Member Avatar for sDJh

I really don't get it! It's mainly these arrogant expressions against users of different OS. Just to point out: Having configured Windows correctly, it will be as secure as Linux and as Mac. And in my opinion, it even more secure in most cases, because it's simpler to adapt than Linux for instance. Do you all get paid by Apple? And how can join? Please contact me and I'll give you my bank account number.

I am developing software, and I can tell you how easy it is to corrupt a system. A virus doesn't need to destroy the system folder. Isn't it enough when it simply deletes all pictures in your home directory? And who of you all uses a different account for mail, pictures and browsing. Guess there aren't many.

So for all of those who still uses a bit of brain even when using a mac, go on page two, have a short glance at my post there, and take 15 minutes to tidy up your mac. Hopefully you will never get into a situation that causes damage to your system, but if you do, you'd be glad having followed some security advice.

Amen.

Member Avatar for vermeer99

sDJh, That doesn't change the fact that viruses for UNIX-based systems are non-existent. Bill Gates ripped off a few lines of code when he originally created DOS, and left out some very important code to do with file system security. Due to the need to keep backwards compatibility, many of those insufficiencies were carried forward as well. It's not because Windows is a BIGGER target, it's because it's an EASY target. There is still a bounty out there that hasn't been claimed since the introduction of Mac OS X ten years ago, to go to the first person who successfully creates a self-propagating Mac OS X virus. It's not because nobody tried, it's that nobody CAN.

And, I am paid by Apple, yes, but as an Apple-Certified Mac Technician, not as a Mac evangelist. I do that on my own time. I fix Macs for a living, and as such have seen MANY cases of data corruption caused by mechanical hard drive failure, careless use of LimeWire, misinformed installation of malware such as the conduit toolbar, and poor judgement when deleting files that are necessary for proper system function. Not one virus, though.

commented: Very knowledgeable opinion. +5
Member Avatar for surreygirl

Well, if Macs don't get viruses, I would sure like to know what the hell is going on with my network of 8 macs.

We run QuarkXpress8 and Extensis Suitcase - all legitimate licences - and Kaspersky Antivirus software is on the 3 main Macs. One of the Macs holds all the info and shares its files with the other users.

The problem starts firstly with files going missing - often in the middle of the day, so it is not a security problem with someone coming in at night and sabotaging our macs. Then Suitcase won't open and finally Quark won't launch. Sometimes the Microsoft User Data folder is moved. I thought I had found a virus in some old Quark files from China and removed them, re-wiped 2 of the macs and did a complete re-install - again - but it is happening again today. The older Macs running 10.4 have been completely unaffected.

Every week one of the Macs has to be wiped and reinstalled and we have lost hours as well as a lot of work. The situation has actually been going on for about 6 months but getting worse now.

Kaspersky is not detecting anything except a trojan in some spam emails recently. I regularly change the password of the mac sharing the files. I do not run Windows on the Macs. So you tell me!

Member Avatar for vermeer99

It is possible to have data corruption that can affect other files, especially in the case of a large , constantly changing database. As new data is written to an already corrupt file, the corruption can get worse and cause cascading corruption of files stored in close proximity to the corrupt file. This will cause files to mysteriously go missing, and other files when accessed may cause the system to crash, freeze, or otherwise lock up. So, if after wiping your computers, you have been putting the same files back in the same place, the corruption issue will not have been solved. Correcting the issue is possible, but it's a long road of painstaking nitpicking to tear the database apart and farm the data so that the database can be rewritten without having to do too much manual entry. iPhoto is another example of a database that I frequently see go corrupt, and it too can be rebuilt without too much hassle. Anyways, I can assure you that it isn't a virus causing your issues.

Member Avatar for royng

What operating system are you using surreygirl. How long have this problem persist. For your case i agreed with vermeer99, this is not a virus attack.

Member Avatar for royng

It may be due to problem corruption some of your software might be ruined and the database is lost. when the database is lost, all of your files will be lost and your applications might crash.

Member Avatar for surreygirl

Thanks vermeer99, what you are saying seems to fit. As we produce a weekly newspaper the same files are over-written again and again each week, so we really need to throw them out and do new templates. Painful but it must be done.

Thanks royng for your comments too - the macs most affected are running OS 10.5 and 10.6. So far it hasn't touched those running 10.4

Member Avatar for royng

Hope your problem is solved

Member Avatar for surreygirl

Yes, it seems to have all calmed down thank goodness. I haven't had to touch the macs for days!

Member Avatar for Vermillion

No OS is safe from viruses.
There are a couple of viruses for Macs. Luckily for us who love to use them, the market share is not big enough to warrant a myriad of different viruses like there are for Windows.

I bet you that if the marketshare for Mac OS X grows there will be more viruses though.

Member Avatar for dee101g

No OS is safe from malware. Viruses are one kind, but trojans (which are on the rise) and rootkits are also out there. Various spywares are also in the wild.

The OS, itself, may not always be the target of attacks. Adobe products and Java-based apps seem to be expediting the carriage of many of the newer malware to MAC OSX. One of the reasons is that some MAC owners don't seem to be as fastidious about loading updates as Windows users have become.

In my opinion, iOS is probably going to see a more precipitous rise in malware than MacOSX simply because of the proliferation of devices running it that are likely to include financial information on a regular basis that could be intercepted and sold. I'd like to be wrong but at present, that seems to be the most attractive area of development for the blackhats.

Member Avatar for royng

I agree with dmcaarlson. Now hackers are targeting mac as macbook popularity rises. The chances of having a virus attack on your mac a few years later is common. Now maybe not but you can try downloading the few antivirus software i recommend for you.

Member Avatar for wulaishiwo

Hi Aneesha,

Normally, you don't need to worry about such virus. Though there are Mac virus out there, but

(1) The number is tiny comparing to Windows virus
(2) Mac apps don't share global configuration, so to get infection, user must manually approve the access of the virus. Normal sane user won't do that.

Therefore, I suggest you forget the anti-virus since they are pain in the ass. Instead, don't be stupid or do any risky stuff with your Mac, it will be fine.

As for your pen drive, set the write-protection is possible. It will block more than 90% of virus.

Member Avatar for royng

I disagree with wulaishiwo. Now that apple products are getting more popular, hackers will target macbooks. There is even a trojan for mac now. About the different configuration, hackers will know how to bypass that. I advise everyone to have at least a anti virus software. As the saying goes, better safe than sorry.I agreed on that

Member Avatar for dee101g

Wulaishiwo, those who work in the virus/malware monitoring industry (including, but in addition to companies that make security solutions) are saying the Apple platform (MAC and iOS) is the fastest rising area for viruses, trojans, and other malware. The DarkHat and other commentators take this very seriously.

In my IT practice, I have had to remove malware from MACs.

The 'hassle' of running anti-malware solutions is far less than the pain of an infection. 'It isn't likely' just isn't viable anymore. PC users don't wish this on MAC users ... its a fact of life.

Member Avatar for royng

i agree with dmcaarlson. Better have your mac safe than being infected. In a few months time, virus and worms found on mac are coming. Start the preparation against virus now!!

Member Avatar for royng

There is a free downloaded version for sophos that is free, but sophos is nit very good for me. I prefer intego the paid version.

Member Avatar for crunchie

Can you tell me which is correct? This one:

There is virus on mac but very rare.

or this one:

The chances of having a virus attack on your mac a few years later is common.

You seem to be contradicting yourself depending on the answer given from the previous poster?

Member Avatar for royng

There is virus for mac but very rare now, a few months later it would be common as hackers would be targeting apple products

Member Avatar for crunchie

Ah I see. You appear to be talking in past and present tense, but not future tense.

Edited by crunchie because: n/a
Member Avatar for royng

Future is like a tomorrow but the present is today. why should i used future tense. Are you an english teacher, if not how do you know about tenses

Member Avatar for royng

Can someone marked this thread as solved i see no point in leaving open and continue the discussion about whether mac has virus. Mac has virus and we must protect it from hackers

Member Avatar for vermeer99

royng, please back up your claims if you say the Mac has viruses, then please tell us all what the virus is called, so we can look it up. I am an Apple-certified technician and I have not yet heard of this.

I am aware of a trojan (not virus) called MACDefender, which is easy to remove (disable services in activity monitor then trash the MACdefender file that is in applications, then reboot - voila!), but again, that is not a virus, even though when it is installed it says there is a virus (fake message to fool you in to thinking there is a problem).

MACDefender has a couple of variants, such as MACprotector, MACguard, and MACsecurity. They are all the same thing, and harmless unless you actually fall for it and provide your credit card number, in which case then you need to cancel your credit card immediately. Otherwise, all it does is puts gay porn on your screen. It will not damage your files, though.

Member Avatar for Danarchy

royng, please back up your claims if you say the Mac has viruses, then please tell us all what the virus is called, so we can look it up. I am an Apple-certified technician and I have not yet heard of this.

I am aware of a trojan (not virus) called MACDefender, which is easy to remove (disable services in activity monitor then trash the MACdefender file that is in applications, then reboot - voila!), but again, that is not a virus, even though when it is installed it says there is a virus (fake message to fool you in to thinking there is a problem).

MACDefender has a couple of variants, such as MACprotector, MACguard, and MACsecurity. They are all the same thing, and harmless unless you actually fall for it and provide your credit card number, in which case then you need to cancel your credit card immediately. Otherwise, all it does is puts gay porn on your screen. It will not damage your files, though.

Thanks for all that info. I got that trojan twice. But I have experienced Camino and Opera being hijacked two times last year. Had to trash the browsers twice to get them back to normal.

Royng, you told me you were going to take care of this identity. I sure hope you will stand with integrity and follow up on what you said. One is enough.
And one need not be an English teacher to know tenses, just having gone to school and being in one's English classes should be enough. Well that was back when I went to school, before the cheating epidemic started.

Edited by Danarchy because: n/a
Member Avatar for jingda

Hi Danarchy, Royng last posted on March 21, if you got to my account Jingda you will see i create this accunt a few days later Royng stop posting.
@ vermeer99

You said that you are an apple certified technician and have not heard of viruses, you get that wrong. There are virus for mac, even Apple founders said so themself. You should pay attention to them, what they also said is that mac chance of getting a virus is less than 1 %. That means it is nearly impossible to get virus but that does not mean virus does not exist. All previous experts in these forum have already said so, you should change your thinking. I am only a child yet i know all these. There are different types of trojan and one of the newest is Boonana but there is a product that can stop it ( called Boonana trojan remover ). What's your problem, an apple technician should know all these.

Those working in the security and virus industry will know this. In the future maybe a few months more hackers will target mac osx platform, all these virues i mention is minor ones. They are created by the hackers to test out only. They wanted to find out what is mac osx weakness and create a virus that is able to counter mac defense.

Edited by jingda because: n/a
Member Avatar for vermeer99

I will amend my statement about viruses on the mac to say 'there have been no new viruses in the last 10 years'. This is due to the introduction of Mac OS X, and it's use of UNIX as the core of the OS. Classic Mac OS did have viruses. The 1% are due to those still using systems older than 10 years.

Member Avatar for dee101g

Vermeer99 - A good many people lump all malware (including trojans and worms, to which MacDefender has proven the Apple platform is vulnerable) under the heading "virus". While this is technically incorrect, call it an addition to the dictionary.

If any time is spent researching on the anti-malware vendor sites, you will find lists of virus signatures for MAC. It is true that many of these are cross-platform threats (which means if you only install software that comes from Apple and never anything from another vendor, you might be safe) ... that kind of closed system isn't realistic ... at least I want to do more on my MACBook than I can do with only Apple-generated apps and no Internet.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.