“Anti-virus maker Symantec Corp. is warning that it has detected a new piece of malware that tries to exploit a flaw in Mac OS X systems that Apple Computer Inc. released a software security update to fix just three days ago,” Brian Krebs reports for The Washington Post.
“‘OSX.Exploit.Launchd,’ is a ‘Trojan horse’ program that exploits a security hole in OS X’s ‘launchD’ service, which controls which programs should boot up whenever a user restarts a Mac. According to Symantec, this exploit provides the attacker root access — or total control — over any Mac system running OS X version 10.4.6 or earlier,” Krebs reports.
Full article here.
In an article breathlessly and hyperbolically headlined, “Attack code out for Apple flaw” Joris Evers reports for CNET News, “Attack code that exploits a flaw in Apple Computer’s Mac OS X was publicly released Wednesday, increasing the urgency to patch… On Tuesday, Apple delivered Mac OS X 10.4.7. The operating system update repairs a total of five flaws. Four of them affect both the client version of Mac OS X. The other, in the ClamAV antivirus software, has an impact on the server release.”
MacDailyNews Take: “Four of them affect both the client version of Mac OS X?” They can’t even write coherent sentences to support the FUD.
Evers presses on, “The exploit was created by Kevin Finisterre, a security researcher at Digital Munition. Earlier this year, Finisterre created the Inqtana worm, which targets Mac OS X and spreads using an 8-month-old vulnerability in Apple’s Bluetooth software (see Patched in mid-2005 by Apple, Symantec warns ‘Inqtana-A’ worm could be ‘beginning of a trend’ – February 20, 2006). His actions are in part to demonstrate that Apple software is not unbreakable, he has said.”
MacDailyNews Take: Ah, the wonderment! Behold the massive and unparalleled coding skill required to create proof-of-concept Mac OS X malware anytime after Apple discloses the flaw and fixes it.
Full article, along with Evers and CNET being appropriately schooled by the majority of their readers in the feedback section, here.
MacDailyNews Take: In related news, Biff Tannen found Marty McFly’s sports almanac that Doctor Emmett L. Brown threw out because McFly wanted to use it in conjunction with the DeLorean time machine to make a bundle in sports gambling. Amazingly, Tannen then stole the DeLorean and used it to give the book to himself at some point in the past! Tannen used the almanac’s info – which contained final scores for games yet to be played – and became fabulously rich. Tannen now controls all of Hill Valley along with the desperate Symantec and their CNET lackeys.
Note: Apple on Tuesday released an update that closes the security hole that this unreleased proof-of-concept Trojan would exploit if it had ever been released in the wild before Mac OS X 10.4.7. Mac OS X users can update to Mac OS X 10.4.7 via Mac OS X’s Software Update or via standalone installers for which download links can be found here. As usual, we recommend that users keep their operating systems up to date.
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Related articles:
Apple: ‘Get a Mac. Say ‘Buh-Bye’ to viruses’ – June 01, 2006
Apple releases Mac OS X 10.4.7 Update – June 27, 2006
Apple Macs and viruses: Fact vs. FUD – May 26, 2006
Symantec Antivirus software flaw allows hackers to seize control of PCs without user interaction – May 25, 2006
‘Mac security’ garbage reports continue to proliferate – May 10, 2006
ZDNet: Reduce OS X security threats – ignore security software – May 05, 2006
McAfee announces virus protection for Intel-based Apple Macs – May 05, 2006
BusinessWeek: New Apple Mac ads stir up Mac security overreaction – May 04, 2006
Unix expert: Mac OS X much more secure than Windows; recent Mac OS X security stories are media hype – May 03, 2006
Macs and viruses: the true story – May 02, 2006
Anti-Mac FUD machine shifts into overdrive – May 01, 2006
FUD Alert: Viruses don’t catch up to the Mac – May 01, 2006
BusinessWeek: Apple should hire security czar to combat uninformed media FUD – March 09, 2006
Spate of recent Mac security stories signal that Microsoft, others getting nervous – March 06, 2006
Mafiasoft: Microsoft to charge $50 per year for security service to protect Windows – February 07, 2006
Why pay Symantec for flawed ‘security’ app designed to protect Apple Macs from nonexistent threats? – December 27, 2005
‘Highly critical’ flaw in discovered in Symantec AntiVirus for Mac OS X – December 21, 2005
Why Symantec’s ‘scare tactics’ don’t worry Mac users – September 28, 2005
Motley Fool writer: ‘I’d be surprised if Symantec ever sells a single product to a Mac user again’ – March 24, 2005
Symantec cries wolf with misplaced Mac OS X ‘security’ warning – March 23, 2005
Symantec’s Mac OS X claims dismissed as nonsense, FUD – March 22, 2005
Hackers already targeting viruses for Microsoft’s Windows Vista – August 04, 2005
16-percent of computer users are unaffected by viruses, malware because they use Apple Macs – June 15, 2005
“Plain silly, stupid and uninformed.”
No, that’s you iPlodder.
“A computer must be visible before any malware could even try to compromise it.”
No most PC attacks start with someone opening an attachment, browsing to a web page and so on. The weakest link in most Operating systems is located between the keyboard and the chair
“(*visible* meaning responding to unsolicited port probes and packet traffic). After being visible, that is after having acknowledged its presence on the net it must have a port that is open to incoming traffic without filtering and/or monitoring it. Mac OS X has oll ports closed by default. Then the malware must be able to exploit flaws without intervention by the user. “
Yep, and unless you know nothing about Windows trojans, you’ll understand that’s how it usually happens. Open ports running buggy services are helpful but sure not the way most PCs get infected.
“While all above happens regularly on Windows, it does not happens easily on Unix in general nor on OS X where it is even more difficult.”
There is essentially no difference in the stupidity of PC vs Mac users. Except that Mac users believing they’re invulnerable are more likely to do something dumb.
no news: “2. As MDN pointed out, coding a proof-of-concept trojan the day after the flaw is fixed doesn’t count.”
Given that most PC exploits happen through old vulnerabilities for which a patch already exists, it sure does matter.
Virus, you do not even make up for your nickname.
Those are not virus per-se, those are worms and spyware and trojans. A virus is independent from idiots behind the keyboard. Automatic spreading is what causes havoc on corporations. A virus only needs the PC to be online and that is what causes automatic exponential spread on Windows.
For other attacks you need idiots mostly on Windows.
No Mac user believes to be invulnerable. Only Winblowers do believe that about Mac users.
Again: plain silly, stupid and uninformed.
If a virus does not propagate automatically is not a virus, it’s a joke. For the rest, you need suckers.
BTW, ever tried to get a malware on OS X via email? On winblows the attached malware often executes at opening the email.
Not even the need to be idiot on Windows: suffice a bad day at work and little less than careful behavior.
To be affected on OS X you truly need an idiot and authorize the malware multiple times before it does have even the lightest chance to do anything.
So far, only 2, TWO, users have ever been affected by malware on OS X by a proof of concept.
Get real.
MDN “next” – How appropriate.
Open ports running buggy services are helpful but sure not the way most PCs get infected.
It actually is the way hundred of thousands corporate PCs get infected. Who cares about the schmuck watching porno on the web or clicking on the attachment “Vista beta-3” on its laughable Outlook.
virus attacks Windows legit services. Yes, buggy, but that can be said of the whole Windows OS as well.
iPodder, be lenient, those 2 users actually TRIED to be infected to prove the malware could work. AND they proved actually that it was buggy and could not even propagate after infection.
iPodder, on WIndows there are so many (100,000+) malware around that they do not differentiate between virus, spyware, bots, worms, keyloggers, trojans.
They all call them virus, they install an anti-virus, never update it after first installation and say “Now I am safe” right when the next worm penetrates them from them opening the “Britney nude: AMAZING pictures”.
“To be affected on OS X you truly need an idiot and authorize the malware multiple times before it does have even the lightest chance to do anything.”
Not exactly true, as there have been attacks for the Mac which don’t require this.
Clearly you’ve not used Windows for a while, you get all those warnings too.
But I bet you could put up the question, “would you like to install this software which will wipe your PC hard disk clean” and a bunch of computer users would still say yes thinking a clean and tidy hard disk would be a good thing.
“It actually is the way hundred of thousands corporate PCs get infected. “
Agree but trojans and email worms and their interaction with the wetware are the dominant vector for PC infection these days.
“Who cares about the schmuck watching porno on the web or clicking on the attachment “Vista beta-3” “
Because of the above, anyone who has half a brain and cares about IT security.
Not exactly true, as there have been attacks for the Mac which don’t require this.
Yes, and how many were affected? Zero, zilch, nada.
Clearly you’ve not used Windows for a while, you get all those warnings too.
Clearly you forget that this happens on XP SP2. It is a minority of Windows users.
But I bet you could put up the question, “would you like to install this software which will wipe your PC hard disk clean” and a bunch of computer users would still say yes thinking a clean and tidy hard disk would be a good thing.
Totally. Total idiots do buy computers.
Concerning the other two points raised in the thread: Microsoft still has flaws and security for the consumer user. They care mostly to address first corporate needs. For consumers they are coming out with a pay-us-and-we-will-protect-you scam.
For the schmucks out there, on corporate mostly you can’t have access to the outside world easily, like freely surfing around. Those who care about IT security do not address flaws via IT: it still has security flaws dating back by many years.
The fact that a lone Windows user can get infected via email is addressed by corporations by filtering attachments or even quarantine them before delivery or simply forbidding them on corporate PCs. Done that they do not care whether once at home the schmuck gets infected.
Microsoft did not care for years and only the recent pressure they felt and bad PR made for them to react and make it better with XP SP2.
The fact that they needed to get to SP2 to get things a bit better is per se proof that the schmuck was not (and I claim it is not today either) on their radar.
IT security do not address flaws via IT should read via IE (Internet Explorer)
Hell, Outlook is forbidden to be used, IE is forbidden to be used. The way IT security staff address Windows faults and weakness is by forbidding some of it, clamping down on its capability (for what they are) and simply neutering the PC networking capacities.
Done that, again, nobody cares whether at home the Windows user is at risk.
The fact that even Microsoft security boss told best way is to wipe disk and re-install exposes how Joe Sixpack is considered as a priority.
Microsoft reps even declared the problem is their users, not Windows that is as safe as all other OSes but it is the more under attack because it is popular.
Not only that, Gates even said that the fact that Windows is under attack makes it the best OS security-wise because then MS knows how to deal with internet threats.
Virus, it truly takes a Windows user to gobble that up without throwing up.
And then trolls come here and spout about distortion reality, cult, Kool-Aid Mac drinkers and other idiocy.
Pleeeeaaaaaaase. Windows world is plain simply pitiful. Steve Balmer could only work for Microsoft and be acclaimed by Windows users. He even had to send his friend PC to be cleaned because he could not do it himself.
Risible and pitiful.
Nice try Symantec but you’re gonna have to do better than that to compete with McAfee, in fact my Spam Cube already blocks viruses and spam on my Mac and Windows at home, at the same time, without having to install your software. Nice try.
ahahah best MDN take ever. Microsoft is like Marty Mcfly Sr. in Back to the Future 1
Yawn…..
Officer Barbrady: “Move along people, nothing to see here….”
>Virus:
>Not exactly true, as there have been attacks for the Mac which don’t >require this.
Would you please state examples and a web site that proves this?
I take care of Macs in the corporate world at many locations for the past 16 years. The last new virus I dealt with was back in the OS 8 days.
In OS 9 it was just old viruses that popped up once in a while. Old CDs, Zip, Jazz or optical disks that were being checked.
Since OS 10, not one virus.
Back in February the three “oh my god, possible Mac viruses” was a bunch of news sensationalism.
Let’s review:
OSX.Leap.A – Symantec sums it up best. Total reported infections in the wild, 0-50. It also cannot spread via the Internet.
OSX.Inqtana.A – F-Secure notes that it hasn’t seen the worm “in the wild.”
OS X Shell Script Execution – This is not a virus or Trojan horse. It is a “Possible” exploit. Don’t recall any large goups of users being taken down by that one.
Later
Mac Realist wrote: “When ultra-secure Vista comes out at the end of the year it will mark the final end to both the Macintosh and Apple.”
Wasn’t Windows 95 supposed to do that? – no wait that was Windows 98, or was it ME? could’ve been XP?
Vista? (giggle! – have you actually read the reviews of this turkey?)
Doesn’t matter how many times PC apologists say it, the Mac & Apple will always be here to prove you wrong.
You can run around with your PC-freinds with your fingers in your ears going, “La,la,la I can’t here you!” but the truth remains, Apple leads, Microsoft follows. It can’t stay that way forever.
In 5 years time Microsoft will be a shell of what it is now; watch closely Mac Realist as each one of your friends finally comes over to Apple and sees the light, leaving you behind, still believng you made the right choice, (and you’ll still be posting here as well – which is so funny I can’t put it into words).
“Apple leads, Microsoft follows. It can’t stay that way forever.”
If indeed Apple does lead, which frankly in many market categories is dubious, Well for 30 years it’s been claimed that that that’s the case.
Apple owners have consistently claimed to have the best product, while being consistently outsold by the supposedly inferior one.
Every year the mantra’s the same, with the release of a particular new product, or migration to yet another new OS, or the change to yet another new processor, Apple will take over the world. And it NEVER NEVER happens.
Those predictions have been going on for longer then the lifetime of many Mac customers.
What makes you think that pattern is going to change any time soon?
“The last new virus I dealt with was back in the OS 8 days.”
Probably about the same time you dealt with a new Mac user in a corporate environment.
Fact is in the average 100,000 person company there’s probably about 7 guys using Macs. After lecturing their Windows counterparts for years about how bad things never happen on Macs they’re hardly going to admit to having a virus or other Mac problem.
They’re also not usually the people who achieve anything of importance, so nobody would notice or care if their PCs were totally hosed.
So you’re right, Mac viruses are not a concern only because if every Mac in the world were wiped out, nobody would really notice any effect on anything that affects real work or productivity.
Can’t say the same about PCs.
“Clearly you forget that this happens on XP SP2. It is a minority of Windows users.”
If by minority you mean about 75%, OK.
But these warnings happen with IE6, I don’t know of many people still on IE5, still more than own Macs to be sure, but not many more.
They also happen in outlook express and Outlook 2000 and later.
So if you can’t be bothered upgrading your software for over 5-7 years, you can’t really complain that it’s security features are dated, or can you?
“Every year the mantra’s the same, with the release of a particular new product, or migration to yet another new OS, or the change to yet another new processor, Apple will take over the world. And it NEVER NEVER happens.”
We never said we’d take over the world, just increase our installed base and convert your PC using friends (not you of course, you’ll never switch).
However you spout the exact same. “Just one more release and Bill Gates will get the security right, just one more release and we’ll get the bugs sorted out, just one more release and Apple will be history.” And it NEVER NEVER happens.
“They’re also not usually the people who achieve anything of importance, so nobody would notice or care if their PCs were totally hosed.”
Why is it then when the Windows PC network goes down (because of a virus/network problem/somebody sneezing), all the PC users come to the Mac graphics studio to print their documents because nobody can print anything whilst the network is down?
“So you’re right, Mac viruses are not a concern only because if every Mac in the world were wiped out, nobody would really notice any effect on anything that affects real work or productivity.”
Except all the packaging that your Windows PC games come in wouldn’t exist, or the PC magazine’s & newspapers you read would have no print or graphics in them.
By the way, any of your friends switched yet?
“packaging that your Windows PC games come in wouldn’t exist, or the PC magazine’s & newspapers you read would have no print or graphics in them.”
No pretty PC game boxes, ouch, the world WILL end. Interesting what you think affects real work and productivity.
No print and graphics in magazines? I think that’s overstating the case given how much of that work gets done on Windows these days.
“We never said we’d take over the world, just increase our installed base and convert your PC using friends”
Well good luck with that, doesn’t seem to be working out so well so far. Perhaps after the next Apple OS switch, which in all liklihood is going to be to Vista.
virus, you’re talking rubbish. almost every newspaper, magazine etc. is produced on a Macintosh. I’ve worked for Newsquest in Europe and the USA and the only pc’s i’ve ever seen in use for pre and post production are used by secretaries to type letters. fact is, if you need 100 per cent reliability, papers and magazines produced every day, you need the most reliable machines you can get – macintosh. nice try troll.
James, You mean I won’t be able to get my copy of the Droitwich Advertiser or the Wandsworth Borough News?
Sad. but hardly going to ruin my day.
“most reliable machines you can get – macintosh”
Clustered Windows Datacenter 2003 systems are more reliable than any Mac in existence. if you want fault tolerance, Wintel based hardware is a clear choice over Mac hardware.