[adn258]

CTphpnwb, on 27 March 2012 - 03:52 PM, said:

Atli, on 25 June 2011 - 06:01 PM, said:

xTorvos, on 25 June 2011 - 08:02 PM, said:

Never running a scan because you think you're protected called avoiding/ignoring the problem.

Yea this is common for Linux and Mac users. Thinking they can't get infected just makes them easy targets. Not exactly high value targets, but easy nonetheless.

I think it's just a matter of time until there is some major Mac virus problem, seeing as how Apple has half their user base convinced they are immune.

Doh! And your posts are usually so thoughtful! Your response has been around in various forms since OS X first came out in 2001. The reason it's been wrong all this time, and will continue to be wrong is that all a Mac user needs to do is use Software Update, which includes security patches. These patches are usually out as soon as AV software virus definitions (or sooner) and they're safer too, since AV software can sometimes be used to attack a system.

Last Spring there was a good example of this, where some one tried very hard to create a successful Mac trojan. Most people who heard about the trojan only did so because of the rapid succession of software updates from Apple. Needless to say, the trojan never got very far and the developer eventually gave up.

Oh, and Software Update is on by default, so virtually all Mac users use it.

The same thing can be said by updating windows too that is to keep from getting infected. Also there have been multiple trojans on Mac but they are a waste of time to create for the most part since they only have like 7% of the market. Why would a malware writer or hackers waste his or her time. They generally wouldn't.

This post has been edited by adn258: 27 March 2012 - 04:56 PM

[CTphpnwb]

No, the same can't be said of Windows because Windows depends (too heavily) on backwards compatibility, making it difficult or impossible to plug holes.

The market share myth has been disproven many times. For example, prior to OS X the Mac had a smaller market share (and of a smaller market), yet the classic OS had significant malware (at least as compared to OS X). Of course, your premise is faulty on its face: How can there be multiple trojans if no one would write them?

[GunnerInc]

A lot has to do with users and the OS in general.

*nix users are a bit more advanced than Windows users and have to sudo to make any changes to the system.

Many Windows users are just clueless - Moms and pops that have never used a computer and people that should not be using a computer use Windows. The default account in Windows has Admin privileges, and many users have no idea about that or the difference in user accounts. Then there are users who think it is ok to download cracked software and keygens, well it serves them right that they get "extra" stuff on their computers.

Don't know MAC but c'mon that is an old excuse that only Windows get Virii, it might of held true when MACs were RISC, but now they are CISC and fair game.

[CTphpnwb]

Sheesh! Viruses have nothing to do with processors. They attack the OS, not the processor. Macs don't get viruses because the OS is designed to avoid them AND because the OS is updated much more regularly and rapidly than Windows.

[no2pencil]

CTphpnwb, on 27 March 2012 - 06:52 PM, said:

Atli, on 25 June 2011 - 06:01 PM, said:

xTorvos, on 25 June 2011 - 08:02 PM, said:

Never running a scan because you think you're protected called avoiding/ignoring the problem.

Yea this is common for Linux and Mac users. Thinking they can't get infected just makes them easy targets. Not exactly high value targets, but easy nonetheless.

I think it's just a matter of time until there is some major Mac virus problem, seeing as how Apple has half their user base convinced they are immune.

These patches are usually out as soon as AV software virus definitions (or sooner) and they're safer too, since AV software can sometimes be used to attack a system.

...
Needless to say, the trojan never got very far and the developer eventually gave up.
...

Just trying to follow the logic here :

User:
I use Mac, I'm immune from viruses because Mac's can't/don't get viruses.

Virus is released
Small number of Mac users are infected
Mac releases a security update

UsersMac still is virus free

I don't get how your arguing the point when you even state that users got infected.

CTphpnwb, on 27 March 2012 - 08:17 PM, said:

Viruses have nothing to do with processors.

You are missing the point. Macs were so far left when they ran Motorola chip sets. When they switched to an intel chip base, you suddenly had Microsoft Office on Mac. If a virus is written to use the intel chip set, it can run on Macs. Macs were unique, they are now just PC hardware running a Unix (fork of the FreeBSD kernel) written by Apple.

** Edit **

If a virus is written to use the intel chip set What I'm trying to say here is that before you had executable compiled specifically for a kernal that booted no the PowerPC. When Apple switched Macs to an Intel chip base, their amount of users went through he roof. It's no longer black & white. NTFS files can't yet natively run on hpfs, nor does it have a registry to access, but the clock is ticking on a major outbreak.

Also you must understand that viruses made to target Windows systems are much different than the ones that target *nix systems. I have had a server brought into my shop that was running CentOS, & the guy was getting tons of traffic off it & couldn't figure out why. There was a space (' ') named directory off temp, that was running a daemon that connected to an irc channel in France. That is a sign of a DDOS client if I've ever seen one. I pulled everything out of etc & rc.d that ran the daemon, renamed the directory & the traffic stopped. Attacking a server based OS will grant so much bandwidth usage, it's scarey.

[CTphpnwb]

No, I'm not. You're talking about a platform you know almost nothing about. Office has been on the Mac since before there was a thing called Office. It started out as Word and Excel on the Mac and didn't arrive on the PC until at least Windows 3.1 (I don't feel like looking it up).

Today Macs use the same processor, but a virus written for Windows will not run at all on a Mac because the OS will not even attempt to execute it. If it did, the code would fail anyway since calls to the OS would fail.

Oh, and I'm not saying that no Macs will ever get infected. I'm saying that it's highly unlikely that a virus/trojan will ever be widely successful on the Mac platform. Big difference.

[no2pencil]

CTphpnwb, on 27 March 2012 - 08:34 PM, said:

You're talking about a platform you know almost nothing about.

I'm no Mac fanboy, but I've had my fair share of them torn apart, & I've been running FreeBSD since before Apple used OSX. I know that the standard firewall used by OSX is ipfw which is the same firewall that I use on FreeBSD.

CTphpnwb, on 27 March 2012 - 08:34 PM, said:

Office has been on the Mac since before there was a thing called Office. It started out as Word and Excel on the Mac and didn't arrive on the PC until at least Windows 3.1 (I don't feel like looking it up).

That's nice.

I'm talking specifically about Microsoft Office. It matters.

CTphpnwb, on 27 March 2012 - 08:34 PM, said:

Today Macs use the same processor, but a virus written for Windows will not run at all on a Mac because the OS will not even attempt to execute it. If it did, the code would fail anyway since calls to the OS would fail.

So they use the PowerPC processor? That's funny, because they don't, they use Intel.

CTphpnwb, on 27 March 2012 - 08:34 PM, said:

Oh, and I'm not saying that no Macs will ever get infected. I'm saying that it's highly unlikely that a virus/trojan will ever be widely successful on the Mac platform. Big difference.

Right, it is highly unlikely. But if that's your level of defense, it's a poor one. My house isn't likely to get broken into, but I certainly don't leave the doors unlocked.

[CTphpnwb]

No, they use the same processor as Wintel boxes. I thought that was obvious. As I said before, Office has been on the Mac since before it was on the PC. It started out as Word, then Excel, then they added Powerpoint and called the whole thing Office. Some time later, they came out with a PC version.

Your house is unlikely to get broken into partly because the doors are locked. Using AV software is not akin to locking the doors, unless you're using a lock that can be remotely controlled by some burglars. AV software is the worst kind of placebo because it creates the illusion that you're being proactive when it can actually make things worse. It's much better (at least for Mac users) to simply do regular software updates.

[Utael]

CTphpnwb, on 27 March 2012 - 07:46 PM, said:

No, they use the same processor as Wintel boxes. I thought that was obvious. As I said before, Office has been on the Mac since before it was on the PC. It started out as Word, then Excel, then they added Powerpoint and called the whole thing Office. Some time later, they came out with a PC version.

Your house is unlikely to get broken into partly because the doors are locked. Using AV software is not akin to locking the doors, unless you're using a lock that can be remotely controlled by some burglars. AV software is the worst kind of placebo because it creates the illusion that you're being proactive when it can actually make things worse. It's much better (at least for Mac users) to simply do regular software updates.

Ct just shush, your defense of OS x is junk. It's the same safe story speil they sell to little old ladies at best buy. Mac gets viruses all the time. In fact they are just as common as when Windows 98 came out for that OS. You don't hear about them because the average Mac user doesn't know about them. Since they were told at the store no macs can't get viruses. And claiming av can cause virus is just down right stupid. The cause of viruses is stupid actions on the internet. Another reason why they don't spread as quickly on macs... There's a lot less software for macs then there is for Windows isn't there? Less movement of apps less chance of getting a faked app. Now go hug your Mac cause obviously its been neglected.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

[DimitriV]

Viruses don't just originate from the Internet - the majority come from there but before that they spread on floppy disks and the like. We had a virus that used USBs to copy and infect at our school recently.

[CTphpnwb]

Utael, on 28 March 2012 - 01:18 AM, said:

Mac gets viruses all the time.

And where do you get that information? Please provide a link, as this will be important news to then entire Mac community, as well as to Sophos, Symantec, McAfee, etc., and I'm sure they'll want to get this important news out. Can you name even one Mac Virus?

There are a few Mac trojans, none of which have been successful, but trojans are not viruses, and software updates have made them all moot.

[Duckington]

I use Spyware Doctor with Antivirus. Haven't had any problems with it.

This post has been edited by Duckington: 28 March 2012 - 06:03 AM

[d.koen]

Curtis Rutland, on 03 June 2011 - 09:22 AM, said:

Avast is very good, but incredibly loud, for some reason. It shouts words at you whenever something happens. And since virus scans are usually scheduled overnight...

When I was in university, I had my PC in my dorm with me. Avast detected a virus on one of my network drives, in the middle of the night. I just remember hearing "VIRUS DETECTED" and literally jumping out of bed.

What I'm saying is, if you use Avast, turn your volume down.

As to AVG, it used to be my AV of choice. But with every update, it got more and more pushy about buying the paid version. The free version is practically one big ad now. So I dropped it.

---

Also, @OP, McAffe sucks very much. So does Norton. The free programs are at least as good, often better, and aren't nearly as intrusive.

Actually the voice-overs for avast can be disabled in settings at least now they can not sure what version you had or anything. I hate hearing "virus database updated" every day so I disabled them, now all I get is a ding . I did have a client call where I was working one day who was trying to get our new antivirus product and couldn't because she couldn't uninstall AVG even in safemode, even deleted all the files and restarted and somehow they came right back, had to dig through the registry, startup programs, and all related folders to get it off in order to install the new F-Secure she was wanting.

[no2pencil]

d.koen, on 08 August 2012 - 04:12 PM, said:

I did have a client call where I was working one day who was trying to get our new antivirus product and couldn't because she couldn't uninstall AVG even in safemode, even deleted all the files and restarted and somehow they came right back, had to dig through the registry, startup programs, and all related folders to get it off in order to install the new F-Secure she was wanting.

That's one thing I can say that's positive about AVG. They offer low-level removal programs for all of their products on their website. I keep these on a thumb drive

[d.koen]

no2pencil, on 08 August 2012 - 03:33 PM, said:

d.koen, on 08 August 2012 - 04:12 PM, said:

I did have a client call where I was working one day who was trying to get our new antivirus product and couldn't because she couldn't uninstall AVG even in safemode, even deleted all the files and restarted and somehow they came right back, had to dig through the registry, startup programs, and all related folders to get it off in order to install the new F-Secure she was wanting.

That's one thing I can say that's positive about AVG. They offer low-level removal programs for all of their products on their website. I keep these on a thumb drive

Yeah at one point I had it on my laptop, working with frontier though we weren't allowed to install any non-frontier software on users systems or even run it on them, wasn't even supposed to go into the registry but the way I worked around it was I let the customer do it and didn't advise her hardly any other way other than mentioning things