Apple was an ass for taking a jab at Windows over their own screwup.
They've pretty much ensured every tech media outlet will take a very unsympathetic view and slam them every which way.
With the result that the infection may only have affected less than 1% of iPods, but will affect more than 1% of future sales. Buyers will be a bit apprehensive about buying something that may or may not have a nasty surprise lurking on the drive.
And what perfect propaganda for Microsoft: "Buy a Zune, it may not be as glamorous, but because we know Windows, we don't give you viruses."
I'm unimpressed by Apple, both by letting the virus screwup happen but also the PR response.
I support the left hook punch at Windows. Apple is saying, look, we are supporting Windows to the best of our capability right now. So that means, well, wake the frack up and keep your Windows antivirus up-to-date. It's impossible with the amount of new viruses written every single day and all that to ensure every machine in Apple's production line is virus-free.
The fact that Apple caught it, admitted it, and is providing a clear solution is Apple's commitment to quality and at least some level of transparency, your "Apple tax" dollars in full use.
"Experts at SophosLabs™, Sophos's global network of virus, spyware and spam analysis centers, have reminded users of the necessity to scan all storage devices they attach to their computers for malware as news breaks of a number of Video iPods that have been shipped containing Windows malware.
In a statement on its website, Apple has confirmed that some Video iPods available for purchase after 12 September, 2006 left their contract manufacturer carrying a malicious file, RavMonE.exe.
Less than one percent of Video iPods shipped since 12 September are said to be affected. iPod Nanos and iPod Shuffle devices are not reported to be carrying the malicious file, which can only activate on Windows computers.
Sophos notes that presently Apple is not displaying the correct name for the malware on its website, instead referring to it as the RavMonE.exe Windows virus.
"There are a number of different pieces of malware which use a file called RavMonE.exe and so we don't know at the moment precisely which Trojan horse or virus that may have been shipped," continued Cluley. "The name RavMonE.exe actually comes from a perfectly legitimate program called RAV Anti-Virus so it would be wrong to call a piece of malware by this name. Hackers sometimes spoof the names of legitimate programs to cause greater confusion."
Sophos will provide details of the correct name of the malware as soon as the information comes to light.
Experts at Sophos recommend that any storage device which is attached to a computer is checked for virus and other malware before use. Floppy disks, CD ROMs, USB keys, external hard drives and other devices are all capable of carrying malicious code which could infect the computers of innocent users.
Earlier this week it was reported that the Japanese subsidiary of McDonald's was recalling 10,000 MP3 players it had distributed as a giveaway. The fast food giant had discovered that a spyware Trojan horse was contained on the device."
McDonalds. Now serving biological viruses *and* computer viruses. They should have a new ticker of some sort: MacDonalds: 10,000 computer viruses served so far. 8)
Actually, I think this looks worse on iPods than it does on Windows-based machines.
Think about it: The average consumer (you know, the ones that don't read computer-based message boards) aren't computer-whizzes. To them, the fact that their iPod has a virus on it means that their iPod is the problem; not so much their PC.
And they'd have a point: Good hardware shouldn't have viruses at all - especailly hardware made by Apple.
If this were more widespread, I'd imagine that this could damage the iPod's reputation.
I can't agree with that. It seems like a pretty simple thing to write into a contract. If you are going to have to connect the HD's to a computer (which I assume you need to do to get the software onto them), that computer needs to be guaranteed free from viruses.
Did anyone think that it may NOT be the fabrication plant but rather the HDD manufacturer that supplies the HDD?
Seems to me that testing of a line wouldn't be at the 1% of production and it'd be random anyway so it'd cover more units than that... come to think of it, it would be on-going so cover more units.
Just a thought, you might find Tosh or whoever is the supplier of the HDD are the ones to blame - and THAT shouldn't happen EVER.
Did anyone think that it may NOT be the fabrication plant but rather the HDD manufacturer that supplies the HDD?
Seems to me that testing of a line wouldn't be at the 1% of production and it'd be random anyway so it'd cover more units than that... come to think of it, it would be on-going so cover more units.
Just a thought, you might find Tosh or whoever is the supplier of the HDD are the ones to blame - and THAT shouldn't happen EVER.
It happens when the drives are plugged into the drive burner. The software burned onto the drive contains the virus. The burner wipes the drives before burning them.
Find where that is being done, and you will have your culprit.
Of course, you then have to go back to find out who put the software package together that went into the drive burner. It's a drive image that's used.
Seeing as how it was a previously known virus, if you got hit by it then you're the one to blame for not keeping your anti-virus software up-to-date... Especially since just about every single anti-virus auto updates by default. If it was out of date you had to knowingly tell it to stop updating.
Youd think this would be a decent PR problem... but the story doesnt seem to be a big deal... i guess theres really no stopping the iconic Ipod.
Btw i think this looks REALLY bad for apple personally, and am kind of embarrassed for them. Im sorry i think you should be able to ship an Mp3 without a virus on it... hopefully the number of players affected is as small as they say.
Does this mean that every manufacturer of Mac products is now free to pull the same Apple PR stunt whenever issues are discovered in their own products? For example:
Security update for Adobe Reader and Acrobat software
Adobe PR statement: "As you might imagine, we are upset at Mac OS X for not being more hardy against such buffer overflows, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it."
Microsoft PR statement: "As you might imagine, we are upset at Mac OS X for not being more hardy against such vulnerabilities, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it."
Skype PR statement: "As you might imagine, we are upset at Mac OS X for not being more hardy against such remote system compromises, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it."
Sony PR statement regarding exploding batteries: "As you might imagine, we are upset at Powerbook G4 for not being more hardy against such fire hazards, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it."
Comments
There's no magic involved. Knowing you'll have to pay for a mistake makes mistakes less likely, IF the the mistakes are due to negligence.
I'm just saying it doesn't eliminate mistakes. It's unfortunate, but it's probably impossible to 100% prevent these sorts of things.
They've pretty much ensured every tech media outlet will take a very unsympathetic view and slam them every which way.
With the result that the infection may only have affected less than 1% of iPods, but will affect more than 1% of future sales. Buyers will be a bit apprehensive about buying something that may or may not have a nasty surprise lurking on the drive.
And what perfect propaganda for Microsoft: "Buy a Zune, it may not be as glamorous, but because we know Windows, we don't give you viruses."
I'm unimpressed by Apple, both by letting the virus screwup happen but also the PR response.
The fact that Apple caught it, admitted it, and is providing a clear solution is Apple's commitment to quality and at least some level of transparency, your "Apple tax" dollars in full use.
"Experts at SophosLabs™, Sophos's global network of virus, spyware and spam analysis centers, have reminded users of the necessity to scan all storage devices they attach to their computers for malware as news breaks of a number of Video iPods that have been shipped containing Windows malware.
In a statement on its website, Apple has confirmed that some Video iPods available for purchase after 12 September, 2006 left their contract manufacturer carrying a malicious file, RavMonE.exe.
Less than one percent of Video iPods shipped since 12 September are said to be affected. iPod Nanos and iPod Shuffle devices are not reported to be carrying the malicious file, which can only activate on Windows computers.
Sophos notes that presently Apple is not displaying the correct name for the malware on its website, instead referring to it as the RavMonE.exe Windows virus.
"There are a number of different pieces of malware which use a file called RavMonE.exe and so we don't know at the moment precisely which Trojan horse or virus that may have been shipped," continued Cluley. "The name RavMonE.exe actually comes from a perfectly legitimate program called RAV Anti-Virus so it would be wrong to call a piece of malware by this name. Hackers sometimes spoof the names of legitimate programs to cause greater confusion."
Sophos will provide details of the correct name of the malware as soon as the information comes to light.
Experts at Sophos recommend that any storage device which is attached to a computer is checked for virus and other malware before use. Floppy disks, CD ROMs, USB keys, external hard drives and other devices are all capable of carrying malicious code which could infect the computers of innocent users.
Earlier this week it was reported that the Japanese subsidiary of McDonald's was recalling 10,000 MP3 players it had distributed as a giveaway. The fast food giant had discovered that a spyware Trojan horse was contained on the device."
Think about it: The average consumer (you know, the ones that don't read computer-based message boards) aren't computer-whizzes. To them, the fact that their iPod has a virus on it means that their iPod is the problem; not so much their PC.
And they'd have a point: Good hardware shouldn't have viruses at all - especailly hardware made by Apple.
If this were more widespread, I'd imagine that this could damage the iPod's reputation.
I can't agree with that. It seems like a pretty simple thing to write into a contract. If you are going to have to connect the HD's to a computer (which I assume you need to do to get the software onto them), that computer needs to be guaranteed free from viruses.
Did anyone think that it may NOT be the fabrication plant but rather the HDD manufacturer that supplies the HDD?
Seems to me that testing of a line wouldn't be at the 1% of production and it'd be random anyway so it'd cover more units than that... come to think of it, it would be on-going so cover more units.
Just a thought, you might find Tosh or whoever is the supplier of the HDD are the ones to blame - and THAT shouldn't happen EVER.
Did anyone think that it may NOT be the fabrication plant but rather the HDD manufacturer that supplies the HDD?
Seems to me that testing of a line wouldn't be at the 1% of production and it'd be random anyway so it'd cover more units than that... come to think of it, it would be on-going so cover more units.
Just a thought, you might find Tosh or whoever is the supplier of the HDD are the ones to blame - and THAT shouldn't happen EVER.
It happens when the drives are plugged into the drive burner. The software burned onto the drive contains the virus. The burner wipes the drives before burning them.
Find where that is being done, and you will have your culprit.
Of course, you then have to go back to find out who put the software package together that went into the drive burner. It's a drive image that's used.
Was that done at Apple? Or elsewhere?
Apple can't be responsible for you at that point.
Btw i think this looks REALLY bad for apple personally, and am kind of embarrassed for them. Im sorry i think you should be able to ship an Mp3 without a virus on it... hopefully the number of players affected is as small as they say.
http://www.adobe.com/products/acroba...ate082005.html
Security update for Adobe Reader and Acrobat software
Adobe PR statement: "As you might imagine, we are upset at Mac OS X for not being more hardy against such buffer overflows, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it."
http://www.microsoft.com/mac/downloads.aspx
Microsoft Office 2004 for Mac 11.3.0
Microsoft PR statement: "As you might imagine, we are upset at Mac OS X for not being more hardy against such vulnerabilities, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it."
http://www.techspot.com/news/23098-s...c-version.html
Skype releases security update to Mac version
Skype PR statement: "As you might imagine, we are upset at Mac OS X for not being more hardy against such remote system compromises, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it."
http://www.insanely-great.com/news.php?id=6560
Sony PR statement regarding exploding batteries: "As you might imagine, we are upset at Powerbook G4 for not being more hardy against such fire hazards, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it."
If this viruse came in on a Zune, then the fault would've been (rightfully) on Microsoft's shoulders - not the third-party manufacturer.
It's Apple's name on the product. They are the ones held accountable. Not Microsoft.