Do I have a Bug or a Virus?
I know Mac's are essentially virus free, but my Mac is beginning to act like a PC. Here are some of the problems or symptoms I've experienced:
1. One of the most prominent symptoms was a thin, black border that appeared on many applications. It always surrounded one of the folder icons on my desktop. If I was asked to type in a password, the space where you type in the password would be surrounded with the black border. If I opened Disk Utility, the panel on the left that lists my drives was surrounded by a black border.
Curiously, that issue has apparently disappeared.
2. On a couple occasions when I clicked the Apple icon to restart my computer, instead of seeing the choices Restart, Shut Down and Log Out MyName, it said Restart, Restart, Shut Down, Shut Down, Log Out MyName, Log Out MyName.
3. The last time I tried to restart my computer, I got a message that it couldn't restart until I closed DataSettings, or something like that. I clicked Restart again, and it worked the second time.
4. When I repair my disk permissions, I always get three "ACL" errors. I haven't researched this issue thoroughly, but I understand it's controversial and may not really be a problem. I've been told that the Leopard update 10.5.2 should fix it. However, I first noticed the problem AFTER I installed that update.
5. I opened Photoshop, created an image and saved it to the desktop, only to discover SEVERAL copies of the image, one with the name I assigned, the others named Picture1, Picture2, or something like that.
6. My external keyboard stopped working. At first, it stopped intermittently, making me think I was simply suffering from sticky key syndrome. But it got progressively worse until it simply ceased functioning, though the keyboard built into my laptop continued to work. When I restarted my computer, my external keyboard worked fine.
The first four problems I listed are essentially annoyances which have caused no problems that I'm aware of. The other two are serious problems.
My longest running problem relates to closing programs. Many programs won't close, unless I right-click on their icon in the dock and choose Quit or Force Quit. I would classify this as another annoyance; it can be a pain in the butt when I want to restart my computer but first have to right-click on several icons to make sure everything is closed.
In fact, I may have already found the culprit. I heard about a cool browser plugin in from http://www.piclens.com/ and installed it on both Safari and Firefox. It was a complete disaster. It doesn't work in either one, after which Firefox crashes and Safari freezes EVERYTHING; I can't continue until I press Command-Option-Esc and quit Safari.
I think the thin black borders appeared about the time I installed this extension. I think the second problem I listed - the thin black border - appeared about the time I installed this plugin. Many of the other problems I listed also popped up just recently, though the ACL permissions errors have been with me a little longer.
But is it possible for a browser plugin to cause such a diversity of problems? I contacted PicLens.com for technical support. I want to try and fix it before I uninstall it. In fact, I'm a little nervous about uninstalling programs, lest I do it wrong and make things worse.
Anyway, can anyone shed any light on my situation?
Thanks.
MACS don't get viruses?
Your other information was right on, but lets not get crazy .
here's a short list of vulnerabilities from cert.org
VU#498105 10/14/2007 Apple Mac OS X CoreText uninitialized pointer vulnerability
VU#147587 10/22/2001 Mac OS X utility gm4 contains format string vulnerability
VU#765096 11/09/2006 Mac OS X kernel "fpathconf()" syscall fails to properly handle unknown file types
VU#708340 08/01/2006 Apple Mac OS X AFP server may disclose file and folder information in search results
VU#706838 05/03/2005 Apple Mac OS X vulnerable to buffer overflow via vpnd daemon
VU#582934 05/03/2005 Apple Mac OS X Foundation Framework vulnerable to buffer overflow via incorrect handling of an environmental variable
VU#464662 01/25/2005 Apple Mac OS X vulnerable to information disclosure in "Message-ID" header
VU#678150 01/18/2005 Apple Mac OS X "at" utilities fail to drop privileges properly
VU#174790 05/28/2004 Apple Mac OS X vulnerable to privilege escalation when using Directory Services
VU#578798 05/17/2004 Apple Mac OS X help system may interpret inappropriate local script files
VU#210606 05/17/2004 Apple Mac OS X "disk://" URI handler stores arbitrary files in a known location
VU#774345 02/12/2008 Apple Mac OS X fails to properly handle a crafted URL
VU#559444 03/13/2007 Apple Mac OS X ImageIO integer overflow vulnerability
VU#116100 05/24/2007 Apple Mac OS X iChat UPnP buffer overflow
VU#346656 11/26/2006 Apple Mac OS X fails to properly handle corrupted Universal Mach-O Binaries
VU#557064 03/13/2007 Apple Mac OS X DirectoryService may allow arbitrary users to change the root password
VU#838404 09/29/2006 Apple kernel exception handling vulnerability
VU#575372 08/01/2006 Apple Mac OS X AFP server vulnerable to an integer overflow when file sharing is enabled
VU#180692 08/01/2006 Apple Mac OS X AFP server vulnerable to DoS via maliciously-crafted AFP request
VU#529945 09/21/2005 Apple Mac OS X QuickDraw Manager fails to properly handle corrupt PICT files
VU#172948 08/15/2005 Apple Mac OS X AppKit vulnerable to buffer overflow via maliciously crafted Microsoft Word files
VU#420316 08/15/2005 Apple Mac OS X Safari vulnerable to arbitrary command execution via URLs in PDF files
VU#913820 08/15/2005 Apple Mac OS X Directory Services contains a buffer overflow
VU#461412 08/15/2005 Apple Mac OS X Server servermgrd authentication vulnerable to buffer overflow
VU#354486 05/03/2005 Apple Mac OS X Server NetInfo Setup Tool fails to validate command line parameters
VU#140470 05/03/2005 Apple Mac OS X Server Admin fails to properly restrict users from using the proxy service
VU#258390 05/03/2005 Apple Mac OS X with Bluetooth enabled may allow file exchange without prompting users
VU#980078 01/25/2005 Apple Mac OS X vulnerable to buffer overflow in ColorSync ICC color profile handling
VU#439395 06/10/2001 Apache web server performs case sensitive filtering on Mac OS X HFS+ case insensitive filesystem
VU#902374 01/28/2004 Apple Mac OS X TruBlueEnvironment vulnerable to buffer overflow
VU#773190 06/07/2004 Mac OS X Safari "Show in Finder" option may allow arbitrary file execution
VU#869548 05/19/2003 Apple Mac OS X IPSec mechanism fails to handle certain incoming security policies that match by port
VU#578886 02/24/2004 Apple Mac OS X contains a vulnerability in DiskArbitration when initializing writable removable media
VU#873868 03/13/2007 Apple Mac OS X ImageIO memory corruption vulnerability
VU#800296 11/28/2006 Apple Mac OS X Apple Type Services server contains multiple buffer overflows
VU#168020 08/01/2006 Apple Mac OS X AFP server stores reconnect keys in a world-readable file
VU#435188 08/15/2005 Apple Mac OS X AppKit vulnerable to buffer overflow via the handling of maliciously crafted rich text files
VU#145486 05/03/2005 Apple Cocoa applications vulnerable to denial of service via malformed TIFF image
VU#194238 02/24/2004 Apple Mac OS X Safari fails to properly display URLs in the status bar
VU#177243 09/10/2001 Mac OS X Finder creates world-readable ".FBCIndex" file thereby disclosing sensitive information
VU#841742 02/24/2004 Apple Mac OS X Point-to-Point Protocol daemon (pppd) contains format string vulnerability
VU#878526 12/15/2003 Apple Mac OS X "cd9660.util" buffer overflow
VU#987118 02/10/2004 Microsoft Virtual PC for Mac insecurely handles temporary file
VU#399355 11/15/2001 Cisco IOS and CatOS fail to properly validate ARP packets thereby overwriting device's MAC address in ARP table
VU#221876 05/24/2007 Apple Mac OS X mDNSResponder buffer overflow vulnerability
VU#396820 03/13/2007 Apple QuickDraw Manager heap buffer overflow vulnerability
VU#124280 03/13/2007 Apple Mac OS X fails to properly handle crafted AppleSingleEncoding disk images
VU#515792 01/11/2007 Apple Mac OS X DMG UFS byteswapsbin() function Integer Overflow
VU#323424 11/28/2006 Apple Mac OS X Apple Type Services server fails to securely create error log files
VU#734032 11/28/2006 Apple Mac OS X Security Framework Secure Transport may not negotiate the best cipher available
VU#988356 06/27/2006 Apple Mac OS X vulnerable to stack-based buffer overflow via specially crafted TIFF file
VU#652196 06/27/2006 Apple Mac OS X Open Directory server vulnerable to DoS via an invalid LDAP request
VU#983429 05/10/2005 Apple Mac OSX executes arbitrary widget with same "bundle identifier" as system widget
VU#331694 05/03/2005 Apple Mac OS X chpass/chfn/chsh utilities do not properly validate external programs
VU#356070 05/03/2005 Apple Terminal fails to properly sanitize input for "x-man-page" URI
VU#704110 09/08/2004 Apple Mac OS X CoreFoundation CFPlugIn facilities automatically load plug-in executables
VU#545446 09/08/2004 Apple Mac OS X CoreFoundation contains a buffer overflow vulnerability
VU#870960 11/28/2006 Apple Mac OS X PPP driver fails to properly validate PADI packets
VU#202604 10/03/2006 Skype for Mac contains a format string error in the handling of URI arguments
VU#651844 08/01/2006 Apple Mac OS X ImageIO contains undetected memory failure in GIF image handling
VU#605908 08/01/2006 Apple Mac OS X ImageIO vulnerable to integer overflow via specially crafted GIF image
VU#172244 08/01/2006 Apple Mac OS X ImageIO vulnerable to integer overflow via specially crafted Radiance image
VU#566132 08/01/2006 Apple Mac OS X WebKit may allow code execution when visiting a malicious website
VU#629845 01/10/2006 Apple QuickTime image handling buffer overflow
VU#351217 12/22/2005 Apple Safari WebKit component vulnerable to buffer overflow
VU#650681 09/21/2005 Apple Mac OS X ImageIO fails to properly handle corrupt GIF files
VU#775661 05/08/2005 Apple Safari automatically installs Dashboard widgets
VU#287067 10/04/2001 Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel fail to properly detect macros thereby automatically executing malicious code via crafted document (MS01-050)
VU#367424 11/20/2006 Apple Mac OS X fails to properly handle corrupted DMG image structures
VU#240880 01/09/2007 Apple Mac OS X Finder DMG volume name buffer overflow
VU#315856 01/23/2007 Apple Mac OS X UserNotificationCenter privilege escalation vulnerability
VU#681056 11/28/2006 Apple Mac OS X CFNetwork may allow arbitrary FTP commands to be executed via a crafted FTP URI
VU#546772 09/29/2006 Apple Mac OS X JPEG2000 image handling buffer overflow
VU#776628 08/01/2006 Apple Mac OS X bootpd vulnerable to stack-based buffer overflow
VU#527236 08/01/2006 Apple Mac OS X Image RAW vulnerable to buffer overflow via specially crafted Canon RAW image
VU#687201 01/10/2006 Apple QuickTime and iTunes QTIF image buffer overflow
VU#980084 03/13/2006 Apple Mail buffer overflow vulnerability
VU#945747 10/18/2001 Mac OS X executes 'recent items' with privileges of foreground application
VU#905292 12/18/2007 Apple Safari code execution vulnerability
VU#515968 08/15/2007 Yahoo! Messenger webcam stream heap overflow
VU#214040 11/21/2006 Apple Mac OS X fails to properly handle corrupted UDTO HFS+ image structures
VU#371648 11/28/2006 Apple Mac OS X ftpd may allow arbitrary users to determine account name validity
VU#897628 09/29/2006 Apple Mac OS X may allow network accounts to bypass service access controls
VU#514740 08/01/2006 Apple Mac OS X Bom vulnerable to memory corruption via specially crafted ZIP file
VU#128414 08/10/2004 Apple Safari fails to properly handle form data in HTTP redirects
VU#433819 11/25/2007 Apple Mail remote command execution vulnerability
VU#345233 07/31/2006 McAfee Virex fails to properly authenticate the source of updates
VU#811384 11/28/2006 Apple Mac OS X Security Framework Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) service fails to properly retrieve certificate revocation lists
VU#907836 06/29/2006 Apple iTunes fails to properly parse AAC files
VU#310387 02/27/2002 Cisco IOS discloses fragments of previous packets when Express Forwarding is enabled
VU#467828 05/27/2003 Mac OS X LDAP plugins transmit user credentials in clear text
VU#848960 11/28/2006 Apple Mac OS X WebKit deallocated object access vulnerability
VU#999708 02/19/2006 Apple Safari automatically executes arbitrary shell commands or code
VU#176732 03/02/2006 Apple Safari vulnerable to buffer overflow
VU#709220 08/15/2005 Apple Safari fails to perform security checks on links in rich text content
VU#377368 01/11/2005 Apple iTunes fails to properly handle overly long URLs in playlists
VU#110803 05/23/2001 CrushFTP Server does not adequately filter user input thereby permitting directory traversal
VU#648406 05/03/2004 Apple Mac OS X AppleFileServer fails to properly handle certain authentication requests
VU#190089 06/13/2006 Microsoft PowerPoint malformed record vulnerability
VU#758582 06/07/2005 Yamaha MusicCAST MCX-1000 wireless network interface operates in Access Point mode by default
VU#971364 05/02/2003 HP-UX "kermit" vulnerable to buffer overflow
VU#583020 05/07/2003 XMMS Remote input validation error
VU#106678 05/12/2004 IEEE 802.11 wireless network protocol DSSS CCA algorithm vulnerable to denial of service
VU#836024 01/30/2007 Apple iChat fails to properly handle crafted TXT key hashes
VU#289705 05/11/2006 Apple Quicktime JPEG integer overflow
VU#570689 05/11/2006 Apple QuickTime FlashPix integer overflow
VU#519473 05/11/2006 Apple Safari fails to properly handle archive files containing symbolic links
VU#582681 07/11/2007 Apple QuickTime fails to properly handle malformed movie files
VU#449440 03/13/2007 Apple ColorSync buffer overflow vulnerability
VU#683700 09/12/2006 Apple QuickTime movie buffer overflow vulnerability
VU#587937 05/11/2006 Apple QuickTime MPEG-4 movie buffer overflow
VU#150753 01/10/2006 Apple QuickTime TIFF image "StripByteCounts" integer overflow
VU#921193 01/10/2006 Apple QuickTime fails to properly handle corrupt media files
VU#913449 01/10/2006 Apple QuickTime fails to properly handle corrupt GIF images
VU#389868 Apple WebKit frame rendering memory corruption vulnerability
VU#191336 11/01/2006 Apple Airport driver fails to properly handle probe response frames
VU#115729 01/10/2006 Apple QuickTime fails to properly handle corrupt TGA images
VU#146284 11/07/2005 Macromedia Flash Player fails to properly validate the frame type identifier read from a "SWF" file
VU#479268 05/28/2003 Apache HTTPD contains denial of service vulnerability in basic authentication module
VU#659761 11/23/2007 Apple QuickTime RTSP Content-Type header stack buffer overflow
VU#289988 06/25/2007 Apple Safari cross-domain HTTP redirection race condition
VU#258744 11/28/2006 Apple Mac OS X Finder fails to properly handle malformed .DS_Store files
VU#489836 09/12/2006 Apple QuickTime fails to properly handle FLC movies
VU#308204 09/12/2006 Apple QuickTime fails to properly handle SGI images
VU#861817 03/06/2007 Apple QuickTime UDTA atom integer overflow
VU#552136 01/10/2007 Apple Mac OS X UFS filesystem integer overflow vulnerability
VU#149953 01/15/2003 ISC "dhcrelay" fails to limit hop count when malicious bootp packet is received
VU#274496 10/12/2004 Microsoft Excel parameter validation error
VU#945060 03/14/2006 Adobe Flash products contain multiple vulnerabilities
VU#312424 04/19/2007 Apple AFP Client privilege escalation vulnerability
VU#410993 03/06/2007 Apple QuickTime QTIF integer overflow
VU#583552 11/30/2006 Apple Airport Extreme fails to properly process 802.11 frames
VU#847468 09/29/2006 Apple Workgroup Manager fails to properly enable ShadowHash passwords
VU#112179 01/10/2008 Apple QuickTime RTSP Response message Reason-Phrase buffer overflow vulnerability
VU#770904 06/26/2007 RealNetworks players SMIL "wallclock" buffer overflow
VU#880561 03/06/2007 Apple QuickTime movie heap buffer overflow vulnerability
VU#822481 03/06/2007 Apple Quicktime fails to properly process specially crafted MIDI files
VU#821772 10/10/2006 Microsoft Excel fails to properly handle Lotus 1-2-3 files
VU#313225 03/06/2007 Apple QuickTime QTIF heap buffer overflow
VU#448745 03/06/2007 Apple QuickTime PICT heap buffer overflow
VU#706668 10/10/2006 Microsoft Excel fails to properly process malformed DATETIME records
VU#252500 10/10/2006 Microsoft Excel fails to properly process malformed COLINFO records
VU#234900 10/10/2006 Microsoft Office fails to properly parse malformed strings
VU#534276 10/10/2006 Microsoft Office fails to properly parse malformed chart records
VU#200316 09/12/2006 Apple QuickTime vulnerable to denial of service via specially crafted FlashPix file
VU#19124 01/20/98 SSH authentication agent follows symlinks via a UNIX domain socket
VU#205948 10/10/2006 Microsoft PowerPoint malformed record memory corruption
VU#187028 10/10/2006 Microsoft PowerPoint fails to properly handle malformed object pointers
VU#143292 07/03/2006 Microsoft Excel fails to properly process malformed STYLE records
VU#231204 09/27/2006 Microsoft PowerPoint fails to properly handle malformed records
VU#938196 10/10/2006 Microsoft PowerPoint fails to properly handle malformed data records
VU#936945 07/13/2006 Microsoft PowerPoint does not properly handle malformed shapes
VU#554252 09/12/2006 Apple QuickTime Player H.264 Codec contains an integer overflow
VU#540348 09/12/2006 Apple QuickTime fails to properly handle FlashPix files
VU#802324 06/16/2006 Microsoft Excel vulnerability
VU#613740 02/02/2007 Microsoft Excel memory access vulnerability
VU#243681 06/29/2006 OpenOffice.org may fail to properly contain certain Java applets
VU#642433 03/06/2007 Apple QuickTime QTIF stack buffer overflow
VU#835936 11/28/2006 Apple Type Services server font processing buffer overflow
VU#568689 03/06/2007 Apple QuickTime 3GP integer overflow
VU#353945 05/30/2006 Secure Elements Class 5 AVR client generates predictable CEIDs
VU#599220 06/27/2006 ClamAV vulnerable to buffer overflow via malicious database mirror
VU#442497 01/02/2007 Apple QuickTime RTSP buffer overflow
Similar Messages
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Power PC, 10.5.8, 1.8GHz single . . . Recently running very slow, currently VERY slow. I. Must have a bug. What's the best virus scrubber out there? Thanks.
Hi, likely somethiung else, but Free Sophos...
http://www.sophos.com/products/enterprise/endpoint/security-and-control/mac/
Very Important, how much Free Space is on your Hard Drive first of all? Click on the Macintosh HD on the Desktop, then do a Get Info on it.
First, Safe Boot , (holding Shift key down at bootup), use Disk Utility from there to Repair Permissions, test if things work OK in Safe Mode.
Open Activity Monitor in Applications>Utilities, select All Processes & sort on CPU%, any indications there?
How much RAM & free space do you have also, click on the Memory & Disk Usage Tabs.
In the Memory tab, are there a lot of Pageouts? -
I have a macbook pro and i seem to have a bug or virus as mackeeper keeps propping up on me safari
i have a macbook pro and seem to have a bug/virus as mackeeper and other various websites keep popping up on my safari
There is no need to download anything to solve this problem. You may have installed a variant of the "VSearch" ad-injection malware.
Malware is always changing to get around the defenses against it. This procedure works as of now, as far as I know. It may not work in the future. Anyone finding this comment a few days or more after it was posted should look for a more recent discussion, or start a new one.
The VSearch malware tries to hide itself by varying the names of the files it installs. To remove it, you must first identify the naming pattern.
Triple-click the line below on this page to select it, then copy the text to the Clipboard by pressing the key combination command-C:
/Library/LaunchDaemons
In the Finder, select
Go ▹ Go to Folder...
from the menu bar and paste into the box that opens by pressing command-V. You won't see what you pasted because a line break is included. Press return.
A folder named "LaunchDaemons" may open. Look inside it for two files with names of the form
com.something.daemon.plist
and
com.something.helper.plist
Here something is a variable word, which can be different in each case. So far it has always been a string of letters without punctuation, such as "cloud," "dot," "highway," "submarine," or "trusteddownloads." Sometimes the word is "apple," and then you must be especially careful not to delete the wrong files, because many built-in OS X files have similar names.
If you find these files, leave the LaunchDaemons folder open, and open the following folder in the same way:
/Library/LaunchAgents
In this folder, there may be a file named
com.something.agent.plist
where the word something is the same as before.
If you feel confident that you've identified the above files, back up all data, then drag just those three files—nothing else—to the Trash. You may be prompted for your administrator login password. Close the Finder windows and restart the computer.
Don't delete the "LaunchAgents" or "LaunchDaemons" folder or anything else inside either one.
The malware is now permanently inactivated, as long as you never reinstall it. You can stop here if you like, or you can remove two remaining components for the sake of completeness.
Open this folder:
/Library/Application Support
If it has a subfolder named just
something
where something is the same word you saw before, drag that subfolder to the Trash and close the window.
Don't delete the "Application Support" folder or anything else inside it.
Finally, in this folder:
/System/Library/Frameworks
there may an item named exactly
v.framework
It's actually a folder, though it has a different icon than usual. This item always has the above name. Drag it to the Trash and close the window.
Don't delete the "Frameworks" folder or anything else inside it.
If you didn't find the files or you're not sure about the identification, post what you found.
If in doubt, or if you have no backups, change nothing at all.
The trouble may have started when you downloaded and ran an application called "MPlayerX." That's the name of a legitimate free movie player, but the name is also used fraudulently to distribute VSearch. If there is an item with that name in the Applications folder, delete it, and if you wish, replace it with the genuine article from mplayerx.org.
This trojan is often found on illegal websites that traffic in pirated content such as movies. If you, or anyone else who uses the computer, visit such sites and follow prompts to install software, you can expect more of the same, and worse, to follow. Never install any software that you downloaded from a bittorrent, or that was downloaded by someone else from an unknown source.
In the Security & Privacy pane of System Preferences, select the General tab. The radio button marked Anywhere should not be selected. If it is, click the lock icon to unlock the settings, then select one of the other buttons. After that, don't ignore a warning that you are about to run or install an application from an unknown developer.
Then, still in System Preferences, open the App Store or Software Update pane and check the box marked
Install system data files and security updates (OS X 10.10 or later)
or
Download updates automatically (OS X 10.9 or earlier)
if it's not already checked. -
I have a macbook pro what virus protection should i install?
I have a macbook pro, what virus protection should I install?
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.
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 actually been tested by Apple (unless it comes from the Mac 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. For most practical purposes, applications recognized by Gatekeeper as signed can be considered safe.
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 find some other way to evade Apple's controls.
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. Beyond XProtect, Gatekeeper, and MRT, there’s no evidence of any benefit from other automated protection against malware. 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. How do you know whether a source 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 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.
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. If you need to be able to detect Windows malware in your files, use the free software ClamXav — 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. 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.
ClamXav 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
ClamXav 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 ClamXav unless a network administrator requires you to run an anti-virus application.
9. The greatest harm done by security software, in my opinion, is in its effect on human behavior. It does little or nothing to protect people from emerging threats, but if they get a false sense of security from it, they may feel free to do things that expose them to higher risk. Nothing can lessen the need for safe computing practices.
10. 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. -
I have another computer that a virus may have taken over and I cannot log into it anymore. I just downloaded Itunes on a new computer but most of my songs are not on there. Is there a way to still access or find those songs? Remotely or another way? Or do I need to take it to a tech to get my files off of my hard drive?
Edit > Preferences > Store check Music under Automatic Downloads.
Open the iTunes Store from left hand column, then select Purchasedfrom the column on the right, click the Not In My Library button and select the tunes you want to download again.
That said, you seem to be under a misapprehension as to how iTunes works, or at least how it has worked in the past. It has, until recently, been up to you take care of your purchases once they have been downloaded. You had a one-time download which you were reminded to back up. With the recent change to this policy you can at least download your store purchases again, but having a personal backup of your iTunes store purchases, stuff purchased elsewhere and files ripped from your CDs will still be preferable to gathering all the stuff together again in the event of a disaster.
For a backup strategy see this User Tip.
tt2 -
VIRUS in my Mac BOOK .. When I bought my mac book 6 months ago, everything was perfect.. but then when I open some webpage..it comes a lot of ads or pages unsafe .. that before it didn't appear.. I don't know if have to download a anti virus program.HELP
Not a virus, but it is malware: The Safe Mac » Search Results » adware removal.
Helpful Links Regarding Malware Protection
An excellent link to read is Tom Reed's Mac Malware Guide.
Also, visit The XLab FAQs and read Detecting and avoiding malware and spyware.
See these Apple articles:
Mac OS X Snow Leopard and malware detection
OS X Lion- Protect your Mac from malware
OS X Mountain Lion- Protect your Mac from malware
About file quarantine in OS X
If you require anti-virus protection Thomas Reed recommends using Dr.Web Light from the App Store. It's free, and since it's from the App Store, it won't destabilize the system. If you prefer one of the better known commercial products, then Thomas recommends using Sophos.(Thank you to Thomas Reed for these recommendations.) If you already use Sophos, then be aware of this if you are using Mavericks: OS X Mavericks- Sophos Anti-Virus on-access scanner versions 8.0 - 9.1 may cause unexpected restarts
From user Joe Bailey comes this equally useful advice:
The facts are:
1. There is no anti-malware software that can detect 100% of the malware out there.
2. There is no anti-malware that can detect anything targeting the Mac because there
is no Mac malware in the wild, and therefore, no "signatures" to detect.
3. The very best way to prevent the most attacks is for you as the user to be aware that
the most successful malware attacks rely on very sophisticated social engineering
techniques preying on human avarice, ****, and fear.
4. Internet popups saying the FBI, NSA, Microsoft, your ISP has detected malware on
your computer is intended to entice you to install their malware thinking it is a
protection against malware.
5. Some of the anti-malware products on the market are worse than the malware
from which they purport to protect you.
6. Be cautious where you go on the internet.
7. Only download anything from sites you know are safe.
8. Avoid links you receive in email, always be suspicious even if you get something
you think is from a friend, but you were not expecting.
9. If there is any question in your mind, then assume it is malware. -
Okay, i have 2 bugs with maverick. First, when I delete a file within a window, the files deletes but the preview doesn't delete until I close the window and reopen it. Second, I work on a network of computers and the search feature is now buggy... When I search for a file, A) it asks me if it's a name, or it wont produce anything, and B), its slower than in prior OS versions and in some instances I have to toggle to a different directory and go back to my original directory in the search: menu bar or the search wont produce anything... Very buggy.
It appears to me that network file access is buggy in Maverick.
In my case I have a USB Drive attached to airport extreme (new model) and when I open folders on that drive they all appear empty. If I right click and I select get info after a few minutes! I get a list of the content.
It makes impossible navigate a directory tree.
File access has been trashed in Maverick.
They have improved (read broken) Finder. I need to manage a way to downgrade to Lion again. -
I think I have opened the sobig.f virus in my hotmail account and it keeps seding emails to my contacts. How do I stop it, and will it effect any of my other transactions like internet banking/shopping, is it safe To continue using my ipad ?
This isn't due to malware. There is no known malware capable of infecting an iPad that has not been jailbroken (ie, hacked to allow apps from outside the App Store).
As lizdance40 says, your Hotmail account has been hacked remotely. Change the password immediately. Hotmail accounts are popular targets, but as long as you choose a good password, and make sure that password is not the same as a password you use with any other account, you should be safe.
I disagree with lizdance40's statement that you have to abandon the account and create a new e-mail address. If a hacker is able to get back in even after changing the password, the problem is not with the account itself. There's another vulnerability of some kind somewhere. Perhaps the account allows hackers to leave a "back door" to get back in (such as with GMail's delegation feature), in which case any such feature needs to be reviewed and have settings changed. Perhaps you are checking mail in an insecure manner while on an insecure network (ie, a wireless network that requires no password). Perhaps you are using a password on multiple accounts, and a different account has been compromised. Perhaps a hacker has used knowledge gained by prior access to your account to achieve "social hacking" (ie, convincing a tech to give him access because he has "forgotten the password"). There are many scenarios, but there's no good reason to abandon the account entirely. -
my 3 year-old macbook pro is very slow. I have run disk utility and virus scan with no improvement. The "beach ball" will spin for minutes at a time when opening, closing or changing windows. Apple Store looked at it a few months ago with no help. What can I do?
Under CPU: 3.5% user; 5% system; 91% idle; 441 threads; 90 processes.
Under System: out of 2GB - 54.7MB free; 530MB wired; 603MB active; 862MB inactive; 1.95GB used.
Is too much of the system memory tied up? If so, what can I do to free some up? -
What is the preferred virus scan program for iphone? I believe that I have a virus. My phone will come on by itself and it appears to be recording audio. I have read about spyware/surveilance viruses that will record audio and take photos.
My phone is not jailbroken. I don't know what you mean about hacked. Maybe it is hacked? This is what is happening: About three times over the past few months I've noticed that my phone while "off" will come on (light up) and the screen shows an arrow towards the bottom; an arrow such that you would see on various "players" in order to "play" video or audio, I've searched my phone and cannot find any app that produces this particular screen though. Once I pick up the phone when this screen myseriously appears out of nowhere and press anything, it goes away and goes to the standard "slider" front page to unlock the phone.
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Does anyone have more information on the virus disguised as adobe flashplayer
Does anyone have more information on the virus disguised as adobe flashplayer that was released last Thursday 5 Apr 12. Can you simply use time machine to reload the entire system from backup to make sure you don't have the virus.
On ninemsn TECH news: It's called flashback trojan
The computer security industry buzzed Thursday with warnings that more than a half-million Macintosh computers may have been infected with a virus targeting Apple machines.
Flashback Trojan malware tailored to slip past "Mac" defenses is a variation on viruses typically aimed at personal computers (PCs) powered by Microsoft's Windows operating systems.
The infections, spotted "in the wild" by Finland-based computer security firm F-Secure and then quantified by Russian anti-virus program vendor Dr. Web, come as hackers increasingly take aim at Apple computers.
"All the stuff the bad guys have learned for doing attacks in the PC world is now starting to transition to the Mac world," McAfee Labs director of threat intelligence Dave Marcus told AFP.
"Mac has said for a long time that they are not vulnerable to PC malware, which is true; they are vulnerable to Mac malware."
Dr. Web determined that more than 600,000 Mac computers may be infected with Flashback, which is designed to let hackers steal potentially valuable information such as passwords or financial account numbers.
Hackers trick Mac users into downloading the virus by disguising it as an update to Adobe Flash video viewing software.
Apple has long boasted that Windows machines are more prone to hacking than Macs.
Computer security specialists contend that the reason for the disparity was that since most of the world's computers were powered by Windows, hackers focused on systems that promised the most prey.
As the popularity of Macs has soared, so has the allure of hacking Apple operating systems, according to Marcus.
"There has been a significant increase in Mac malware in the last several quarters, so what we've seen with the Flashback Trojan isn't particularly surprising," Marcus said.
"Cybercriminals will attack any operating system with valuable information, and as the popularity of Macs increase, so will attacks on the Mac platform."
Computer users, no matter their operating systems of choice, need to protect machines with tactics including up-to-date anti-virus programs and avoiding risky habits such as opening files or clicking links from unknown sources. -
Question: Cannot afford cloud pricing (am retired). Have a bug in Dreamweaver 5.
OK, so I have been a customer of Adobe for many years. I am now retired and cannot afford the cloud structure pricing. I have several bugs in Dreamweaver 5, one of which replicates the editable region so there is a duplicate after the first one. I've managed to migrate my site to HTML5 without the benefit of Dreamweaver 6 (Ouch). Am I stuck up the river without a paddle?
Stuck? No, I don't think so. DW CS5 still works.
When things start to go wrong, See Deleting Corrupted Cache / DW Personal Configuration Folder: http://forums.adobe.com/thread/494811
Nancy O. -
New photoshop cc seems to have a bug wrt the toolbar's foreground and background squares.
New photoshop cc seems to have a bug wrt the toolbar's foreground and background squares. When I pick a color to use as a fill the squares show gray and the fill is gray rather than the color picked. Never had a problem with this in previous version of PS. Could something be set up or initialized to cause this state of affairs?
Change your document from Grayscale to RGB, or change the selected channel to the RGB data instead of a mask.
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Hi i noticed that a link appeared in my copy and paste on my iphone 5 that i never copied before. I have a feeling its a virus, can this happen?
No. There are no known viruses that can affect an iPhone that has not been jailbroken.
It may ave been copied unknowingly, but there is no virus involved. -
I Downloaded FF4 to my Dell Computer and my Security Sofware Quit working. I Took FF4 off my Computer and Put FF 3.16 back on and everything seems to be backup and running. If I want to update to 4.0 What do I have to do about my Virus Program Security Shield Deluxe to make it keep working?
Or just wait until you can use the computer you used previously. If that isn't possible see Recovering your iTunes library from your iPod or iOS device.
tt2
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