming has relatively low penalties.

      Attack a defense contractor and you have several problems. First is network security - classified stuff is probably on the airgapped network that you can get on, but it's difficult to get off of. Second, you have people monitoring such things and the likelihood of being detected is greater. Finally, well, you have the government.

      Attack Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, etc.,and the repercussions are much lower. First, they're less likely to have airgapped networks, so getting information out is a lot easier. Second, the monitoring equipment is less advanced and may not catch what you're doing. Third, potential embarassment may mean your attack goes unannounced for a while.

      And what do they want? The usual - contact lists and ways to turn your machine into a zombie. Contact lists make it easier to send spam to friends coming from you (required if you want to phish or do the "I'm overseas and got robbed" scam). Zombies because botnets can command some good amount of money.

      Likewise, compromise a bunch of family PCs is a lot safer as well.

      Unless you want defense information, you don't bother with government and government contractors because the risk is high. The money is made elsewhere and it's a lot easier and safer as well.

  39. Re:That's Impossible! by v1 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    They don't like it because you have to run an update twice a week to keep up with the latest exploits found in flash and java. IF oracle/adobe were generous enough to roll up an update this week for the new exploits.

    And the boneheads at oracle kept insisting on rolling up whole new installers most of the time, that would only work if you had the previous version installed. (installer or updater make up your mind!) So you'd install vers 10, then 11, then 12, then 12.1, then 13, then 14, most of which were 55-56mb each. Idiots. Java needs to die in a fire. And I'll bring the marshmallows.

    It's not entirely oracle and adobe's fault though really... they're just keeping it up because devs keep using it. I'll admit it, writing games in flash (or java) is pretty quick and easy. But quick-n-easy comes at a price, a price to the users

    --
    I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
  40. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by theVarangian · · Score: 4, Insightful

    But...they were using Apples. Everyone knows that the Apple OSs can't be hacked. So it is perfectly OK to click on any link that strikes ones fancy. Isn't it?

    You do realise that this was a bug in Oracle Java don't you? That's a cross platform vulnerability, the Mal/JavaJar-B trojan for example also affected Windows, Linux and Unix systems.

  41. Re:That's Impossible! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    And, unless the attack affects one user account only...

    If the goal is to penetrate a company's systems, one user account is all you need. From there you can get the credentials to get to the juicy stuff.

    Multiuser OSes essentially only protect the system files. Guess what? Hackers don't care about your system files. They want your user data.

  42. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    And it was so light and thin.

  43. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Being cross platform still means it affected Macs. So the GPs tirade against the idea that Macs are immune to malware is valid. The GP was not claiming that other systems were immune to it.

  44. Re:Apple users by Macgrrl · · Score: 5, Informative

    I used to do Mac support and have spent plenty of time removing viruses from the old Mac System 6/7/8/9.x machines. I have never seen a Mac OSX virus 'in the wild'.

    Like any other form of security theatre, if you go long enough without being attacked, you get alert fatigue and begin to consider the threat negligible or non-existent and begin to consider yourself immune. I don't even have an anti-virus software on my home computers and would probably need to hear about a mass outbreak before I would consider installing any given my experiences of the performance hit windows machines seem to take when running anti-viral software.

    I used to swear by McAffe or Norton's, now I consider them potentially worse than half the malware out there for how they turn a perfectly good machine to molasses.

    --
    Sara
    Designer, Gamer, Macgrrl in an XP World
  45. Smaller subset than you would think by SuperKendall · · Score: 2

    any engineer who visited the site and had Java enabled in their browser would have been affected

    It seems like not many Mac developers would have been affected - because (1) you have to specifically install Java, and (2) as the response from Apple states Java (in the browser) is disabled if you do not use it for 35 days...

    But it would be great to know the sites involved so we would know if we were at risk.

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Smaller subset than you would think by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I read that it was iphonedevskd.com or .org (Cant remember right now) Just a rumor but even so, I would not risk it.

    2. Re:Smaller subset than you would think by _xeno_ · · Score: 1

      I have Java enabled on my Mac in the browser. Not because I want it enabled, mind you, but because IT requires it to be enabled because some of the software IT requires demand the Java plugin under non-Windows operating systems. (This also kills the plan I use under Windows of using 32-bit Firefox and only the 64-bit JDK, which means I get the JDK I need for my job but not a Java plugin that even can run in my browser.)

      Since the only reason I have a Mac in the first place is to work on a completely useless but very buzzword-friendly iPad app, I'd imagine that I could quite easily have gotten infected, as Java has to be enabled in order to run IT-required Java applets. (Applets that are only needed because there are no Mac versions of certain IT-required software, and the fact that IT only allows Macs on their network at all due to the stupid requirement by Apple that iOS apps can only be written using them. IT will be very happy once Apple finally gets around to killing Mac OS X in a couple of years.)

      --
      You are in a maze of twisty little relative jumps, all alike.
  46. What does it do? by Princeofcups · · Score: 1

    I can't find any reference to what the attack actually does. Does it crash the machine? Erase the hard drive? Cause ugly pop-ups? Spam email?

    --
    The only thing worse than a Democrat is a Republican.
  47. Not only not included, disabled later too by SuperKendall · · Score: 2

    Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Java included with the OS?

    No, you have to download and install it.

    And even if you do that, if Java is not used for 35 days the system disables it.

    Now THAT's how to handle Java so most people will not get burned...

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
  48. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by jhoegl · · Score: 1

    Perhaps in this case it was a targeted site that was compromised, but the point still stands.
    By making it harder to "phish" people, they must use other means which potentially expose them much easier than an email spam campaign.
    It also points out the problem with complex coding platforms like Java.
    As I never liked Java because of many other factors, this is just icing on the cake to my issues with it. Java is terrible.

  49. Re:That's Impossible! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    On OS X, I can purchase/download a game from a third party maker, and be off and running.

    For now.

    Give it a few more releases (assuming Apple still thinks they're on top of the world then). They'll make it harder and harder to do just that, until finally you're jailbreaking your laptop to install programs. And you'll just treat that as standard operating procedure.

  50. Re:That's Impossible! by kthreadd · · Score: 1

    Funny, if it's Windows that gets hit, the first thing said around here is that the OS should be secure enough to prevent such attacks.

    Well, that's what they are doing with iOS. However some people have objections about that as well.

  51. Re:That's Impossible! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Introducing the latest SomeAntic Antivirus.

    We Hose Your Computer, So Viruses Don't Have To!!

  52. Apple Hit By Hackers Who Targeted Facebook by Tarlus · · Score: 1

    Sounds like their aim needs some practice.

    --
    /* No Comment */
  53. i have boon using the site... :( by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    any hints on how to remove the malware?
    by the way: it was: iphonedevsdk.com
    (http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/02/web-forum-for-iphone-developers-hosted-malware-that-hacked-facebook/)

  54. Re:That's Impossible! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Microsloth is trying this crap with their suggestion that they should decide what apps I can run on MY machine.

    It'll either never happen or will induce the largest Linux/FOSS migration in 20 years....LOL

  55. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by theVarangian · · Score: 4, Informative

    Being cross platform still means it affected Macs. So the GPs tirade against the idea that Macs are immune to malware is valid. The GP was not claiming that other systems were immune to it.

    No Apple user I know and who has even basic knowledge of what malware is claims Macs are immune to malware. Even totally clueless 'drone' type users don't assume that. I know because a friend of mine has a small Apple shop and people regularly show up at his dealership and ask about infection risks on OS X and half the time they walk out with a free info booklet on malware and having bought a basic anti malware suite (he installs and configures it for free). This guy is just another nerdy zealot venting his irrational hatred of all things Apple. That "OS X is immune to malware and h4x0rs" mantra is so old it has whiskers on it and regurgitating it makes him just as lame as those sad plonkers who still spell Microsoft with a $ sign.

  56. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You do realise that this was a bug in Oracle Java don't you? That's a cross platform vulnerability, the Mal/JavaJar-B trojan for example also affected Windows, Linux and Unix systems.

    A few years ago, when Apple shipped iPods with Windows Virus they said "As you might imagine, we are upset at Windows for not being more hardy against such viruses...". So now they now should be upset with themselves.

  57. Re:That's because the holes come with the OS by benjymouse · · Score: 1

    Funny, if it's Windows that gets hit, the first thing said around here is that the OS should be secure enough to prevent such attacks.

    That's because the attacks are usually around IE or open ports. So of course people would blame the OS for the security failure.

    If the attacks are "usually" around IE or open ports, when was the last such attack?

    --
    Reading slashdot one-liner: (irm http://rss.slashdot.org/Slashdot/slashdot).rdf.item | fl title,desc*
  58. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by theVarangian · · Score: 4, Informative

    You do realise that this was a bug in Oracle Java don't you? That's a cross platform vulnerability, the Mal/JavaJar-B trojan for example also affected Windows, Linux and Unix systems.

    A few years ago, when Apple shipped iPods with Windows Virus they said "As you might imagine, we are upset at Windows for not being more hardy against such viruses...". So now they now should be upset with themselves.

    Actually, before you ripped it out of context, the full quote was: "As you might imagine, we are upset at Windows for not being more hardy against such viruses, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it." So even at the time they admitted they were upset with themselves even though they could't help but take a shot at Microsoft for reasons that have to do with events that took place while you were probably still in diapers. Come to think of it I could fill a book with snide comments by Linux Fanbois about Windows security made on this forum, comments that ignore the fact that there is way more malware targeted at Windows than there malware targeted at Linux. If you take that into account Microsoft is doing a pretty good job on security, snide comments by Apple Marketing drones and Slashdot Linux fanbois not withstanding.

  59. 100% security doesn't exist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The main problem many people fail to realize is this: there is no such thing as 100% security....ever! I don't care if you build a bunker 1000 miles into earth's core and cover the bunker in cement and re-bar, there is still a threat to security if someone is willing to spend the time and resources (money?) to infiltrate said device and drill down to the computer (even if it takes 100 years to do so). So when people say it's Java's fault, or it's Oracle's fault, or whoever, there is always something or someone that can infiltrate/hack something else. Whether or not the action of an attacker appears plausible, threats always exist and will continue to exist no matter what. The better term would be, "Some devices can be built more secure than others. OR Some settings/configurations can be more secure than others, never 100% secure." All of this depending on infinite amounts of factors, so no, there is no such device or code that can ever be written that is 100% secure and "un-crackable" by someone else (given enough time and resources).

  60. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But...they were using Apples. Everyone knows that the Apple OSs can't be hacked. So it is perfectly OK to click on any link that strikes ones fancy. Isn't it?

    You do realise that this was a bug in Oracle Java don't you? That's a cross platform vulnerability, the Mal/JavaJar-B trojan for example also affected Windows, Linux and Unix systems.

    The Java vulnerability is only a doorway, what you send through it is totally different.

  61. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by Plammox · · Score: 0

    Hi theVarangian, I own a Mac, I use Avast for Mac, and I'm very careful what websites I visit. I realize no OS is virus immune. Does that qualify for a first? A decade of windows usage taught me. Now please stop spewing crap about what mac users know and don't know. Thanks.

  62. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by acoustix · · Score: 2, Interesting

    No Apple user I know and who has even basic knowledge of what malware is claims Macs are immune to malware. Even totally clueless 'drone' type users don't assume that. I know because a friend of mine has a small Apple shop and people regularly show up at his dealership and ask about infection risks on OS X and half the time they walk out with a free info booklet on malware and having bought a basic anti malware suite (he installs and configures it for free). This guy is just another nerdy zealot venting his irrational hatred of all things Apple. That "OS X is immune to malware and h4x0rs" mantra is so old it has whiskers on it and regurgitating it makes him just as lame as those sad plonkers who still spell Microsoft with a $ sign.

    Come to my company. We have many users with Apples at home that swear to me that their Apples cannot get viruses, malware, hacked, etc... They all want to use them on the company network.

    --
    "A plan fiendishly clever in its intricacies"- Homer Simpson
  63. Re:That's Impossible! by bennomatic · · Score: 1

    Speaking from my perspective only, it's been quite a while since I felt that way about Windows, and it seems to me that the majority of comments about Microsoft being singled out unfairly have been from people claiming that Linux- or Mac-fanbois would be freaking out if the same exact thing had happened on a Windows box.

    There was a time that a HUGE number of exploits existed against Windows itself (or IE, which is part of Windows), and an equal number of exploits existed against other major MS products such as Word, Excel, and Outlook. This was when everyone was wound up and ready to blame Microsoft for anything. In some cases, they were wrongly blamed for exploits against third-party products such as Firefox, and there were certainly times when the same people who decried MS for those third party exploits defended Apple or Linux in nearly identical circumstances, but really, overall, the Windows ecosystem *was* less secure back then. Now, things have mostly evened out, and it seems to me that 99% of the exploits these days go through Java, Flash or Acrobat.

    One interesting thing that Apple has done is the whole shift towards the app store even for desktops, with the sandboxing requirement. Love it or hate it, if they've done it right, it will indeed make the system more secure. It'll be interesting to see if Microsoft starts moving that direction as well.

    --
    The CB App. What's your 20?
  64. Obligatory by dnaumov · · Score: 1

    This wouldn't have happened if Steve was alive!

  65. OpenJDK? by darkfeline · · Score: 2

    Call me ignorant, but the recent wave of Java bugs, are they Oracle implementation bugs, or problems with the Java specification? Are OpenJDK/IcedTea affected?

  66. Re:That's Impossible! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You know what the joke is? I really do hope that Apple disables installation of software from anywhere but the App Store. Software distributed through the App Store cannot ask for root privileges. Nowadays, every utility and its dog asks for root, when they absolutely do not need it. Very, very few pieces of software require root access to function properly. Wy are they all asking for it? Fuck them. If the App Store became a requirement, then they would be forced to stop.

  67. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by pszilard · · Score: 1

    Perhaps in this case it was a targeted site that was compromised, but the point still stands. By making it harder to "phish" people, they must use other means which potentially expose them much easier than an email spam campaign.

    No, your point does not stand. You were blaming the stupid users with too much time browsing porn sites or whatnot as well as the corporation that did not train them properly.

    There isn't much you can do against a browser plugin silently executing malicious code planted into a normally harmless popular website. No matter how knowledgeable were the respective FB developers, if the cited information is correct and complete, there was no way he they could have avoided the problem except by having java blocked/disabled.

  68. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But...they were using Apples. Everyone knows that the Apple OSs can't be hacked. So it is perfectly OK to click on any link that strikes ones fancy. Isn't it?

    You do realise that this was a bug in Oracle Java don't you? That's a cross platform vulnerability, the Mal/JavaJar-B trojan for example also affected Windows, Linux and Unix systems.

    1. If it counts as a vulnerability on Windows, then it counts as one on Mac and any other OS, too.
    2. Apple runs marketing and fanboys spread the idea that there is some quality to Macs which make them immune to attack, regardless of the vector.

  69. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wait, the people who are smart enough *NOT* to have their overly expensive laptops serviced in APL stores (they probably bought it for the name or how pretty it looks) because they'd charge retarded prices are also smart enough to ask about malware.

    You also realize that on APL's main website *AND* promotional materials -- for the longest time -- said it was "virus free".

    I wonder where people's misconceptions come from...

  70. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Work without fear.
    Decrease your downtime and forget about needing an IT person stationed in the kitchen. PCs were plagued with 114,000 viruses by the end of 2005 and that number skyrocketed to 257,000 in 2007. On a Mac, you don’t have to waste your valuable time keeping up with all those viruses and trying to protect your system from them. Instead, you’re free to amaze yourself with everything you can accomplish.

    How interesting.

  71. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Uhm, you're taking that out of context too. They're upset at themselves for having unauthorized software on their music players.

    Here, let me replace "it" with what "it" represents:

    "... we are upset at Windows for not being more hardy against such viruses, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching having a Windows-only virus preinstalled on our devices."

    They're not upset at themselves for "not being hardy against viruses".

  72. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Actually, before you ripped it out of context, the full quote was: "As you might imagine, we are upset at Windows for not being more hardy against such viruses, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it."

    It wasn't out of context. The statement is damning Windows for having the vulnerability, and apologizing for not protecting the "lesser" OS. The parent's point still stands- why are not upset with themselves now for having an OS which is, to use your exact quote "not more hardy against such viruses"?

    The answer is simple- Apple has spent a shitload of marketing money promoting the idea that Macs are somehow more secure and less vulnerable to attacks, of any kind. Don't get all lawyer on me about their language and the fine print, that's the image they wanted the average user to see and it's worked well for them over the years. So they don't want to admit that as predicted by many, as their market share increased they became a more viable target, and today there is nothing fundamentally "better" about their OS than the one they constantly bash as being "vulnerable".

  73. Re:I guess they didn't have to "think different" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Of course they can, especially when the hacked software was an installed copy or Oracle's version of Java.

    Well if you're going to start discounting hacks and malware due to 3rd party software, extensions, etc. then modern versions of windows are just as air-tight and rock solid as an Apple OS is.

  74. Re:That's Impossible! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "if they've done it right, it will indeed make the system more secure"

    Java and Flash are both sand boxed against the user account (both inside the Flash plugin *AND* the browser -- so there's two sandboxes!) All consoles will only run signed code by default, but all major consoles have been hacked into (mostly to run copied software, be it for backup or pirating purposes).

    If you're supposing that one company can magically "do it right", then I laugh at you.

    Why malware users haven't abused them? Probably because that even with the "popularity" of their tablet and phone sales, even if you count them into desktops. I think I read that they sold 100m tablets, and about the same in phones... Then you see articles like this: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/microsoft-600-million-windows-7-licenses-sold/79276 , not counting XP/Vista installs purchased for the past 10 years.

  75. Re:That's Impossible! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well, not having the details at hand (although I did RTFA), it seems that the OS allowed a user app to corrupt the system.

    So, yes, I can blame it on the OS. Java may have been the initial vector that allowed the malware entry to the system, but the OS allowed the malware to do things it shouldn't have been able to.

    I didn't see in TFA that the OS did things it shouldn't have been able to do.

  76. Re:That's Impossible! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    For now.

    Nice crystal ball you got there. You got a 3 Insightful for setting up apple and slagging them off for something they haven't done.

    Pure straw man. /. has fallen to the trolls

  77. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You could fill a book but back then when those comments were stated, YES MICROSOFT DID HAVE A PROBLEM. We know damn well that Microsoft has stepped up since then. Even though you fucking Windows morons told us that it was impossible for MS to do anything because of their dominating market position. Yeah, that same position they maintain today. You Windows boobs were wrong about it. Microsoft proved it when they finally stepped up. They're still number one in the market and yet they're no longer the number one exploit vector. Market share alone doesn't dictate what hackers go after. You have to have both the market share and bad software.

    Those comments you'd use in your book were accurate within their historical context. So, before you go griping about someone taking things out of context, you'd better make sure you're not doing the same.

  78. Re:That's Impossible! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Really? I don't recall anyone blaming MS for Flash or Reader. Seems to me it's always been Adobe that took the brunt of the cursing for Flash and Reader defects.

  79. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by R3d+M3rcury · · Score: 1

    No Apple user I know and who has even basic knowledge of what malware is claims Macs are immune to malware.

    Actually, Macs claim that they are immune to PC Viruses.

  80. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by DarwinSurvivor · · Score: 1

    Being that this was a Java exploit which required a visit to a website at the least, I would say that those that got infected have more time on their hands than they know what to do with.

    Security starts and ends with the user. If someone gets a virus, it is most likely that they do not care, are not paying attention, or are clicking on stupid links that go to stupid things that are not related to their work duties.

    Corporations have yet to learn that training is required (less than 30 minutes to show someone the tricks to look out for), and an actual damage assessment and punishment system in relationship to breaches.

    Sure IT may get an increase in calls at the start, but it is worth it in the long run.

    Riiiigth.

  81. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by 200_success · · Score: 1

    Write once, run anywhere.

  82. "This is a new campain" by roscocoltran · · Score: 1

    "This is a new campaign. It's not like the other ones you read about where everyone can tell it's China," the first person said." I'm a bit lost with all attacks, java security alerts, java patches, java this, java that. Could we give each java alerts a feminine first name like we do with tornado ?

  83. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by Xest · · Score: 1

    Why does everywhere seem to be keeping the identity of the site in question top secret?

    That's rather unacceptable, as many other developers using said site could also have been impacted.

    This helps no one other than the admins of a site who failed to properly secure it and they shouldn't have right to anonymity of their site when others may well be at risk.

  84. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by Ash-Fox · · Score: 1

    Apologies, my hand grazed the touchpad and my laptop took that as an indication I wanted to moderate you as flamebait. Posting to undo.

    --
    Change is certain; progress is not obligatory.
  85. Re:That's Impossible! by crazyjj · · Score: 1

    If the App Store became a requirement, then they would be forced to stop.

    They would also be forced to give Apple a 30% cut of their sales and let Apple and Apple only decide if their software was "appropriate" for your computer.

    --
    What political party do you join when you don't like Bible-thumpers *or* hippies?
  86. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hi theVarangian, I own a Mac, I use Avast for Mac, and I'm very careful what websites I visit. I realize no OS is virus immune. Does that qualify for a first? A decade of windows usage taught me. Now please stop spewing crap about what mac users know and don't know. Thanks.

    WOOOSH!!!

  87. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by Plammox · · Score: 1

    Oh shit.

  88. Re:That's Impossible! by quacking+duck · · Score: 1

    Let's be honest here. Apple doesn't dislike Flash and Java because of security. They dislike them because people can use them to play games and use apps without Apple getting their 30% cut.

    Yes, because Apple had an app store in 2007 when the first iPhone came out without Flash support. Even after the store came around, all those free apps though... 30% of nothing is—let me do the math here. Nothing into nothin'. Carry the nothin'...

    Let's be honest here. Apple doesn't like Flash and Java IN PART because people could then use them to play games and use apps without Apple getting a 30% cut, IN PART because of security issues, and IN PART because the user experience on mobile for existing content was bad. Bad enough that even Adobe finally killed mobile Flash development, despite Flash-capable Android rising to prominence.

    (Yes, new content could be developed targeting mobile Flash, but let's be honest again--the main reason people wanted Flash on their mobile devices was to access *existing* content, despite their mouse-oriented UI)

  89. Re:That's Impossible! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sure, but a decent OS should at least have file access rights in place that forbid the exection of programs that are not properly installed into the system.
    So, a file downloaded from the internet and stored on the user's network share or temporary directory on the local disk should never be executed as a program.
    As the attackers usually want to run some custom software on the local system, setting this up correctly prevents a lot of trouble.

  90. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Oh shit.

    No Apple user I know ... claims Macs are immune to malware It happens....

  91. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by highphilosopher · · Score: 1

    To be clear, she makes her connections on the internet. She makes her money on her knees. At least that's what I heard from kutahuja's mom.

  92. Re:Hackers reported that the malware "just worked. by Plumpaquatsch · · Score: 1

    Reply to undo Mod.

    --
    Of course news about a fake are Fake News.
  93. Re:That's Impossible! by Plumpaquatsch · · Score: 1

    Virus scanners on Windows catch Java exploits! Having a virus scanner technology could have prevented this.

    Sure. Virus scanners can catch 0-day vulnerabilities. Whatever you say.

    --
    Of course news about a fake are Fake News.