Re: Macs Are Virus Targets, Some Experts Warn”

2006-05-04 Thread Peter Hinchliffe


On 03/05/2006, at 3:00 PM, Natas Porter wrote:


experts..?


please!

http://daringfireball.net/2006/05/good_journalism


This article says it all, IMHO.

To put it bluntly, the score so far stands at:
Mac OS X - 2
Widows - countless thousands

and even the two for Mac are still little more than proof of concept.  
Shortly after the Ommpa-Loompa Trojan was announced, a journalist  
writing for MacWorld deliberately infected one of his Mac with it,  
then spend two hours' hard work, in conjunction with a colleague, to  
get it to do anything at all. When they finally succeeded, the  
effects were worth no more than a shrug.


On the other hand, an unprotected, new installation of Windows XP  
(SP1) or 2000 can become infected with a virus within minutes of  
being connected to the Internet. This is far more impressive.




--
Peter HinchliffeApwin Computer Services
FileMaker Pro Solutions Developer
Perth, Western Australia
Phone (618) 9332 6482Fax (618) 9332 0913

Mac because I prefer it -- Windows because I have to.




Re: Macs Are Virus Targets, Some Experts Warn”

2006-05-04 Thread Rob Davies

Morning All,

Yes Peter agree entirely and I think yo will find most of the  
information??? being paraded around through so-called respectable  
rags. Being related to whom sponsors a major portion of an  
advertising budget and provides some wonderful kickbacks on licensing  
arrangements and succumbed to the womb for vital information leaks.


Then their is the I hate Mac syndrome, cause unknown, but it feels  
good even though personally never have used such a machine; in this  
country I believe it comes across as cost and the class mentality.


On the possibility of such attacks happening at moment very doubtful  
on a standard install.


For those security minded or visiting the internet or internal  
business networks have your OS X provided Firewall operational, and  
close any unnecessary services (preferences - sharing). Visit browser  
and software preferences blocking the open files after download or  
access, without at least asking you first, utilising keychains for  
passwords.


Upon initialising above recommendations. I do not believe their is  
anything at present to worry about as this creates a very safe and  
secure environment to work within, even in an M$ networked environment.


But, as usual mission critical servers / workstations open to the  
internet or open space would be advised to keep some form of logs and  
check them regularly, as would checking those untrusted files before  
installing or activating them. If you really wont to get paranoid run  
a virus scanner across your email library folder as things get  
downloaded to it or after if less worried. But, do not get too  
excited about the windows infected files you will discover. Also in  
an office environment another security feature is to set Require  
password to wake this computer from sleep or screen-saver in  
security preferences and have an active corner on desktop too  
initialise when leaving machine.


One part of the articles I am  still sitting on the fence for is the  
Intel and close proximity to same machines on desktop of bored  
windows users and the red rag being offered to them. They no longer  
have to purchase or hijack a Mac machine to get same working hardware  
we are all equal sort off, past experiences have shown anything is  
possible. Time will be the measure, but Linux is surviving as are  
many other OS's within same hardware environment. I trust Apple keep  
one step in front, but Apple can run windows so why shouldn't I be  
able to run OS X, too much too offer?


Paranoia and Scepticism are a wonderful part of human nature.

Cheers!
'Rob...

On 4May2006, at 8:31 am, Peter Hinchliffe wrote:



On 03/05/2006, at 3:00 PM, Natas Porter wrote:


experts..?


please!

http://daringfireball.net/2006/05/good_journalism


This article says it all, IMHO.

To put it bluntly, the score so far stands at:
Mac OS X - 2
Widows - countless thousands

and even the two for Mac are still little more than proof of  
concept. Shortly after the Ommpa-Loompa Trojan was announced, a  
journalist writing for MacWorld deliberately infected one of his  
Mac with it, then spend two hours' hard work, in conjunction with a  
colleague, to get it to do anything at all. When they finally  
succeeded, the effects were worth no more than a shrug.


On the other hand, an unprotected, new installation of Windows XP  
(SP1) or 2000 can become infected with a virus within minutes of  
being connected to the Internet. This is far more impressive.




--
Peter HinchliffeApwin Computer Services
FileMaker Pro Solutions Developer
Perth, Western Australia
Phone (618) 9332 6482Fax (618) 9332 0913

Mac because I prefer it -- Windows because I have to.



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Re: Macs Are Virus Targets, Some Experts Warn”

2006-05-04 Thread Stewart Woods


On 04/05/2006, at 8:31 AM, Peter Hinchliffe wrote:



To put it bluntly, the score so far stands at:
Mac OS X - 2
Widows - countless thousands


C'mon Peter, resorting to vague terms like 'countless' makes us Mac 
users look like we're not well-informed


Apparently Apple did count them and there are 114 thousand... :-)





Macs Are Virus Targets, Some Experts Warn”

2006-05-03 Thread Natas Porter

experts..?


please!

http://daringfireball.net/2006/05/good_journalism

cheers

Nat