Apples under attack

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21510791

It seems that Apple products are now being targetted by hackers through Java. TBH, I'm surprised it's taken so long for those bent on screwing computers up to attack Macs but it's started.
 
Microsoft obviously don't want to be left out:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21556611

I've said for some time that people who run Macs and no anti-virus are leaving themselves open - most viruses now are phishing scams which are browser not OS based....
 
The problem here is that it's a flaw in Java, which is not an Apple product. In fact Apple have recommended that Java is turned off in Safari for some time now, as have I believe Mozilla have for Firefox.
 
As I understand it apple computers no longer ship with java installed at all.
It's the users choice to download and install it.
 
As I understand it apple computers no longer ship with java installed at all.
It's the users choice to download and install it.

which you have to do if you want to run CS4 for example..

apple burrying their head in the sand as normal by saying "oh just turn off java.." a LOT of apps/webapps still use it.

they may as well say to only use apple periperals and apple software on your apple device.
 
I turned off java ages ago. Cyberduck uses it. That's the only app I have that does.
 
which you have to do if you want to run CS4 for example..

apple burrying their head in the sand as normal by saying "oh just turn off java.." a LOT of apps/webapps still use it.

they may as well say to only use apple periperals and apple software on your apple device.

yep its strange advice - I wouldn't be able to design albums, order prints etc etc if I followed that one
 
The problem here is that it's a flaw in Java, which is not an Apple product. In fact Apple have recommended that Java is turned off in Safari for some time now, as have I believe Mozilla have for Firefox.
Trouble is, quite a few applications require it. I need it for a trading platform. Having said that, good apps requiring Java check for updates - and Java seems to have an update every three or so days.

it's a mif that macs don't get viruses. Its been happening for years, just in a different way and not as much.
What's a mif? Is it a mifi that can't connect to the Internet? :D Yes, it's a myth but I would question if it has been happening for 'years'. The early viruses that could infect macs were merely laboratory demos. And people are far more vulnerable to email-borne browser-based phishing than to viruses. The weakest part of the chain, by far, is the operator rather than the operating system or any anti-virus measures that may or may not be in use.

Is there any antivirus software worth getting for a mac ?
Sophos do a free package for Macs which I'm running. Jeez - to think I used to slag off Sophos when I project managed 1000s of pcs.
 
it's a mif that macs don't get viruses. Its been happening for years, just in a different way and not as much.

It's not a virus it's a vulnerability in a third party java engine and Apple have release a fix to stop it in it's tracks.



The best advice on any platform is make sure you have backups, download stuff from trusted sources and don't click executables in emails unless you know what they are, who they are from and were expecting them. It's not 100% but it's not far off.

If people don't follow the above they leave themselves wide open irrespective of platform. It I send you an executable and you run it without question then I can do whatever I want on your computer. That is how the last reported "Mac issue" came about. Someone stuck a dodgy copy of iLife on the web with a trojan in it and 5000 people downloaded it! Whoops! Apple issued a fix but maybe they should have left it as the only people it affected were people stealing their software.....
 
It's not a virus it's a vulnerability in a third party java engine and Apple have release a fix to stop it in it's tracks.
Since Win 7, that's what most Windows virii are - 3rd party vulnerabilities and human stupidity....

If people don't follow the above they leave themselves wide open irrespective of platform. It I send you an executable and you run it without question then I can do whatever I want on your computer. That is how the last reported "Mac issue" came about. Someone stuck a dodgy copy of iLife on the web with a trojan in it and 5000 people downloaded it! Whoops! Apple issued a fix but maybe they should have left it as the only people it affected were people stealing their software.....
Human nature and a "Mac's don't get viruses" attitude goes a long way.....
 
Since Win 7, that's what most Windows virii are - 3rd party vulnerabilities and human stupidity....

Thats what I said



Human nature and a "Mac's don't get viruses" attitude goes a long way.....

I'm NOT talking about Macs I'm talking about computers in general. I get a constant stream of computers to repair (I was a component level service engineer 20 years ago but my normal charge for a repair now is booze so it keeps the drinks cabinet full :) It's going to be a bottle of Gentleman Jim for the Dell which isn't bad because it's a £100+ repair) and more are Windows than MacOS (but you would expect that as more computers are windows).

At the moment I have 5 laptops here..... Macbook (6 years) old - Will not do anything at all {on/off button faulty, requires new top which is on order}, a Dell M5030 laptop (14 months old - beeps 7 times when you switch it on {requires me to take it apart remove the motherboard stick it in my SMD pre-heater and attack it with the SMD hot air re-work tool to reflow the CPU and probably GPU - it's a well known manufacturing fault with them}..... then 2 x laptops running Windows (1 XP & 1 W7) that have literally ground to a halt due to user's clicking anything they are told to click and them filling up with malware & another XP machine that Windows has imploded on! (I suspect malware on this one too but I've not even opened the bag yet as it was only delivered yesterday)

This is not a normal list and mostly I get few real repairs like the first two and more malware attacks most of which are Windows machines as MacOS is less susceptible BUT not completely immune (and more Windows machines exist).

Part of the "Apple is best" attitude is down to the fact that on average it IS best because.......

IF you compare an Apple machine to a QUALITY Windows machine then there is less or no difference but most people go off and buy a £250-350 laptop from Tescos or PC world so it's hardly surprising that they are unreliable and build out of cheap plastic....

IF you compare a Macbook Air to say a Sony Vaio T then the Sony is slightly cheaper but in at the same sort of level(you don't get the Thunderbolt port but do get a normal HDMI) then they are built about the same. Neither is "better" than the other and it's really a choice of OS. There isn't really a massive price difference anymore when you compare like for like it's just that sometimes there just isn't a "like" to compare it with.

So basically if people stick to avoiding clicking on things on the internet because they tell them to, opening up emails that are clearly phishing, downloading hooky software and visiting very dodgy web sites then they will probably be ok. Installing a decent anti virus package is also a good idea but I still don't use one on MacOS.
 
I've got clamav installed somewhere. I do the odd scan now and then.
 
Thats what I said
Your statement was very defensive and came across as a "people are stupid, OS-X is invulnerable". Just saying Windows releases after 7 (you could probably lump Vista in as well) are pretty good too ;)

I'm NOT talking about Macs I'm talking about computers in general.
And I'm talking about Mac users in general. Nothing about the computer/OS/company/my pet hate at all. No need to turn it into a Mac vs PC debate ;)
 
how did we end up on a mac vs pc thing?
I think Darren just sees me as incapable of entering a thread where Macs are mentioned without stirring.


I'd just like it on record that me turning up in a thread doesn't mean that everyone can have a bun fight and then blame it on me in 24 hours ;) :D
 
I think Darren just sees me as incapable of entering a thread where Macs are mentioned without stirring.


I'd just like it on record that me turning up in a thread doesn't mean that everyone can have a bun fight and then blame it on me in 24 hours ;) :D

To be honest I just pointed out a fact that it wasn't a virus (as stated by someone else) but a vulnerability in third party software. Your comment appeared to be your usual anti Apple thing.

My post was balanced and in reply to yours. It was basically saying that if you compare like for like the quality is the same and that both platforms are vulnerable if you don't follow very basic rules. My post was not supporting either platform :shrug:
 
I think Darren just sees me as incapable of entering a thread where Macs are mentioned without stirring.


I'd just like it on record that me turning up in a thread doesn't mean that everyone can have a bun fight and then blame it on me in 24 hours ;) :D

No, just because I've pulled you up on it before doesn't mean that in the slightest......

This post:

Since Win 7, that's what most Windows virii are - 3rd party vulnerabilities and human stupidity....


Human nature and a "Mac's don't get viruses" attitude goes a long way.....

Appears to be along your normal path....


Like I said my post was balanced.
 
I don't think it has :shrug:
It would have if I had replied to your post differently ;)

I only ever get agitated in threads where Macs are mentioned where people say "just buy a Mac - they are great" with absolutely no substance to the post. The Mac fanboys would get equally irate if someone turned up in a thread and said "just buy a PC - they are great".
 
you post seemed a bit one platform vs the other but if it wasnt meant that way then fair dos.

No I was trying to point out that if you compare like for like then they compare very well. I have messed with a few recent Sony and Dell professional quality laptops that are certainly a match for build quality with the Macbook Air. Windows 7 & 8 are probably as well protected and MacOS is and most attacks are really down to stupidity or ignorance.
 
It would have if I had replied to your post differently ;)

I only ever get agitated in threads where Macs are mentioned where people say "just buy a Mac - they are great" with absolutely no substance to the post. The Mac fanboys would get equally irate if someone turned up in a thread and said "just buy a PC - they are great".

But nobody said "just buy a Mac - they are great".



How's about we leave it that nobody was being anti-anything then because I certainly wasn't, I run all three major desktop OSes.
 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21510791

It seems that Apple products are now being targetted by hackers through Java. TBH, I'm surprised it's taken so long for those bent on screwing computers up to attack Macs but it's started.

Darn it! Reading the title of the thread "Apples under attack" I thought this might be interesting or funny, maybe govenrment telling us the now Apples are really oranges in disguise or their bad for us.
Ah! well back to reality....:exit:
 
**** me......same old protagonists at it again - unable to comment constructively about the topic matter in hand, only interested in dragging the topic down about how Apple are:
overpriced
don't do anything to help
etc
etc

Seriously, what bloody age are you?
Infantile would be an insult to infants, who act more mature!
 
**** me......same old protagonists at it again - unable to comment constructively about the topic matter in hand, only interested in dragging the topic down about how Apple are:
overpriced
don't do anything to help
etc
etc

Seriously, what bloody age are you?
Infantile would be an insult to infants, who act more mature!

:thinking:
 
**** me......same old protagonists at it again - unable to comment constructively about the topic matter in hand, only interested in dragging the topic down about how Apple are:
overpriced
don't do anything to help
etc
etc
Did you actually read anything I wrote?

My point was that people are lulled into a false sense of security as "Apples don't get viruses" so don't install any protection. Except the latest crop of "viruses" aren't viruses they are browser exploits and phishing scams. Doesn't matter which h/w you are on, you will fall foul without some protection (granted, you may still fall foul, but the chances are lessened).

Seriously, what bloody age are you?
Infantile would be an insult to infants, who act more mature!
Old enough to have learned that it's always worth reading what has been said before being too condescending ;)
 
I really don't see what all the fuss is about. This Java flaw is a bit of old news anyway.

From what I have read the reason Apple recommended that Java was disabled in Safari and only in Safari was that it was with Java enabled the browser was vulnerable and this allowed mallware to be introduced. Apple was unhappy with the speed at which Java was responding to these problems and thus the recommendation to disable it in the browser, and browser only. As I mentioned earlier Mozilla made the same recommendation for Firefox

Seems a logical approach from Apple to me
 
I really don't see what all the fuss is about. This Java flaw is a bit of old news anyway.

From what I have read the reason Apple recommended that Java was disabled in Safari and only in Safari was that it was with Java enabled the browser was vulnerable and this allowed mallware to be introduced. Apple was unhappy with the speed at which Java was responding to these problems and thus the recommendation to disable it in the browser, and browser only. As I mentioned earlier Mozilla made the same recommendation for Firefox

Seems a logical approach from Apple to me

i cant see anything recent from mozilla, they recommended disabling java back in aug for an exploit but it was rectified the next day.

in fact is there an apple link where they recommend disabling java, because i cant find one?
 
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long and short of it, if youre a mac user and youre considering disabling java find out what itll have an impact on first.

over the articles ive read on this topic today ive read of issues including syncing to Google calenders etc, issues with CS (on of the first things CS asks to do on Mountain Lion is download java). i see it took down the associated press briefly as they ran their apps on java and apple blacklisted the app (incidentally they only blacklisted certain java versions on certain OSX versions)..
 
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Neil

To be honest I can't remember where I got the information from, it was some time ago. I know it was discussed on a a couple of Mac enthusiast podcasts.., and I vaguely remember something from Mozilla, but it may be the incident you found.

I've got Java enabled on all thee of my Mac's as I have software that needs it, but it is disabled on all my browsers.

I also run an AV programme ( ClamX) as well, possibly because I come from a Windows background and am not as complacent as some regarding viruses Trojans and mallware
 
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