Posted on 04/05/2012 8:45:23 AM PDT by null and void
An investigation by Dr Web suggests that about 600,000 Macs have the malware - potentially allowing them to be hijacked and used as a "botnet".
It says that more than half that number are in the US.
Flashback was first detected last September when anti-virus researchers flagged software masquerading itself as a Flash Player update. Once downloaded it deactivated some of the computer's security software.
Remote control
"By introducing the code criminals are potentially able to control the machine," the firm's chief executive Boris Sharov told the BBC.
"We stress the word potential as we have never seen any malicious activity since we hijacked the botnet to take it out of criminals' hands. However, we know people create viruses to get money.
"The largest amounts of bots - based on the IP addresses we identified - are in the US, Canada, UK and Australia, so it appears to have targeted English-speaking people."
Dr Web also notes that 274 of the infected computers it detected appeared to be located in Cupertino, California - home to Apple's headquarters.
Update wait
Apple released its own "security update" on Wednesday - more than eight weeks later. It can be triggered by clicking on the software update icon in the computer's system preferences panel.
The security firm F-Secure has also posted detailed instructions about how to confirm if a machine is infected and how to remove the Trojan.
Although Apple's system software limits the actions its computers can take without requesting their users' permission, some security analysts suggest this latest incident highlights the fact that the machines are not invulnerable.
"People used to say that Apple computers, unlike Windows PCs, can't ever be infected - but it's a myth," said Timur Tsoriev, an analyst at Kaspersky Lab.
Apple could not provide a statement at this time.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
The zealots of all stripes will always be lying. Just ignore them. As a system administrator with many ties to Windows and MSDN, I get all manner of stuff from Microsoft that is just outright bullsh*t, and I ignore it. Surely you can do the same for stuff from Apple.
Pointing out that as the number of Macs grows the number of OS-X attacks will increase is simplistic and obvious.
Pointing out that as the security of Windows increases the number of Windows attacks will decrease is likewise simplistic and obvious.
Your alleged point, Sir, is lost in your obvious glee at the misfortune of Apple customers who were struck by malware.
THAT is what makes you an ass.
Btw I think you missed the part that says this installs withOUT admin password. So even responsible users can and have gotten this malware.
Microsoft used to blame the users too.
I'm not the least bit hurt. I have no dog in this fight. I'm just calling you on your unseemly glee at the misfortune of others.
While simplistic and obvious there have been many on FR that said that wasn’t true. In fact it resulted in jimrob issuing threats to ban people as it was quit disruptive to the site.
Now that it’s obvious to even the zealots they want to act like they never said that. We all know they did...heck look at this thread there are still many that don’t understand that this installs even without admin password. Which swordmaker promised never could happen. So you are saying he’s a zealot that should be ignored?
While simplistic and obvious there have been many on FR that said that wasn’t true. In fact it resulted in jimrob issuing threats to ban people as it was quit disruptive to the site.
Now that it’s obvious to even the zealots they want to act like they never said that. We all know they did...heck look at this thread there are still many that don’t understand that this installs even without admin password. Which swordmaker promised never could happen. So you are saying he’s a zealot that should be ignored?
Maybe all this time, you have been right -- OS-X isn't really any more secure than Windows.
So what explains the fact that Macs have less than one percent as many malwares per capita as Windows? There are a HUGE number of Macs out there now. What is it -- 60 million? 75 million? 100 million? I've lost count.... Anyway, how come they've been relatively safe?
Maybe the thing that "protected" Mac users from the nasty malware that lurks on porn sites was the fact that Mac users didn't surf porn sites and click on all the pretty buttons, nearly so much as the Windows users.
So maybe it's really about morals. Can you believe that? If you're right, and OS-X isn't any more robust than Windows, then it must be the users!!
I can see it now... "For-Q-Clinton says: Mac users are more moral than Windows users!"
I use Linux on my desktop, but have a MacBook Air for taking with me places. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty well thought-out, and I’m pretty happy with it. The case/keyboard/trackpad/etc., is unquestionably superior.
See, 4Q, this is where you're being nothing but a troll. Swordmake NEVER SAID THAT.
What he said (in different phrasings, so I'm going to paraphrase): "The design of OS-X makes it very robust against attacks. There have been a few successful attacks. You should stay patched up-to-date."
I challenge you to point out the FR thread and particular comment # in which Swordmaker "promised [it] never could happen".
Otherwise you're just a damned liar.
Half a million APPLE computers hit with 'Flashback Trojan'...
Drudge, Now.
I have given links several times in the past and you know it. Why you keep ignoring them is beyond me but if you want them search FR they are there. I believe one of the threads had bunny slippers posting in it...that may help you fund one if the many threads.
Wow you are posting the very thing you say macbots don’t post. What version of windows are you comparing against? Make it a fair fight. I have gotten 0 viruses on windows. In fact my whole family has 0 virsus malware Trojans etc... What’s your point?
My point is simple people claim OSX is more se ure than windows 7 and its not. OSX actually is the first to fall in hacking competitions year after year. Not sure about this years though I need to check when it is.
You're a riot. That's the same dodgy non-defense you have given in the past when challenged.
So you can't come up with one and want ME to do a search? Thanks for the laugh.
For the record, I consider Swordmaker a strong pro-Apple, pro-Mac partisan. But a "zealot", no, because he doesn't come out with stuff that's obviously false, which some pro-Apple/pro-Mac FR posters have done. Perhaps you're thinking of them with your statement about a "promise that it can never happen". And in those cases where it later turns out something was over-stated or mis-stated, Swordmaker has been more than willing to correct himself or accept correction, which zealots do not do.
You, on the other hand, are just brimming full of false criticisms and outright lies about Apple, Macs, Apple customers, OS-X, etc. And you refuse to back down when you're shown that you're obviously mistaken. That's what makes you the zealot, Mr. For-Q-Troll.
Which is why, in general, I ignore you on the tech threads. But tonight I'm feeling playful.... :)
You mean you had to help out tonight cuz this is a big black eye on OSX and the fanboys. Which you are clearly one.
I like Win7. I've gotten zero malware on my four Win7 installations. It's about as secure as OS-X became a few years ago. They're about equal these days, in my opinion.
However, a cubic ton of Windows users are STILL using XP and many (most?) are STILL not patching in a timely fashion. You cannot avoid dealing with the ACTUAL installed base of Windows users by saying that the latest version is secure therefore the rest don't count.
> My point is simple people claim OSX is more se ure than windows 7 and its not.
Actually, they're about equal these days.
> OSX actually is the first to fall in hacking competitions year after year. Not sure about this years though I need to check when it is.
You know as well as I do that those competitions have NOTHING to do with evaluations of robustness, and are merely set up by the trade magazines for the sake of putting "Apple", "Mac", and "Security flaw" in the same headline. They are set up in advance, scripts are written and tested in advance, and everybody knows that the prize goes to the person who hacks the Mac.
Don't be such a credulous fool. it's unbecoming an FR member.
*SIGH* how quickly they forget.
I'm a Unix System Admin. I prefer NetBSD for my systems. After that, Linux for servers, and either OS-X or Win7 for interactive/GUI stuff. I like Apple's hardware as a platform, and run OS-X, Windows, Linux, NetBSD, and a few lesser OSes on the Mac hardware using VMware Fusion.
Don't be a fool.
I tire of this exchange. Since you seem to have declined to toss anything back my way, I’ll bid you adieu and see ya on another thread... cheers!
So windows XP counts but previous versions of mac oses don’t. I guess if they made an OS people loved they’d have that issue to deal with. Luckily people love windows more. What other company supports their OS for more than a decade?
from the post to which I’m replying to the bottom of the thread so far is you being mostly an arrogant jerk. Do you come by this naturally, or do you work at it?
Now, THAT's funny. Thanks, it was worth checking back.
> What other company supports their OS for more than a decade?
What other company HAS TO, because try as they might, they can't entice people away from the version that "worked well enough" , with subsequent versions that just plain suck?
I truly think anyone who sticks with XP -- other than because their application won't run on Win7 -- is nuts. But most of corporate America is unable to upgrade to Win7 yet.
BTW, you must be forgetting that Microsoft TRIED TO DROP SUPPORT for XP over and over for the past 5 years, unsuccessfully because their customers demanded it. It wasn't because Steve Ballmer is an altruist. Honest.
He works at it. HARD. You see the places where the sweat stained the webpage? That was him.
Credit where credit is due. :)
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