Avast free antivirus, is blocking some yahoo email synchronization in OSX Mavericks 10.9.1
avast free antivirus current version 8.0 (40527), is blocking some yahoo email synchronization in OSX Mavericks 10.9.1. I am working with the current Mavericks Mail version 7.1 (1827)
After disabling the avast antivirus, almost all my yahoo emails (except one) had being syncronized.
You can disable the Mail shield in Avast to prevent this from happening but it will mean Avast no longer keeps an eye on your email, at all. Your best bet is to contact Avast support about this and see what they have to say. You can call them, email them or post on their forum where other Avast users can help out: http://www.avast.com/en-us/support
Similar Messages
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I am using Firefox 6.0, Avast Free Anti-Virus 6.0 and Windows XP.
I am experiencing slow/freezing web browsing after a recent upgrade to Firefox 6.0. Not all but on most occasions, I also get a warning from Avast of an "unresponsive script." I suspect there is a compatibility issue between these versions of Firefox and Avast--are they any short and/or long term solutions to this. I suppose I can disable the Script Blocker on Avast but that would defeat the purpose of having an anti-virus program.
Many thanks in advance.I have had a similar problem with my system. I just recently (within a week of this post) built a brand new desktop. I installed Windows 7 64-bit Home and had a clean install, no problems. Using IE downloaded an anti-virus program, and then, because it was the latest version, downloaded and installed Firefox 4.0. As I began to search the internet for other programs to install after about maybe 10-15 minutes my computer crashes. Blank screen (yet monitor was still receiving a signal from computer) and completely frozen (couldn't even change the caps and num lock on keyboard). I thought I perhaps forgot to reboot after an update so I did a manual reboot and it started up fine.
When ever I got on the internet (still using firefox) it would crash after anywhere between 5-15 minutes. Since I've had good experience with FF in the past I thought it must be either the drivers or a hardware problem. So in-between crashes I updated all the drivers. Still had the same problem. Took the computer to a friend who knows more about computers than I do, made sure all the drivers were updated, same problem. We thought that it might be a hardware problem (bad video card, chipset, overheating issues, etc.), but after my friend played around with my computer for a day he found that when he didn't start FF at all it worked fine, even after watching a movie, or going through a playlist on Youtube.
At the time of this posting I'm going to try to uninstall FF 4.0 and download and install FF 3.6.16 which is currently on my laptop and works like a dream. Hopefully that will do the trick, because I love using FF and would hate to have to switch to another browser. Hopefully Mozilla will work out the kinks with FF 4 so I can continue to use it.
I apologize for the lengthy post. Any feedback would be appreciated, but is not necessary. I will try and post back after I try FF 3.16.6. -
Anyone using avast free antivirus program and finding it a good one?
Needing an antivirus program for my Macbook and wondered about downloading the Avast free program. Anyone using it and finding it a good program? Wanted to see if it is too good to be true, especially given the 'price'. Thanks for any response.
Don't waste your money.
There are many forms of ‘Malware’ that can affect a computer system, of which ‘a virus’ is but one type, ‘trojans’ another. Using the strict definition of a computer virus, no viruses that can attack OS X have so far been detected 'in the wild', i.e. in anything other than laboratory conditions. The same is not true of other forms of malware, such as Trojans. Whilst it is a fairly safe bet that your Mac will NOT be infected by a virus, it may have other security-related problem, but more likely a technical problem unrelated to any malware threat.
You may find this User Tip on Viruses, Trojan Detection and Removal, as well as general Internet Security and Privacy, useful: The User Tip seeks to offer guidance on the main security threats and how to avoid them.
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-2435
More useful information can also be found here:
www.thesafemac.com/mmg -
please why doesn't some programs run on the osx mavericks
Some apps require updating when a new operating system comes out. Check with the developers of the apps you're having problems with and see if they have an update or workaround.
Regards. -
Why is fire fox 8.01 blocking my yahoo emails?
please read all of this message and do not scan it ok i down loaded fire fox 8.0.1 and now i can not read any emails from people i know, i have tried every thing in help and nothing changed. i had to go back to fire fox 3.6.24 in order to get my messages. if you have any new ideas except ones already tried ok. i believe that only fire fox makers and yahoo can fix this ongoing problem, but the way things are done here, it will never get fix, because of no way to directly talk to mozilla. when they finally say no more for fire fox 3.6.24 then i will be finished. your guesses are incorrect is incorrect. the problem is with fire fox 8.01
It is possible that there is a problem with the files [http://kb.mozillazine.org/sessionstore.js sessionstore.js] and sessionstore.bak in the [http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox Profile Folder]
Delete the files sessionstore.js and sessionstore.bak in the Firefox Profile Folder.
* Help > Troubleshooting Information > Profile Directory: Open Containing Folder
* http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Firefox
* http://kb.mozillazine.org/sessionstore.js
If you see files sessionstore-##.js with a number in the left part of the name like sessionstore-1.js then delete those as well.<br />
Deleting sessionstore.js will cause App Tabs and Tab Groups to get lost, so you will have to create them again (make a note).
See:
* http://kb.mozillazine.org/Session_Restore -
Trouble emailing photos with osx Mavericks and iPhoto 9.5.
I select the photos to share, select my Gmail account, and then insert recipient's email account. Everytime I hit "SEND", the "TO:" box goes blank, erasing my recipient's email address and an error message comes up saying that my recipient's email address was not correct (and it is a valid email). Any help???
Disable Photo Stream in the System/iCloud preference pane
and in iPhoto's Photo Share preference pane.
Reboot and reenable both respectively. That should jump start Photo Stream.
OT -
I recently started using FF. I use a local nz auction site trade me & noticed that some words (partic 'free' and 'women') showed up green on FF (not on IE) with a link to other sites one a dating site one a free gaming site I think. I asked TM to remove these links, however they've asked me to tell them which browser I use & which security software (use Avast free vsn). So obviously isn't them I conclude. (they are going to follow it up). I also use Vista. I went into my Trade Me listings initially and disguised the 'offending words' ie made 'women' 'w...n' instead - then the next word 'women' displayed the link, and so on thru the ad. When I reinstated the word 'women' again it showed up green on FF only, not IE. You can view these by going to Trade Me (NZ) and entering the auction Listing #: 419422108 or go to this link http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=419422108
And now I see it's showing up on another site as well - the word 'free'. Never had this prob before and is only on FF. Just checked and isn't doing it on Chrome either. Wondering what FF's take is on this?? Many thanks in advance.From what you have described, I don't think you are ever going to pick that up as malware at all. But I did look at the site you mentioned in Google Chrome, and in IE9. First thought was maybe Chrome suppresses it, but that would be contrary to trying to convince you that their AdSense or IntelliTXT is "helping" you.
What I did find in Chrome was
"Google Chrome's connection attempt to ad-apac.doubleclick.net was rejected. The website may be down, or your network may not be properly configured."
Since I don't have ad blockers in Chrome or IE, that tells me that my hosts file is doing its job, you can draw you own conclusions. There is something similar displayed in IE, but I can't read what was there because the font-size was too big. for the space. In Firefox with "Adblock Plus" extension it is all wiped out. The hosts file works across the entire system but is directed at blocking malware sites more than advertising. "Adblock Plus" is very good at blocking ads and can do its blocking with more generic filters, and can block a lot of malware from coming in but it can't block at the system level that a hosts file can.
In IE although I can only see "It appea" because the font is too large and text does not wrap it does actually say "It appears you are connected to the Internet, but you might want to try to reconnect to the Internet."
I would certainly suggest installing "Adblock Plus" extension and the "Easylist (USA)" filter subscription -- links are in the links previously provided, and installing the hosts file as well also in the links.
It takes a bit more work to install and maintain a hosts file but the directions should be clear enough. -
Yahoo home page and yahoo email is not displaying correctly. It had been working fine until Saturday 9/10. When i load yahoo home page it will display content but some is not clickable and is not displayed correctly. In my email it will show the content on the left side (inbox, drafts etc and along the top (contacts, inbox etc) nothing can be clicked and no emails load or are shown. Facebook will load news feed content but will not display the icons at the left top (notifications, messages etc) they are clickable and work but the images just aren't there. Also not able to play games in facebook. The game loads up to 100% but never finishes. I dont go to many other website but i did check a few and they seem to be fine. May this be a website issue or firefox issue? i am able to use internet explorer to correctly see my email and facebook so assuming its a firefox thing.
Hi
Welcome, glad you got some benefit from the threads, it all so easy once you've done it a few times, aint it.
Glad your going well, now you can help others
you could also join the folding team and help medical research.
enjoy
cheers
jocko -
when yahoo messenger opens my yahoo email accounts in firefox, some accounts open fine and others have no grapics and only show on the left side of the screen
Hello,
Many site issues can be caused by corrupt cookies or cache. In order to try to fix these problems, the first step is to clear both cookies and the cache.
Note: ''This will temporarily log you out of all sites you're logged in to.''
To clear cache and cookies do the following:
#Go to Firefox > History > Clear recent history or (if no Firefox button is shown) go to Tools > Clear recent history.
#Under "Time range to clear", select "Everything".
#Now, click the arrow next to Details to toggle the Details list active.
#From the details list, check ''Cache'' and ''Cookies'' and uncheck everything else.
#Now click the ''Clear now'' button.
Further information can be found in the [[Clear your cache, history and other personal information in Firefox]] article.
'''Try Firefox Safe Mode''' to see if the problem goes away. Safe Mode is a troubleshooting mode, which disables most add-ons.
''(If you're not using it, switch to the Default theme.)''
* On Windows you can open Firefox 4.0+ in Safe Mode by holding the '''Shift''' key when you open the Firefox desktop or Start menu shortcut.
* On Mac you can open Firefox 4.0+ in Safe Mode by holding the '''option''' key while starting Firefox.
* On Linux you can open Firefox 4.0+ in Safe Mode by quitting Firefox and then going to your Terminal and running: firefox -safe-mode (you may need to specify the Firefox installation path e.g. /usr/lib/firefox)
* Or open the Help menu and click on the '''Restart with Add-ons Disabled...''' menu item while Firefox is running.
[[Image:FirefoxSafeMode|width=520]]
''Once you get the pop-up, just select "'Start in Safe Mode"''
[[Image:Safe Mode Fx 15 - Win]]
'''''If the issue is not present in Firefox Safe Mode''''', your problem is probably caused by an extension, and you need to figure out which one. Please follow the [[Troubleshooting extensions and themes]] article for that.
''To exit the Firefox Safe Mode, just close Firefox and wait a few seconds before opening Firefox for normal use again.''
''When you figure out what's causing your issues, please let us know. It might help other users who have the same problem.''
Thank you. -
HI, My Macbook Air was stolen this week from my checked baggage.
I have the box with all the information SN etc.. Is there a way to disable this device? Block it from my Yahoo email? Locate it? Any ideas?If you activated "Find My Mac" in iCloud before the loss, maybe. Otherwise no.
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HT201320 Is some of yahoo email not working on apple products ?
My Yahoo email is not working on ipad and iphone.
I have two yahoo accounts and I randomly have them mess up on my computer, both at work and home. ANd it's all on Yahoo's end. It's supposed to delete and go to the next mail, but sometimes it randomly puts me back in the main mail list. Sometimes it won't delete at all, other times I can't access it....just exceedingly inconsistent.
IMHO, they're trying to bring so much into it to make it a communication hub, but it's just interfacing with too much and can't keep up.
The long and short, if your yahoo mail is malfunctioning, chances are it's on their end so users just have to wait it out or find work arounds....such as using the yahoo app or accessing the webmail via safari if the mail app isn't working. -
How I can stop yahoo email viruses when I am using Mac is there antivirus necessery to instal for mac
1. This comment applies to malicious software ("malware") that's installed unwittingly by the victim of a network attack. It does not apply to software, such as keystroke loggers, that may be installed deliberately by an intruder who has hands-on access to the victim's computer. That threat is in a different category, and there's no easy way to defend against it. If you have reason to suspect that you're the target of such an attack, you need expert help.
If you find this comment too long or too technical, read only sections 5, 6, and 10.
OS X now implements three layers of built-in protection specifically against malware, not counting runtime protections such as execute disable, sandboxing, system library randomization, and address space layout randomization that may also guard against other kinds of exploits.
2. All versions of OS X since 10.6.7 have been able to detect known Mac malware in downloaded files, and to block insecure web plugins. This feature is transparent to the user, but internally Apple calls it "XProtect." The malware recognition database is automatically checked for updates once a day; however, you shouldn't rely on it, because the attackers are always at least a day ahead of the defenders.
The following caveats apply to XProtect:
It can be bypassed by some third-party networking software, such as BitTorrent clients and Java applets.
It only applies to software downloaded from the network. Software installed from a CD or other media is not checked.
3. Starting with OS X 10.7.5, there has been a second layer of built-in malware protection, designated "Gatekeeper" by Apple. By default, applications and Installer packages downloaded from the network will only run if they're digitally signed by a developer with a certificate issued by Apple. Software certified in this way hasn't necessarily been tested by Apple, but you can be reasonably sure that it hasn't been modified by anyone other than the developer. His identity is known to Apple, so he could be held legally responsible if he distributed malware. That may not mean much if the developer lives in a country with a weak legal system (see below.)
Gatekeeper doesn't depend on a database of known malware. It has, however, the same limitations as XProtect, and in addition the following:
It can easily be disabled or overridden by the user.
A malware attacker could get control of a code-signing certificate under false pretenses, or could simply ignore the consequences of distributing codesigned malware.
An App Store developer could find a way to bypass Apple's oversight, or the oversight could fail due to human error.
For the reasons given above, App Store products, and other applications recognized by Gatekeeper as signed, are safer than others, but they can't be considered absolutely safe. "Sandboxed" applications may prompt for access to private data, such as your contacts, or for access to the network. Think before granting that access. OS X security is based on user input. Never click through any request for authorization without thinking.
4. Starting with OS X 10.8.3, a third layer of protection has been added: a "Malware Removal Tool" (MRT). MRT runs automatically in the background when you update the OS. It checks for, and removes, malware that may have evaded the other protections via a Java exploit (see below.) MRT also runs when you install or update the Apple-supplied Java runtime (but not the Oracle runtime.) Like XProtect, MRT is presumably effective against known attacks, but maybe not against unknown attacks. It notifies you if it finds malware, but otherwise there's no user interface to MRT.
5. XProtect, Gatekeeper, and MRT reduce the risk of malware attack, but they're not absolute protection. The first and best line of defense is always your own intelligence. With the possible exception of Java exploits, all known malware circulating on the Internet that affects a fully-updated installation of OS X 10.6 or later takes the form of so-called "trojan horses," which can only have an effect if the victim is duped into running them. The threat therefore amounts to a battle of wits between you and the malware attacker. If you're smarter than he thinks you are, you'll win.
That means, in practice, that you never use software that comes from an untrustworthy source, or that does something inherently untrustworthy. How do you know what is trustworthy?
Any website that prompts you to install a “codec,” “plug-in,” "player," "extractor," or “certificate” that comes from that same site, or an unknown one, is untrustworthy.
A web operator who tells you that you have a “virus,” or that anything else is wrong with your computer, or that you have won a prize in a contest you never entered, is trying to commit a crime with you as the victim. (Some reputable websites did legitimately warn visitors who were infected with the "DNSChanger" malware. That exception to this rule no longer applies.)
Pirated copies or "cracks" of commercial software, no matter where they come from, are unsafe.
Software of any kind downloaded from a BitTorrent or from a Usenet binary newsgroup is unsafe.
Software that purports to help you do something that's illegal or that infringes copyright, such as saving streamed audio or video for reuse without permission, is unsafe. All YouTube "downloaders" are in this category, though not all are necessarily harmful.
Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, must be downloaded directly from the developer’s website. If it comes from any other source, it's unsafe.
Even signed applications, no matter what the source, should not be trusted if they do something unexpected, such as asking for permission to access your contacts, your location, or the Internet for no obvious reason.
6. Java on the Web (not to be confused with JavaScript, to which it's not related, despite the similarity of the names) is a weak point in the security of any system. Java is, among other things, a platform for running complex applications in a web page, on the client. That was always a bad idea, and Java's developers have proven themselves incapable of implementing it without also creating a portal for malware to enter. Past Java exploits are the closest thing there has ever been to a Windows-style virus affecting OS X. Merely loading a page with malicious Java content could be harmful.
Fortunately, client-side Java on the Web is obsolete and mostly extinct. Only a few outmoded sites still use it. Try to hasten the process of extinction by avoiding those sites, if you have a choice. Forget about playing games or other non-essential uses of Java.
Java is not included in OS X 10.7 and later. Discrete Java installers are distributed by Apple and by Oracle (the developer of Java.) Don't use either one unless you need it. Most people don't. If Java is installed, disable it — not JavaScript — in your browsers.
Regardless of version, experience has shown that Java on the Web can't be trusted. If you must use a Java applet for a task on a specific site, enable Java only for that site in Safari. Never enable Java for a public website that carries third-party advertising. Use it only on well-known, login-protected, secure websites without ads. In Safari 6 or later, you'll see a lock icon in the address bar with the abbreviation "https" when visiting a secure site.
Follow the above guidelines, and you’ll be as safe from malware as you can practically be. The rest of this comment concerns what you should not do to protect yourself from malware.
7. Never install any commercial "anti-virus" or "Internet security" products for the Mac, as they all do more harm than good, if they do any good at all. Any database of known threats is always going to be out of date. Most of the danger is from unknown threats. If you need to be able to detect Windows malware in your files, use one of the free anti-virus products in the Mac App Store — nothing else.
Why shouldn't you use commercial "anti-virus" products?
Their design is predicated on the nonexistent threat that malware may be injected at any time, anywhere in the file system. Malware is downloaded from the network; it doesn't materialize from nowhere.
In order to meet that nonexistent threat, the software modifies or duplicates low-level functions of the operating system, which is a waste of resources and a common cause of instability, bugs, and poor performance.
By modifying the operating system, the software itself may create weaknesses that could be exploited by malware attackers.
8. An anti-malware product from the App Store, such as "ClamXav," doesn't have these drawbacks. That doesn't mean it's entirely safe. It may report email messages that have "phishing" links in the body, or Windows malware in attachments, as infected files, and offer to delete or move them. Doing so will corrupt the Mail database. The messages should be deleted from within the Mail application.
An anti-virus app is not needed, and should not be relied upon, for protection against OS X malware. It's useful only for detecting Windows malware. Windows malware can't harm you directly (unless, of course, you use Windows.) Just don't pass it on to anyone else.
A Windows malware attachment in email is usually easy to recognize. The file name will often be targeted at people who aren't very bright; for example:
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥!!!!!!!H0TBABEZ4U!!!!!!!.AVI♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.exe
Anti-virus software may be able to tell you which particular virus or trojan it is, but do you care? In practice, there's seldom a reason to use the software unless a network administrator requires you to do it.
The ClamXav developer won't try to "upsell" you to a paid version of the product. Other developers may do that. Don't be upsold. For one thing, you should not pay to protect Windows users from the consequences of their choice of computing platform. For another, a paid upgrade from a free app will probably have the disadvantages mentioned in section 7.
9. It seems to be a common belief that the built-in Application Firewall acts as a barrier to infection, or prevents malware from functioning. It does neither. It blocks inbound connections to certain network services you're running, such as file sharing. It's disabled by default and you should leave it that way if you're behind a router on a private home or office network. Activate it only when you're on an untrusted network, for instance a public Wi-Fi hotspot, where you don't want to provide services. Disable any services you don't use in the Sharing preference pane. All are disabled by default.
10. As a Mac user you don't have to live in fear that your computer is going to be infected every time you install an application, read email, or visit a web page. But neither should you have the false idea that you will always be safe, no matter what you do. The greatest harm done by security software is precisely its selling point: it makes people feel safe. They may then feel safe enough to take risks from which the software doesn't protect them. Nothing can lessen the need for safe computing practices. -
What is best free antivirus software
what is the best free antivirus software for Macbook pro and IMac ?
Mac users often ask whether they should install "anti-virus" (AV) software. The usual answer is "no." That answer is right, but it may give the wrong impression that there is no threat from what are loosely called "viruses." There is a threat, and you need to educate yourself about it.
1. This is a comment on what you should—and should not—do to protect yourself from malicious software ("malware") that circulates on the Internet and gets onto a computer as an unintended consequence of the user's actions.
It does not apply to software, such as keystroke loggers, that may be installed deliberately by an intruder who has hands-on access to the computer, or who has been able to take control of it remotely. That threat is in a different category, and there's no easy way to defend against it. AV software is not intended to, and does not, defend against such attacks.
The comment is long because the issue is complex. The key points are in sections 5, 6, and 10.
OS X now implements three layers of built-in protection specifically against malware, not counting runtime protections such as execute disable, sandboxing, system library randomization, and address space layout randomization that may also guard against other kinds of exploits.
2. All versions of OS X since 10.6.7 have been able to detect known Mac malware in downloaded files, and to block insecure web plugins. This feature is transparent to the user. Internally Apple calls it "XProtect."
The malware recognition database used by XProtect is automatically updated; however, you shouldn't rely on it, because the attackers are always at least a day ahead of the defenders.
The following caveats apply to XProtect:
☞ It can be bypassed by some third-party networking software, such as BitTorrent clients and Java applets.
☞ It only applies to software downloaded from the network. Software installed from a CD or other media is not checked.
As new versions of OS X are released, it's not clear whether Apple will indefinitely continue to maintain the XProtect database of older versions such as 10.6. The security of obsolete system versions may eventually be degraded. Security updates to the code of obsolete systems will stop being released at some point, and that may leave them open to other kinds of attack besides malware.
3. Starting with OS X 10.7.5, there has been a second layer of built-in malware protection, designated "Gatekeeper" by Apple. By default, applications and Installer packages downloaded from the network will only run if they're digitally signed by a developer with a certificate issued by Apple. Software certified in this way hasn't been checked for security by Apple unless it comes from the App Store, but you can be reasonably sure that it hasn't been modified by anyone other than the developer. His identity is known to Apple, so he could be held legally responsible if he distributed malware. That may not mean much if the developer lives in a country with a weak legal system (see below.)
Gatekeeper doesn't depend on a database of known malware. It has, however, the same limitations as XProtect, and in addition the following:
☞ It can easily be disabled or overridden by the user.
☞ A malware attacker could get control of a code-signing certificate under false pretenses, or could simply ignore the consequences of distributing codesigned malware.
☞ An App Store developer could find a way to bypass Apple's oversight, or the oversight could fail due to human error.
Apple has taken far too long to revoke the codesigning certificates of some known abusers, thereby diluting the value of Gatekeeper and the Developer ID program. Those lapses don't involve App Store products, however.
For the reasons given, App Store products, and—to a lesser extent—other applications recognized by Gatekeeper as signed, are safer than others, but they can't be considered absolutely safe. "Sandboxed" applications may prompt for access to private data, such as your contacts, or for access to the network. Think before granting that access. Sandbox security is based on user input. Never click through any request for authorization without thinking.
4. Starting with OS X 10.8.3, a third layer of protection has been added: a "Malware Removal Tool" (MRT). MRT runs automatically in the background when you update the OS. It checks for, and removes, malware that may have evaded the other protections via a Java exploit (see below.) MRT also runs when you install or update the Apple-supplied Java runtime (but not the Oracle runtime.) Like XProtect, MRT is effective against known threats, but not against unknown ones. It notifies you if it finds malware, but otherwise there's no user interface to MRT.
5. The built-in security features of OS X reduce the risk of malware attack, but they are not, and never will be, complete protection. Malware is a problem of human behavior, not machine behavior, and no technological fix alone is going to solve it. Trusting software to protect you will only make you more vulnerable.
The best defense is always going to be your own intelligence. With the possible exception of Java exploits, all known malware circulating on the Internet that affects a fully-updated installation of OS X 10.6 or later takes the form of so-called "Trojan horses," which can only have an effect if the victim is duped into running them. The threat therefore amounts to a battle of wits between you and Internet criminals. If you're better informed than they think you are, you'll win. That means, in practice, that you always stay within a safe harbor of computing practices. How do you know when you're leaving the safe harbor? Below are some warning signs of danger.
Software from an untrustworthy source
☞ Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, doesn't come directly from the developer’s website. Do not trust an alert from any website to update Flash, or your browser, or any other software. A genuine alert that Flash is outdated and blocked is shown on this support page. Follow the instructions on the support page in that case. Otherwise, assume that the alert is fake and someone is trying to scam you into installing malware. If you see such alerts on more than one website, ask for instructions.
☞ Software of any kind is distributed via BitTorrent, or Usenet, or on a website that also distributes pirated music or movies.
☞ Rogue websites such as Softonic, Soft32, and CNET Download distribute free applications that have been packaged in a superfluous "installer."
☞ The software is advertised by means of spam or intrusive web ads. Any ad, on any site, that includes a direct link to a download should be ignored.
Software that is plainly illegal or does something illegal
☞ High-priced commercial software such as Photoshop is "cracked" or "free."
☞ An application helps you to infringe copyright, for instance by circumventing the copy protection on commercial software, or saving streamed media for reuse without permission. All "YouTube downloaders" are in this category, though not all are necessarily malicious.
Conditional or unsolicited offers from strangers
☞ A telephone caller or a web page tells you that you have a “virus” and offers to help you remove it. (Some reputable websites did legitimately warn visitors who were infected with the "DNSChanger" malware. That exception to this rule no longer applies.)
☞ A web site offers free content such as video or music, but to use it you must install a “codec,” “plug-in,” "player," "downloader," "extractor," or “certificate” that comes from that same site, or an unknown one.
☞ You win a prize in a contest you never entered.
☞ Someone on a message board such as this one is eager to help you, but only if you download an application of his choosing.
☞ A "FREE WI-FI !!!" network advertises itself in a public place such as an airport, but is not provided by the management.
☞ Anything online that you would expect to pay for is "free."
Unexpected events
☞ A file is downloaded automatically when you visit a web page, with no other action on your part. Delete any such file without opening it.
☞ You open what you think is a document and get an alert that it's "an application downloaded from the Internet." Click Cancel and delete the file. Even if you don't get the alert, you should still delete any file that isn't what you expected it to be.
☞ An application does something you don't expect, such as asking for permission to access your contacts, your location, or the Internet for no obvious reason.
☞ Software is attached to email that you didn't request, even if it comes (or seems to come) from someone you trust.
I don't say that leaving the safe harbor just once will necessarily result in disaster, but making a habit of it will weaken your defenses against malware attack. Any of the above scenarios should, at the very least, make you uncomfortable.
6. Java on the Web (not to be confused with JavaScript, to which it's not related, despite the similarity of the names) is a weak point in the security of any system. Java is, among other things, a platform for running complex applications in a web page, on the client. That was always a bad idea, and Java's developers have proven themselves incapable of implementing it without also creating a portal for malware to enter. Past Java exploits are the closest thing there has ever been to a Windows-style virus affecting OS X. Merely loading a page with malicious Java content could be harmful.
Fortunately, client-side Java on the Web is obsolete and mostly extinct. Only a few outmoded sites still use it. Try to hasten the process of extinction by avoiding those sites, if you have a choice. Forget about playing games or other non-essential uses of Java.
Java is not included in OS X 10.7 and later. Discrete Java installers are distributed by Apple and by Oracle (the developer of Java.) Don't use either one unless you need it. Most people don't. If Java is installed, disable it—not JavaScript—in your browsers.
Regardless of version, experience has shown that Java on the Web can't be trusted. If you must use a Java applet for a task on a specific site, enable Java only for that site in Safari. Never enable Java for a public website that carries third-party advertising. Use it only on well-known, login-protected, secure websites without ads. In Safari 6 or later, you'll see a padlock icon in the address bar when visiting a secure site.
Stay within the safe harbor, and you’ll be as safe from malware as you can practically be. The rest of this comment concerns what you should not do to protect yourself.
7. Never install any commercial AV or "Internet security" products for the Mac, as they are all worse than useless. If you need to be able to detect Windows malware in your files, use one of the free security apps in the Mac App Store—nothing else.
Why shouldn't you use commercial AV products?
☞ To recognize malware, the software depends on a database of known threats, which is always at least a day out of date. This technique is a proven failure, as a major AV software vendor has admitted. Most attacks are "zero-day"—that is, previously unknown. Recognition-based AV does not defend against such attacks, and the enterprise IT industry is coming to the realization that traditional AV software is worthless.
☞ Its design is predicated on the nonexistent threat that malware may be injected at any time, anywhere in the file system. Malware is downloaded from the network; it doesn't materialize from nowhere. In order to meet that nonexistent threat, commercial AV software modifies or duplicates low-level functions of the operating system, which is a waste of resources and a common cause of instability, bugs, and poor performance.
☞ By modifying the operating system, the software may also create weaknesses that could be exploited by malware attackers.
☞ Most importantly, a false sense of security is dangerous.
8. An AV product from the App Store, such as "ClamXav," has the same drawback as the commercial suites of being always out of date, but it does not inject low-level code into the operating system. That doesn't mean it's entirely harmless. It may report email messages that have "phishing" links in the body, or Windows malware in attachments, as infected files, and offer to delete or move them. Doing so will corrupt the Mail database. The messages should be deleted from within the Mail application.
An AV app is not needed, and cannot be relied upon, for protection against OS X malware. It's useful, if at all, only for detecting Windows malware, and even for that use it's not really effective, because new Windows malware is emerging much faster than OS X malware.
Windows malware can't harm you directly (unless, of course, you use Windows.) Just don't pass it on to anyone else. A malicious attachment in email is usually easy to recognize by the name alone. An actual example:
London Terror Moovie.avi [124 spaces] Checked By Norton Antivirus.exe
You don't need software to tell you that's a Windows trojan. Software may be able to tell you which trojan it is, but who cares? In practice, there's no reason to use recognition software unless an organizational policy requires it. Windows malware is so widespread that you should assume it's in every email attachment until proven otherwise. Nevertheless, ClamXav or a similar product from the App Store may serve a purpose if it satisfies an ill-informed network administrator who says you must run some kind of AV application. It's free and it won't handicap the system.
The ClamXav developer won't try to "upsell" you to a paid version of the product. Other developers may do that. Don't be upsold. For one thing, you should not pay to protect Windows users from the consequences of their choice of computing platform. For another, a paid upgrade from a free app will probably have all the disadvantages mentioned in section 7.
9. It seems to be a common belief that the built-in Application Firewall acts as a barrier to infection, or prevents malware from functioning. It does neither. It blocks inbound connections to certain network services you're running, such as file sharing. It's disabled by default and you should leave it that way if you're behind a router on a private home or office network. Activate it only when you're on an untrusted network, for instance a public Wi-Fi hotspot, where you don't want to provide services. Disable any services you don't use in the Sharing preference pane. All are disabled by default.
10. As a Mac user, you don't have to live in fear that your computer may be infected every time you install software, read email, or visit a web page. But neither can you assume that you will always be safe from exploitation, no matter what you do. Navigating the Internet is like walking the streets of a big city. It can be as safe or as dangerous as you choose to make it. The greatest harm done by security software is precisely its selling point: it makes people feel safe. They may then feel safe enough to take risks from which the software doesn't protect them. Nothing can lessen the need for safe computing practices. -
I have an iMac version 10.6.8/2.66 GHz Intel Processor and 4 GB memory, with Safari 5.1.10. I had used Office for Mac 2008 but had to upgrade for work. The download (from Amazon) went swiftly, but when I started Word, it did not function too well. Then about an hour later I noticed that my Yahoo email site stopped working, it lost all images and the text just jumbled up on the left side of the screen. No amount of emptying caches or resets/quits/restarts did anything. I called the Internet support, and they just said it was my iMac that had the problem. I have been reduced to using MacMail as my email, but this is tenuous, as my Yahoo account keeps holding things up and constantly asking me for my password (and sometimes it does not accept it). How can I get my computer back?
The path may be long and tedious, grasshopper.
Actually, the download of Office 2011 for Mac probably was not legal and may have contained bugs or other things meant to make it unstable, or invite a host of issues. The usual path would be Office 2011 for Mac on DVD so you could reinstall it and add the extras from the disc as needed; or fix the installation later on. The updates for security were downloads from Microsoft servers. You'd need a legitmate version with pass code.
Options for Mac and office-like application suites include Libre Office, NeoOffice, and these run free. The latter supports up to Mavericks. 10.9.1 now. They have a word, excel, and other parts a lot like the real office.
If you have a working clone of the system prior to installing the Office 2011 for Mac download and any subsequent and perhaps unseen extras, you could revert to it simply by restarting the computer from the clone, where it resides in externally enclosed self-powered hard disk drive, of a type known to support OS X clones... With ports to help work with most modern Macs. FireWire + USB. Then, clone it back w/ carbon copy cloner.
Short of that, perhaps someone will see your post and offer some indepth method of hunting down bugs via use of Console logs; and maybe booting into Terminal utility to use unix code. It can be rather involved. Maybe Linc Davis will offer some detailed reply that will invite you to read carefully and try it.
I've given up using computers long ago.
A pet raven has been taught to write this.
Good luck & happy computing! -
When I tried to create and apple id using my gmail account i found that somebody has already created an apple id using my gmail id. So I gave forgot password option and reset the password of the id. But for resetting the security questions, link is going to some other email id which is created by the other guy. Now the problem is that the other guy also can reset my password and access my account.
I contacted apple customer care and they are not ready to help me saying that I need to give information about the last device I logged in using this id. How can I give it when I did not create it?:) Also they are saying this account has been verified and that could happen only if someone has hacked my gmail account and verified the id using the link sent by apple.
Later I did some experiments and found that this is a security flaw from apple. Somebody has created the id and never used it(I tried to loggin to icloud and it was saying this account was not used it any apple device). The account became verified when I reset the password.(This is a bug, account should be verified only when we click on the verification link sent by apple).
The other mistake apple did is that they allotted my gmail account to someone before it's verified eventhough it cannot be used unless verified. Actually apple should allot the account id only after verifying the email address.
Apple customer care is not ready to help and I am tired of fighting with them. Can any of you guys suggest any means of getting back my gmail id to use it as apple id?I don't think you're going to be able to. I would guess the other person used your address by accident, and when he found he couldn't access the account (because you'd changed the password) he abandoned it. Your GMail address is now locked to that account and even if it was changed you can't use it to create another.
You already have an Apple ID, which you use to log in here; you can use that to create an iCloud account if that's what you are trying to do. If you want to create a different Apple ID just get another free address such as a Yahoo one.
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