Mac Users - Better Grab Some Anti Virus Software...

A security firm is warning Mac users to steer clear of pirated versions of Photoshop after discovering a virus in a version available for illegal downloading. It's a variant of the same virus that hit pirated copies of iWork last week.

This version of the virus works in an even more sneaky way -- it isn't in the program itself. Instead, it works because Photoshop is available to download in full as a time-limited free trial. The pirated copy includes all the original files, but also has an application known as a 'crack', designed to remove the time-limit and leave users with a fully-functioning program.

However, when the user runs this crack, they get what appears to be a legitimate system message asking for a user name and password. This allows the virus to embed itself deep in the machine and gives the creators some control over the system, including the ability to download more rogue applications. It even contacts the creators through the Internet to let them know it's activated.

Intego, the firm which discovered the virus, says more than 5,000 people have downloaded the pirated version and could now be affected. It's also found that some machines with the virus have already been hijacked for use in denial of service attacks. That's the computer equivalent of repeatedly phoning a company until you jam its switchboard and leave it unable to communicate.

In its warning, Intego reiterated the importance of avoiding pirated software. It says that since its much-publicised warnings about a similar virus in iWork last week, more than 1,000 people have downloaded the specific copy of the software which triggered the alert. (Source: intego.com)

The creators of the new virus (which Intego has dubbed OSX.Trojan.iServices.B have even set the virus up so that the key rogue files have a randomly-selected name every time. This makes it much harder to manually detect and remove the virus, though Intego says its anti-virus products will cope with the problem.

The scares come just a month after Apple briefly posted, then removed, a warning that Mac users needed to install anti-virus software.

http://www.infopackets.com/news/secu...ed_mac_app.htm

It took a while but it looks like there is officially a virus that infects Apple products now.

Regards,

Lee

For as long as I can remember Macs have only been subject viruses if they downloaded and ran software from untrusted sources. Absolutely nothing has changed.

By saying "Mac Users - Better Grab Some Anti Virus Software" you're assuming software piracy is OK and we all do it, which is a curious assumption given the issues this industry has with piracy...

The title should be "Another reason piracy is a bad idea..."

Gee the company that found the virus just so happens to be the company that has the cure!?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rawTOP

By saying "Mac Users - Better Grab Some Anti Virus Software" you're assuming software piracy is OK and we all do it, which is a curious assumption given the issues this industry has with piracy...

---

Huh? Where on earth did you get that from the post i made? :eek:

Trust me, if that was what i meant.. THAT would have been what i said, im not exactly 'shy' about saying what im thinking publicly ;)

Regards,

Lee

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rawTOP

For as long as I can remember Macs have only been subject viruses if they downloaded and ran software from untrusted sources. Absolutely nothing has changed.

By saying "Mac Users - Better Grab Some Anti Virus Software" you're assuming software piracy is OK and we all do it, which is a curious assumption given the issues this industry has with piracy...

The title should be "Another reason piracy is a bad idea..."

---

Fully agree! Mac's rule!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lee

A security firm is warning Mac users to steer clear of pirated versions of Photoshop after discovering a virus in a version available for illegal downloading. It's a variant of the same virus that hit pirated copies of iWork last week.

This version of the virus works in an even more sneaky way -- it isn't in the program itself. Instead, it works because Photoshop is available to download in full as a time-limited free trial. The pirated copy includes all the original files, but also has an application known as a 'crack', designed to remove the time-limit and leave users with a fully-functioning program.

However, when the user runs this crack, they get what appears to be a legitimate system message asking for a user name and password. This allows the virus to embed itself deep in the machine and gives the creators some control over the system, including the ability to download more rogue applications. It even contacts the creators through the Internet to let them know it's activated.

Intego, the firm which discovered the virus, says more than 5,000 people have downloaded the pirated version and could now be affected. It's also found that some machines with the virus have already been hijacked for use in denial of service attacks. That's the computer equivalent of repeatedly phoning a company until you jam its switchboard and leave it unable to communicate.

In its warning, Intego reiterated the importance of avoiding pirated software. It says that since its much-publicised warnings about a similar virus in iWork last week, more than 1,000 people have downloaded the specific copy of the software which triggered the alert. (Source: intego.com)

The creators of the new virus (which Intego has dubbed OSX.Trojan.iServices.B have even set the virus up so that the key rogue files have a randomly-selected name every time. This makes it much harder to manually detect and remove the virus, though Intego says its anti-virus products will cope with the problem.

The scares come just a month after Apple briefly posted, then removed, a warning that Mac users needed to install anti-virus software.

http://www.infopackets.com/news/secu...ed_mac_app.htm

It took a while but it looks like there is officially a virus that infects Apple products now.

Regards,

Lee

---

When you go to the internet and just download anything, nothing can protect against that. That's what they get for downloading pirated software. I've had my Mac for almost 2 years now and I have no viruses and no spyware and no virus protection on my Mac.

I have a virtual machine on my Mac running Windows XP and I briefly go into it a few times a month and never use IE or do any surfing and I just ran a virus and spyware scan and it had 20 spyware infections, freaking ridiculous!

Here is another thing, Bill Gates gives hundreds of millions if not billions to charities and he is worth billions and yet they are laying off 5,000 people. Wow, what humanity. They should keep those people and fix their crap OS called Vista! They should scrap their entire OS and build it from scratch like Apple did with theirs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lee

Huh? Where on earth did you get that from the post i made? :eek:

Trust me, if that was what i meant.. THAT would have been what i said, im not exactly 'shy' about saying what im thinking publicly ;)

---

The whole point of your post was to say hurry up and buy antivirus software for your Mac 'cause you'll get viruses when (not if) you download illegal software. The other clear way to protect yourself is to not download sketchy software, but that wasn't what you were telling people to do.

we bought $8k worth of Macs last year and it was a great investment, and there is no way we would risk them by downloading pirated software!

unfortunately our 10 PCs all running legit software are much more of a problem!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rawTOP

The whole point of your post was to say hurry up and buy antivirus software for your Mac 'cause you'll get viruses when (not if) you download illegal software. The other clear way to protect yourself is to not download sketchy software, but that wasn't what you were telling people to do.

---

Wrong.

The point of my post was to inform mac users (who more often than not state that macs are 'virus free') that they to are susceptible to getting viruses, sure in this instance it happens to be a virus attached to pirated software but how soon do you think it will be until this new virus is let loose on its own?

Would you not agree it is better to have an anti-virus program and not need it, than to need one and not have it?

Again, if the intent of my post was to say that Mac users download pirated software the thread title would have been something along the lines of.....

'Mac Users Are Theiving Scumbags'

Regards,

Lee

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rawTOP

The whole point of your post was to say hurry up and buy antivirus software for your Mac 'cause you'll get viruses when (not if) you download illegal software. The other clear way to protect yourself is to not download sketchy software, but that wasn't what you were telling people to do.

---

I didn't read that into his post at all. What I see is a heads up that Mac's are becoming vulnerable to virus attacks. :daddy:

mac vs pc .. .blah blah

I've used Windows since 1997 there are only about a dozen times my PCs were ever infected with a virus.

The perception about Mac is the same as the perception people have about some car manufacturers. Just because they 'heard' or read some ranking they automatically believe that car is reliable.

Microsoft does not control the hardware. 3Rd party vendors slap their OS on hardware they themselves put together.

On top of that they add software and also their own drivers.

Apple controls the software and hardware.

Big.Difference.

I have a friend with a Windows 2003 Server machine at home, that hasn't been rebooted since 2004. He said the way he got to that point was trying different ram, motherboard makers and drivers.

Mac doesn't have dozens of motherboard makers and ram manufacturers building components for it.

Every machine comes with the same hardware therefore OS stability is pretty much settled.

There were many documented issues with Apple products: defective screens, ipod nanos that scratch, macbooks overheating and bending out of shape...

The problem is Microsoft's so called partners have the upper hand and are pushing MS around. I suspect only because they are helped by the European Union which seems to make up shit as they go about anti-trust violations against Microsoft.

When, if ever, MS exerts the same control over partners the way Apple does i.e. you sell our Mac at a price other than what we told you you are out, then things will be different.

Being eastern european I have had true hacker friends. A couple who worked in Russia, some working for banks or banking institutions doing intrusion detection. They were of the opinion the Mac is only slightly more secure then Windows.

Macs forever have no need to run antivirus software on their computers, run a PC with no antivirus software and see what happens. Mac OS is Unix based, so right there tells you everything. :)

Anytime I need to install software on my Mac or do an update, before it installs it asks for my password, so right there is a huge preventative measure of stopping a virus from installing.

PCs = Ford Escort, Mac = BMW. Everyone knows and understands that, that has owned a Mac or Apple product. It's all about quality and style, you can have both.

Just like the iPhone, Apple got it right from the start. BlackBerry has been around for 12 years and the iPhone knocked it out of the universe and every cell phone company now is still trying to make an "iPhone killa" and can't even come close, other than try copying it.

Motorola has been making phones since the early 90's, and here comes Apple, never made a phone before and blows every single phone company and phone out of the water. Apple is the best. Those that own an Apple product understand that, clearly.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LiveTwinksCam

Macs forever have no need to run antivirus software on their computers, run a PC with no antivirus software and see what happens.

---

Ive been running my laptop for the last 4 years with no anti-virus software on it and havent had a single virus infection $0.02

Regards,

Lee

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lee

Ive been running my laptop for the last 4 years with no anti-virus software on it and havent had a single virus infection $0.02

Regards,

Lee

---

How about Spyware? Macs don't get viruses or spyware.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LiveTwinksCam

How about Spyware? Macs don't get viruses or spyware.

---

Nothing, i have had no problems at all... Even after switching to Vista.

Occasionally i will run an application like SpySweeper but it only finds cookies from ad networks.

Oh and your statement is false, macs DO get viruses, that was the whole point of this thread ;)

Regards,

Lee

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lee

Nothing, i have had no problems at all... Even after switching to Vista.

Occasionally i will run an application like SpySweeper but it only finds cookies from ad networks.

Oh and your statement is false, macs DO get viruses, that was the whole point of this thread ;)

Regards,

Lee

---

Okie, I guess you need to re read the entire post again. For someone that doesn't own a Mac, you sure do claim to know so much. Enjoy your PC and your Vista and I will enjoy my virus and spyware free Macs. :playboy:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LiveTwinksCam

I will enjoy my virus and spyware free Macs. :playboy:

---

I guess having a false sense of security is better than not having any.

Regards,

Lee

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Lee

I guess having a false sense of security is better than not having any.

Regards,

Lee

---

Having a false sense of security is arguing with someone about a product they've never owned or used. Which is a waste of my time and yours. Get one and use it and then we will debate. The knowledge level needs to be some what equal in order to debate about the product you're debating about. :dolt:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by LiveTwinksCam

Having a false sense of security is arguing with someone about a product they've never owned or used. Which is a waste of my time and yours. Get one and use it and then we will debate. The knowledge level needs to be some what equal in order to debate about the product you're debating about. :dolt:

---

Even Apple have confirmed this virus, you are in essence, arguing with the manufacturer of the product you are using, if the company who created the Mac says there is a virus going around that infects Macs and im simply informing people who may not know about this (such as yourself obviously) how is that having a false sense of security? :eek:

The FACT is that there is currently a virus making the rounds infecting Macs, yet you are still adamant there isnt, despite Apple themselves actually knowing and publicly commenting about it LOL

I know Mac users love the product and im cool with that but... There comes a point when what most of us like to call 'reality' has to set in and mac users need to be aware that their machines are not magically shielded from viruses just because they are Macs as so many of them seem to believe ;)

Regards,

Lee

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rawTOP

The whole point of your post was to say hurry up and buy antivirus software for your Mac 'cause you'll get viruses when (not if) you download illegal software. The other clear way to protect yourself is to not download sketchy software, but that wasn't what you were telling people to do.

---

Your viewpoint is extremely distorted and not based on reality. By your logic only Gay men can get AIDS because they were the first initial carriers (theoretically).

Lee specifically said "It took a while but it looks like there is officially a virus that infects Apple products now."

Which means, if you download a legal Mac App from a site that has a tainted file you can get infected. There are thousands of legal Mac app sites on the net. Your logic is flawed as there is now a way for Mac users to be infected without downloading pirated or "sketchy" software.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Bec

I didn't read that into his post at all. What I see is a heads up that Mac's are becoming vulnerable to virus attacks. :daddy:

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Squirt

Lee specifically said "It took a while but it looks like there is officially a virus that infects Apple products now."

---

Mac viruses have been around for a long long time. There aren't many of them, but there are always a few around. This one is nothing new. Macs are not BECOMING vulnerable, they've always been vulnerable. The difference between Macs and Windows is that on Macs you have to consciously do something stupid to get a virus. On Windows you don't - they can come through normal use.

That said, Mac users will need antivirus software when there's a virus that doesn't come from a direct user action like downloading infected software off the Internet. Until then the only Mac users who need antivirus software are ones that want do download applications from unknown sources. Ergo, advocation of Mac antivirus software implies that you're either protecting the person while they do something 1) illegal or 2) stupid. The latest version of OS X (Leopard) even warns you when you launch an application you've downloaded off the Internet. So you really have to ask for it to get a Mac virus.

One other thing - Mac viruses are hard to spread because they require stupidity on the part of the recipient and intent on the part of the distributor... Windows viruses often come passively in the background and so they can spread very quickly.

Boom Snap!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rawTOP

That said, Mac users will need antivirus software when there's a virus that doesn't come from a direct user action like downloading infected software off the Internet. Until then the only Mac users who need antivirus software are ones that want do download applications from unknown sources.

---

Again, you and Jacob both seem to be missing the fact that APPLE publicly announced a month or so back that Mac users should use MULTIPLE anti-virus solutions.

They said nothing about Mac users who download pirated software, they said that ALL Mac users should utilize multiple anti-virus programs for their latest OS release.

Quote:

---

Last year in late November there was a brief push by Apple officials urging Mac users to install antivirus software onto their computers.

---

You can find that quote and some more information about what Apple did at the following URL:

http://www.mxlogic.com/securitynews/...ossible067.cfm

Regards,

Lee