newsflash- there are viruses for macs, just few and far between. Its just unrealistic to think No one would make a virus fro a platform used by a decent number of people, granted that percent is not anything close to that of pc's but still,
I just made the switch (well, my pb ships tomorrow according to them) so.
At Macworld, Jobs held up the 10 millionth iPod. Sales estimates for this year (based on analysts) are 26 million units. And people think the iPod is ubiquitous *now*.
Sorry to bring a pin to our hot-air balloon, but really. Who amongst you think this bubble will never ever burst, or at least continue totally unabated? Analysts drink the Kool-Aid, I understand, but could Apple produce 26 million iPods, much less sell them?
Viruses for OS X? Uh... no. Seriously, they're not far and few between, they simply aren't.
As per Douglas Adams, if we were to travel into the future and then from there into the past to become our own parents we would willon not haven viruses on Mac OS X.
newsflash- there are viruses for macs, just few and far between. Its just unrealistic to think No one would make a virus fro a platform used by a decent number of people, granted that percent is not anything close to that of pc's but still,
I just made the switch (well, my pb ships tomorrow according to them) so.
if no virus' existed, why would there be several anti-virus programs out there, besides the obvious reason to make money?
Simple google search found this artivle about one @ thealders.net
"A new virus targeting Mac OS X is not expected to cause much trouble. But malcode experts said it should serve as a warning to those using alternatives to Microsoft that their machines are not attack-proof.
?I don?t see this particular virus as much of a threat, but I worry about the functionality of it,? said Mikko Hypponen, director of antivirus research for Finnish antivirus firm F-Secure Corp. ?It shows there?s a lot of activity in the underground hacking community to find ways to attack Macintosh systems.?
The virus, known as Opener or Renopo, attempts to turn off the Mac OS X firewall and other security software. It will download and install hacker tools for password-sniffing and cracking, make key system directories world-writeable and create an admin-level user for later system abuse, according to Lynnfield, Mass.-based antivirus firm Sophos. It also turns off accounting and logging functions to help hide its presence, the company said.
?Mac users tend to be zealous about how their computers are more attack-proof than Microsoft systems, and this virus illustrates that?s not really the case,? said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos. ?There have always been viruses that target Macintosh, just fewer. This virus isn?t a pressing danger. But it?s a shot across the bow for Mac users, a warning that they can?t turn a blind eye to security.?
The virus, known as Opener or Renopo, attempts to turn off the Mac OS X firewall and other security software. It will download and install hacker tools for password-sniffing and cracking, make key system directories world-writeable and create an admin-level user for later system abuse, according to Lynnfield,
So it gives Mac the same holes that windows users have enjoyed for years...w00t w00t
Just wanted to second the "Opener is not a virus" point.
Rootkit = teh suxx0rs. However, there is no spyware or backdoor access to a Mac. It's difficult to get your Mac into a situation where it is this exposed - Root, by default, is turned off.
Rootkits on Windows? Prevalent and suddenly a big issue. Microsoft has declared in the last few weeks that some of these rootkits are so severly embedded that a format and reinstall is the *only* way of restoring system operation.
It's one of the reasons I switched. I can't be hell damn ass bothered to deal with this bull hockey on a daily basis.
i dunno i'm not gonna argue, and this thread is getting off topic, i just think its impossible to think NO ONE has ever made a virus for OS X, anywhere, EVER. Just my .02. Now everyone quote this and disagree............
i did and in 2 seconds i listed 2 articles which immediately got shot down by the mac gods, SURPRISE SURPRISE, apple users not wanting to admit OS X is not the second coming? shocker.
And yeah, i am (well will be as of wed.) a mac owner, but one that doesn't think anything is perfect.
I'd say about one or two in every ten Windows users, so, perhaps Apple's market share could come up to 6%.
I'd go even further and say there are Windows users who will never buy an iPod but will get a mac anyway, because of all the exposure Apple is getting now. I'm sure there are plenty of folk who don't want an MP3 player or can't afford one, but saw an iPod - maybe tried it - and are now looking at macs.
i did and in 2 seconds i listed 2 articles which immediately got shot down by the mac gods, SURPRISE SURPRISE, apple users not wanting to admit OS X is not the second coming? shocker.
And yeah, i am (well will be as of wed.) a mac owner, but one that doesn't think anything is perfect.
EOD.
kernel843, your Mac experience complemented with your knowledge, both of which will hopefully continue to grow, will be the final deciding factor on whether at the end of the day your happier, feel more 'secure' and 'productive' on a mac, and whether you have more peace of mind (buy the full 3 year Applecare if you plan on keeping your mac longer than 1 year!!)
so you will be the best judge of your experience at the end of the day... appleinsider forums are generally not too caustic if you just ask for info, not opinions, get our side of the story, get our info, get your own info, and you can formulate your own opinions
enjoy your new mac!! yay!! enjoy the fresh plastic smell and taking it out of the box... that is one of THE mac experiences
i dunno i'm not gonna argue, and this thread is getting off topic, i just think its impossible to think NO ONE has ever made a virus for OS X, anywhere, EVER. Just my .02. Now everyone quote this and disagree............
then don't make uneducated comments such as this
Quote:
newsflash- there are viruses for macs, just few and far between. Its just unrealistic to think No one would make a virus fro a platform used by a decent number of people, granted that percent is not anything close to that of pc's but still,
Be brave - don't run Virex I don't. I won't. And it doesn't concern me a lick.
Actually, I'll make you a deal: If you contract a virus on OS X - I'll personally fly out to where ever you are, recover your data, restore your system, pay for a full copy of whatever virus software would have protected you from it AND I'll buy you dinner.
Be brave - don't run Virex I don't. I won't. And it doesn't concern me a lick.
Actually, I'll make you a deal: If you contract a virus on OS X - I'll personally fly out to where ever you are, recover your data, restore your system, pay for a full copy of whatever virus software would have protected you from it AND I'll buy you dinner.
If that ain't a bold offer, I don't know what is
way to go grahamw... work on those Switchers baby, yeah
...personally i am running virex 7.5.1 because
1. it is free with my .Mac membership
2. i sleep 5% better at night* knowing that not only is it 99%** unlikely that my Mac will not get a virus, with virex that goes up to 99.999%** unlikely that my Mac will not get a virus
*disclaimer1: hey, it's just me, but you can't put a price on a good night's sleep and peace of mind
**disclaimer2: these figures are pulled out of my azz and have not been verified by independent testing whatsoever.
But seriously is it not just a matter of time ? It's not going to be some massive thing like the Windows boys are used to more like the worm we had all those years ago.
I think the difference is that Apple will have done everything they can to prevent this happening in the first place AND if it does they will not be charging for the software to plug the security hole (if there is one).
or am I wrong and there will never be a virus on osx (something that I find hard to beleave)
or am I wrong and there will never be a virus on osx (something that I find hard to beleave)
You are quite right. While there are currently no known viruses for OS X, nobody in the Mac comunity is saying that it is impossible.
Rest assured, when one finally does crop up, it will be all over the news.
At that point, we'll get to see how fast apple can plug the hole. Is it possible that they could fix any security issue and then once again claim to be 100% virus free? That remains to be seen...
Comments
Originally posted by kernel843
newsflash- there are viruses for macs, just few and far between. Its just unrealistic to think No one would make a virus fro a platform used by a decent number of people, granted that percent is not anything close to that of pc's but still,
I just made the switch (well, my pb ships tomorrow according to them) so.
name em.
Originally posted by macslut
At Macworld, Jobs held up the 10 millionth iPod. Sales estimates for this year (based on analysts) are 26 million units. And people think the iPod is ubiquitous *now*.
Sorry to bring a pin to our hot-air balloon, but really. Who amongst you think this bubble will never ever burst, or at least continue totally unabated? Analysts drink the Kool-Aid, I understand, but could Apple produce 26 million iPods, much less sell them?
As per Douglas Adams, if we were to travel into the future and then from there into the past to become our own parents we would willon not haven viruses on Mac OS X.
Originally posted by kernel843
newsflash- there are viruses for macs, just few and far between. Its just unrealistic to think No one would make a virus fro a platform used by a decent number of people, granted that percent is not anything close to that of pc's but still,
I just made the switch (well, my pb ships tomorrow according to them) so.
Still waiting for that OS X virus list...
Simple google search found this artivle about one @ thealders.net
"A new virus targeting Mac OS X is not expected to cause much trouble. But malcode experts said it should serve as a warning to those using alternatives to Microsoft that their machines are not attack-proof.
?I don?t see this particular virus as much of a threat, but I worry about the functionality of it,? said Mikko Hypponen, director of antivirus research for Finnish antivirus firm F-Secure Corp. ?It shows there?s a lot of activity in the underground hacking community to find ways to attack Macintosh systems.?
The virus, known as Opener or Renopo, attempts to turn off the Mac OS X firewall and other security software. It will download and install hacker tools for password-sniffing and cracking, make key system directories world-writeable and create an admin-level user for later system abuse, according to Lynnfield, Mass.-based antivirus firm Sophos. It also turns off accounting and logging functions to help hide its presence, the company said.
?Mac users tend to be zealous about how their computers are more attack-proof than Microsoft systems, and this virus illustrates that?s not really the case,? said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos. ?There have always been viruses that target Macintosh, just fewer. This virus isn?t a pressing danger. But it?s a shot across the bow for Mac users, a warning that they can?t turn a blind eye to security.?
or this article http://www.macworld.com/news/2004/10...ener/index.php
Once again my point is just they do exist, just like we could all die from small pox. Is it going to happen? Probably not.
Originally posted by kernel843
The virus, known as Opener or Renopo, attempts to turn off the Mac OS X firewall and other security software. It will download and install hacker tools for password-sniffing and cracking, make key system directories world-writeable and create an admin-level user for later system abuse, according to Lynnfield,
So it gives Mac the same holes that windows users have enjoyed for years...w00t w00t
Originally posted by kernel843
if no virus' existed, why would there be several anti-virus programs out there, besides the obvious reason to make money?
stop right there
Originally posted by Guartho
How many Windows iPod users are there? What does that 11percent translate to as a rough number?
I'd say about one or two in every ten Windows users, so, perhaps Apple's market share could come up to 6%.
Originally posted by kernel843
...
The virus, known as Opener or Renopo, attempts to
...
Once again my point is just they do exist, just like we could all die from small pox. Is it going to happen? Probably not.
Opener isn't a virus. It is a root kit which can't do any harm without root access.
If somebody has root access to your computer, they can already just delete stuff anyway.
There are still no Mac OS X viruses. Someday there will be one, but as of today, there are none!
iPod + no viruses = switchers
Rootkit = teh suxx0rs. However, there is no spyware or backdoor access to a Mac. It's difficult to get your Mac into a situation where it is this exposed - Root, by default, is turned off.
Rootkits on Windows? Prevalent and suddenly a big issue. Microsoft has declared in the last few weeks that some of these rootkits are so severly embedded that a format and reinstall is the *only* way of restoring system operation.
It's one of the reasons I switched. I can't be hell damn ass bothered to deal with this bull hockey on a daily basis.
GOOGLE IT.
EOD.
And yeah, i am (well will be as of wed.) a mac owner, but one that doesn't think anything is perfect.
EOD.
Originally posted by Placebo
I'd say about one or two in every ten Windows users, so, perhaps Apple's market share could come up to 6%.
I'd go even further and say there are Windows users who will never buy an iPod but will get a mac anyway, because of all the exposure Apple is getting now. I'm sure there are plenty of folk who don't want an MP3 player or can't afford one, but saw an iPod - maybe tried it - and are now looking at macs.
Originally posted by kernel843
i did and in 2 seconds i listed 2 articles which immediately got shot down by the mac gods, SURPRISE SURPRISE, apple users not wanting to admit OS X is not the second coming? shocker.
And yeah, i am (well will be as of wed.) a mac owner, but one that doesn't think anything is perfect.
EOD.
kernel843, your Mac experience complemented with your knowledge, both of which will hopefully continue to grow, will be the final deciding factor on whether at the end of the day your happier, feel more 'secure' and 'productive' on a mac, and whether you have more peace of mind (buy the full 3 year Applecare if you plan on keeping your mac longer than 1 year!!)
so you will be the best judge of your experience at the end of the day... appleinsider forums are generally not too caustic if you just ask for info, not opinions, get our side of the story, get our info, get your own info, and you can formulate your own opinions
enjoy your new mac!! yay!!
Originally posted by kernel843
i dunno i'm not gonna argue, and this thread is getting off topic, i just think its impossible to think NO ONE has ever made a virus for OS X, anywhere, EVER. Just my .02. Now everyone quote this and disagree............
then don't make uneducated comments such as this
newsflash- there are viruses for macs, just few and far between. Its just unrealistic to think No one would make a virus fro a platform used by a decent number of people, granted that percent is not anything close to that of pc's but still,
Be brave - don't run Virex
Actually, I'll make you a deal: If you contract a virus on OS X - I'll personally fly out to where ever you are, recover your data, restore your system, pay for a full copy of whatever virus software would have protected you from it AND I'll buy you dinner.
If that ain't a bold offer, I don't know what is
Originally posted by grahamw
Congrats on joining the community.
Be brave - don't run Virex
Actually, I'll make you a deal: If you contract a virus on OS X - I'll personally fly out to where ever you are, recover your data, restore your system, pay for a full copy of whatever virus software would have protected you from it AND I'll buy you dinner.
If that ain't a bold offer, I don't know what is
...personally i am running virex 7.5.1 because
1. it is free with my .Mac membership
2. i sleep 5% better at night* knowing that not only is it 99%** unlikely that my Mac will not get a virus, with virex that goes up to 99.999%** unlikely that my Mac will not get a virus
*disclaimer1: hey, it's just me, but you can't put a price on a good night's sleep and peace of mind
**disclaimer2: these figures are pulled out of my azz and have not been verified by independent testing whatsoever.
you are the daddy,
But seriously is it not just a matter of time ? It's not going to be some massive thing like the Windows boys are used to more like the worm we had all those years ago.
I think the difference is that Apple will have done everything they can to prevent this happening in the first place AND if it does they will not be charging for the software to plug the security hole (if there is one).
or am I wrong and there will never be a virus on osx (something that I find hard to beleave)
j.
Originally posted by johnrp
or am I wrong and there will never be a virus on osx (something that I find hard to beleave)
You are quite right. While there are currently no known viruses for OS X, nobody in the Mac comunity is saying that it is impossible.
Rest assured, when one finally does crop up, it will be all over the news.
At that point, we'll get to see how fast apple can plug the hole. Is it possible that they could fix any security issue and then once again claim to be 100% virus free? That remains to be seen...