Macs malware and p0rn

a_greera_greer
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Is browser hijacking and adware windows reliant, some is active x but some is also java, so how does mac and linux duck the bullet?



I ask because I am sick and friggen tired of cleaning 40 malware apps per week off of my moms system, this thing is in the living room, and serves as a family unit so nothing dirty comes on this screen intentionaly, but this slashdot artical scared the piss out of me.



http://yro.slashdot.org/yro/04/05/11...&tid=95&tid=99

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    progmacprogmac Posts: 1,850member
    i think the single most helpful thing you can do is delete internet explorer from the computer. get rid of it and install one of the browsers from http://www.mozilla.org



    mozilla and firefox are great both browsers and can be skinned to look just like IE. make sure you reinstall all of your mom's favorite plugins (flash, quicktime, real player), and transfer her bookmarks so she doesn't know the difference. i have switched several very non-technical computer users to mozilla with no complaints.



    aside from that, make sure you have a firewall, virus protection, and adware detector, aand the usual stuff. with a little preparation, internet maladies can be avoided pretty easily.



    granted, it all seems very complicated to us mac users, who can surf porn for days with no adverse system effects.
  • Reply 2 of 13
    heifetzheifetz Posts: 26member
    A bit off-topic this, but ::



    [rant]

    What's the big deal if someone finds traces of pr0n on your computer? Is sex illegal in the US? In Europe, if you were caught watching pr0n, no one would care. Nobody could fire you from your job just because they found pics of nekkid pple on your machine. Sex is a beautiful thing, it's natural. I'd concentrate more on how to prevent small children from being subjected to violent images in the media, which is a real problem.

    [/rant]





    .h
  • Reply 3 of 13
    crazychestercrazychester Posts: 1,339member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by heifetz

    A bit off-topic this, but ::



    [rant]

    What's the big deal if someone finds traces of pr0n on your computer? Is sex illegal in the US? In Europe, if you were caught watching pr0n, no one would care. Nobody could fire you from your job just because they found pics of nekkid pple on your machine. Sex is a beautiful thing, it's natural. I'd concentrate more on how to prevent small children from being subjected to violent images in the media, which is a real problem.

    [/rant]





    .h



    I assumed it was kiddy porn from the /. article. But I don't know, maybe the US is even more uptight than I previously thought.



    Edit: 'cause I FU.

  • Reply 4 of 13
    talksense101talksense101 Posts: 1,738member
    Adaware from Lavasoft and Zonealarm from Zonelabs are your friends if you want to survive Windows.
  • Reply 5 of 13
    smirclesmircle Posts: 1,035member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by heifetz

    A bit off-topic this, but ::



    [rant]

    What's the big deal if someone finds traces of pr0n on your computer? Is sex illegal in the US? In Europe, if you were caught watching pr0n, no one would care.





    from the

    wired article :

    "The police found nothing in my house, you know, not even a Playboy magazine," he said. "Only in the computer. But most people do not understand that such a thing is possible, that the computer could have made this happen. Plus, with child pornography, people's reaction is only emotions and no thinking."



    Would be the same in Europe, if they catch you with child porn, you are boned.
  • Reply 6 of 13
    stoostoo Posts: 1,490member
    Quote:

    i think the single most helpful thing you can do is delete internet explorer from the computer.



    On Windows the most you can do is ignore it and use something else. Although ininstalling it may be possible, it certainly isn't meant to happen or easy.
  • Reply 7 of 13
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by progmac

    i think the single most helpful thing you can do is delete internet explorer from the computer. get rid of it and install one of the browsers from http://www.mozilla.org



    mozilla and firefox are great both browsers and can be skinned to look just like IE. make sure you reinstall all of your mom's favorite plugins (flash, quicktime, real player), and transfer her bookmarks so she doesn't know the difference. i have switched several very non-technical computer users to mozilla with no complaints.



    aside from that, make sure you have a firewall, virus protection, and adware detector, aand the usual stuff. with a little preparation, internet maladies can be avoided pretty easily.



    granted, it all seems very complicated to us mac users, who can surf porn for days with no adverse system effects.



    I run zone alarm, I run spybot, run adaware, i have installed moxilla, but mom just refuses to use anything but internet explorer, I dont do the p0rn thing, but these darn ad bots get all over my network like white on rice if i dont run adaware every day.



    gee, maybe I should just buy a mac.
  • Reply 8 of 13
    thunderpoitthunderpoit Posts: 709member
    it is completely possible to uninstall IE from windows xp at least, through the add/remove programs control panel. and you can delete the shortcut from the desktop. the only major problem you may find by making your pc IE free is that windows update requires it.
  • Reply 9 of 13
    zozo Posts: 3,117member
    i've installed MyIE2 on my work PC. Uses the IE core, but ads a bunch of "goodness". And, it looks like IE as well , but slightly more refined. Builtin popup blocker, etc etc...



    www.myie2.com
  • Reply 10 of 13
    vox barbaravox barbara Posts: 2,021member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by a_greer

    I run zone alarm, I run spybot, run adaware, i have installed moxilla, but mom just refuses to use anything but internet explorer.



    Than of course tell her ms explorer has a secret feature, which is aimed to scan the internet for wild porn on and on and to report it to the intelligence. You can't switch off that feature, it is a known bug, but not made public, because of that kind of explicit content. The only known workaround with that bug, is to trash all the porn files manually. But therefore you have to watch these porn files first. Do you want to watch that explicit material? I beg your mother says no, no?



    Than tell her, ok mom, you know, the only way to get rid...
  • Reply 11 of 13
    a_greera_greer Posts: 4,594member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ZO

    i've installed MyIE2 on my work PC. Uses the IE core, but ads a bunch of "goodness". And, it looks like IE as well , but slightly more refined. Builtin popup blocker, etc etc...



    www.myie2.com



    Hey thanks, that looks like a sweet aolution!!!
  • Reply 12 of 13
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    You can always just download Mozilla and make it look like IE. There are skins that make it look identical. Then just replace the icon, move all the bookmarks over, and you should be good. I bet she won't even notice.
  • Reply 13 of 13
    mr beardsleymr beardsley Posts: 365member
    a_greer be careful with those IE mods. I've had nothing but trouble with them at work. Someone will install one of those yahoo bars or a popup blocker, and stuff will start to get real flaky. It seems once uninstalled, things start to run more normal.
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