Mac Virus - Help

I'd be more worried about Trojans than virus's. Granted the virus can destroy your computer but at least it won't affect your real life like a Trojan could.
 
neil_g said:
true although some are listed under both headings. these days destructive viruses are incredibly rare in favour of the trojan which make scammers money.
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Neil I am sure you will agree...

The thing is, a trojan just relies on stupidity and greed as it's main deployment method. If you get the latest thing for any computer and just add a little routine to the installation file then the unsuspecting person comes along and runs it then they are going to run that code. You can't really protect against that as installation routines tend to create and move files about which is basically what the trojan would do. Also as part of the installation you are normally asked for admin rights due to what is happening.

And this, children, is the reason that you should always get an adult to install new software from a reputable source :D

If you download software from a torrent sight you can only expect problems later!

The reality is that it is technically possible to write a virus under MacOS X but the reality is that is it FAR more difficult to get it to work and to spread. If it was JUST a case of "well 80% of computers run Windows so that is why all the viruses are written for that and only 15% run MacOS so there aren't any" then that would not make complete sense. Why be 1 of 250000 viruses on a computer where the user is expecting it when you could be 1 of 1 on a computer where they are not! Unix and hence MacOS and Linux ARE more secure but Windows with decent protection and a user that sticks to BASIC rules about where to get software etc will be almost as secure.

MOST "virus attacks" have NOTHING to do with viruses. I get a computer a week off someone to fix that has a virus infestation only to find that they have installed some dodgy software, tried to install 2 anti virus programs, have 367 things in their startup routine, 256Mb Ram, missing video drivers or their computer needs to be taken to the tip and retired after 15 years of hard service :lol:
 
cowasaki said:
Neil I am sure you will agree...
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yeah mostly..

If you download software from a torrent sight you can only expect problems later!
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ive downloaded some "trial" software in the past without issue, but it will depend on the source.

like i said, malware writers are more interested in getting your details/money than destroying your software these days hence trojans are more popular.
 
grum said:
Nope.
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Nope what?

No you don't have an answer
No you can't prove it
No you can't accept that I work with these pieces of s*** every day and might possibly be RIGHT
No...?

Let's hear it.


neil_g said:
like i said, malware writers are more interested in getting your details/money than destroying your software these days hence trojans are more popular.
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The main reason being for this Neil is that the security of any modern operating system makes viruses near damn impossible to function. Sure, they could do damage in the days of DOS and Windows 95 when everything was on a flat memory model, but on modern OS's where security is actually at the base of the kernel the common 'virus' as we know it isn't so common anymore. It is why 'malware' is so common because it is based entirely on social engineering. It is the human that is the weak link in the system, and this is the way it will always be.
 
trencheel303 said:
Nope what?

No you don't have an answer
No you can't prove it
No you can't accept that I work with these pieces of s*** every day and might possibly be RIGHT
No...?

Let's hear it.
.
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Nope you're wrong - things can be installed just on visiting a website, you don't have to click to accept anything.

Drive-by downloads occur when a malicious website, or a legitimate site which has been compromised, includes code which exploits security flaws in visitors' browsers to download and execute malware without user interaction.

Drive-by downloads often occur silently and without interaction from the user, attempting to install malware on their system without alerting them to its presence.
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http://www.virusbtn.com/resources/glossary/driveby_download.xml

I realise it's pointless arguing with you but you are quite clearly wrong.
 
Anyway, this has gone seriously off-topic. I asked for some advise on what I thought could be a virus on my MBP - turns out I'm just a simpleton - so no need to continue.

If you want to start a slanging match, start your own threads.

DB
 
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