OSX infections on the rise.

[Rydian]

In response to these attacks Apple has reportedly implemented a policy which is equal measures bizarre and baffling -- it's telling technicians to adopt a "don't ask don't tell" policy with regards to customers complaints about malware, feigning ignorance on the topic.

[...]

Symptoms

Customers may call AppleCare to report and issue with malware (trojan) software known as Mac Defender or Mac Security, or because they are concerned that their Mac could become infected.ÂÂThe name may vary as new variants are released onto the internet.ÂÂThis malware is installed from malicious websites.

ÂÂÂÂImportant

ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂDo not confirm or deny that any such software has been installed.
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂDo not attempt to remove or uninstall any malware software.
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂDo not send escalations or contact Tier 2 for support about removing the software or provide impact data.
ÂÂÂÂÂÂÂÂDo not refer customers to the Apple Retail Store.ÂÂThe ARS does not provide any additional support for malware.

Famed Mac security expert Charlie Miller, who won multiple years for the fast Mac hack at Pwn2Own, comments, "Mac OS X is no more secure than any other operating system. It has vulnerabilities, and it will let you download and run malware. The difference is that there simply isn't that much malware written for it."

Source

I think this is a pretty big issue. Apple prides itself on the image that it's infection-free, but what happens when it starts getting some? There have been a couple infections in the wild, but if people are actively targeting it with stuff automatically fed via malvertising like fake security software, people are going to get infected. If Apple starts giving removal instructions and tools people are going to know these exist, and that's going to hurt the false image Apple's built up about it.

I mean I run into enough Windows users who think they don't need an antivirus and they're safe if they don't download stupid shit. I can't imagine how bad this issue is going to get with people going around on the internet totally unprotected on OSX... not to mention the large number of people who are on old versions of OS X and don't see a need to update (though this is sometimes due to them being on a PPC machine).

This isn't just Apple. Hackers know that the easiest targets are the ones who think they're safe. There have been some smart phone viruses going around for a while that most people are unaware of, though most of these have been proof-of-concept and no big threat (like many of the first widespread OSX infections). My question is how long until this spreads to game systems? There's an awful lot of game systems out there, an awful lot of them are connected to the internet, and as we know an awful lot of them deal with credit card or payment info. Not to mention the sheer pageviews you can get from widespread adware.

 

[SamAsh07]

O great...was chatting to my friends, forums and chat got mixed, now my friends on chat are making fun. Oh the lulz moments

 

[R2DJ]

Good thing I don't own a smartphone, Nokia 5700 Symbian ftw!!

Uhh...what?

On-topic: This is bad, since I just got a Mac myself. Bad news indeed... Apple is bound to get infected anyway, they just had to go with "meh...most of the diddlers go to Windows anyway since that's where everyone is"

I just want my free COMODO Internet Security for Mac and I'll be happy.

 

[SamAsh07]

I'll let my cousin know about this news ASAP, since he owns a Mac too. Apple needs to step up or another window (of viruses) is going to open, this time for Mac OSX.

 

[DSman59]

[there was something about a phone with Symbian not being a smartphone]

Off-topic: if your phone has Symbian, that makes it a smartphone

Concerned about viruses? Get Linux!

 

[SamAsh07]

[there was something about a phone with Symbian not being a smartphone]

Off-topic: if your phone has Symbian, that makes it a smartphone

Concerned about viruses? Get Linux!

Bah it was a mix up ok lol, stop brushing it in

Btw Linux? What if it has a sudden breakout?

 

[indask8]

I saw that virus when I was browsing some days ago, with the windows like screen and the scan in progress thing...

Fortunately for me I was on my iPhone.

BTW if you browse regular websites you will never ever see that kind of viruses*, it only happens when you "dip" a little more into the internet, (Yes you know what I mean).

*Might also happen on any website if a company succeed into selling a malicious ad.

 

[DSman59]

Btw Linux? What if it has a sudden breakout?

Linux is updated daily, there are tens of popular distros. Even if there was a breakout of viruses, not all versions of Linux would be affected. AND there is no real point to make a virus for Linux, if it only makes a 1% marketshare of all the OSes.

 

[Pyrmon]

[there was something about a phone with Symbian not being a smartphone]

Off-topic: if your phone has Symbian, that makes it a smartphone

Concerned about viruses? Get Linux!

Gotta have to back this up. I don't think you could get infected on Linux if you tried.

 

[Jamstruth]

In order to get proper malware into a Mac they need some way of auto-installing. THis is unlikely to get to most of the more tech savvy Mac users as they'll be like "wtf is this? I didn't ask for it, I'm not installing it" or amybe just the more sensible ones that don't ok everything that appears on screen.

 

[Deleted-236924]

Would it be possible to get a virus on Linux if you have Wine? Since it lets you run Windows applications.

 

[Rydian]

BTW if you browse regular websites you will never ever see that kind of viruses

Wrong.

That's the kind of thing I'm talking about. People believe that you can only get infected if you're doing "bad stuff", and that's completely false.

 

[Jamstruth]

Said this to a friend of mine who has a Mac. His answer: "WHo'd call Apple about malware removal anyway?"
For those with an Applecare warranty that's probably their first port of call. The more tech-savvy of us might know to look online for removal instructions but for others they rely on antivirus programs to catch anything that comes their way in Windows. Of course Macs have no antivirus programs and the malware is so sparse that nobody really makes scanners for it...

 

[Jamstruth]

Would it be possible to get a virus on Linux if you have Wine? Since it lets you run Windows applications.

Considering the way WINE works you might be infected but nothing would be able to run. It has no framework to worm its way through. I doesn't know any of the folder directories, hell it probably doesn't even know the partition format. You could just end whatever program (or the WINE service I can't quite remember if there is one) then delete the files from WINE's directories.

 

[Foxi4]

WHOA! Someone started to give a crap about OSX! Amazing!

 

[MelodieOctavia]

I have a feeling a certain iFish needs to be notified of this immediately. For teh lulz.

 

[Sterling]

I have a feeling a certain iFish needs to be notified of this immediately. For teh lulz.

iFish still comes to this site?

@Foxi4: Dude, that is a fucking awesome pic man.

 

[Foxi4]

@Foxi4: Dude, that is a fucking awesome pic man.

I knew the cream of the crop will enjoy it.

 

[Kentoss]

What this article is referring to is Malware known as Mac Defender, Mec Security, or Mac Protector. It's not something you get by visiting questionable sites, it's something that gets on your computer through regular browsing. If the page you're on has the malicious bit of javascript relating to Mac Defender, then it will alert you to your Mac being infected with viruses (it's not infected, this is a lie), and will tell you to download their software to fix it. Clicking either Yes or No to downloading the software will start automatically downloading it no matter what. Due to a setting in safari to open safe files after downloading, the malware can then run it's own installer. At this point, because there are absolutely no exploits involved, it asks the user for their administrator name and password. Once given, it installs itself, and then promptly starts emulating what a virus might do and telling the victim to clean their computer and give them a credit card to do so.

This is the oldest trick in the book, and relies on social engineering to get onto a victim's computer. Mac users, unfortunately, have been brainwashed into thinking their computers are not susceptible to any sort of malicious software, so they are the easiest targets. Most people I've talked to either intentionally installed it, thinking that it was good for them to get protection, or blindly put in their username and password without checking to see what it was they were doing.

This is not the fault of the OS for letting it in, it's the fault of the user for being irresponsible.

 

[cwstjdenobs]

Concerned about viruses? Get Linux!

OK, while the standard settings on a Linux box make it harder to get infected it is by no means impossible. It's a lot harder to infect an whole machine but infecting someones user account is quite trivial. And what's important on a PC, your OS install or your data?