MAC USERS PLEASE READ!

[incisor]

go to this site and check your self out ASAP!

http://flashbackcheck.com/

[mike 90 RR]

As a PC user

Trend Micro comes up as Red Alert and blocks me from opening up this site ....

Cheers
Mike

[Judo]

For those a bit more tech savvy.... I read this article and used the technique listed to check.

Are you having a (Mac) Flashback? - F-Secure Weblog : News from the Lab (http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/00002336.html)

[incisor]

As a PC user

Trend Micro comes up as Red Alert and blocks me from opening up this site ....

cause your not running osx i would think :D

the site checks to see if you are actively infected with the mac trojan flashback

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

Thanks Inc, checked mine all clear.
I also have avast Av for mac installed.

[drivesafe]

Thanks Dave and this would explain why every time I have attempted to enter the Patrol 4X4 forum, I got a google warning telling me the site appears to contain melware.

[Scallops]

I'm all clear too....and I've been everywhere with this iMac! :D :twisted:

[Judo]

I can't run the check since I'm at work, but in case it doesn't say on the page somewhere:

My understanding is you are still at risk until you have run the latest OSX updates, specifically the latest Java update provided by Apple. I.E. Now is the time to let your Mac update!!!

[weeds]

thanks dave

i machine is clean but it did suggest i update my JAVA

[keith73]

thanks, mine is all clear:)

[Scallops]

My use of this link suggested I update Java too. My software update utility suggests I already have. :confused:

[OffTrack]

Software Update will give you the most accurate indication of which updates need to be installed.

FWIW I manage a network of 60 macs and when I ran the commandline checks on Tuesday none had been infected.

Apple crafting weapon to vanquish Flashback virus (http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/consumer-security/apple-crafting-weapon-to-vanquish-flashback-virus-20120411-1wpwl.html)

[Judo]

Software Update will give you the most accurate indication of which updates need to be installed.

FWIW I manage a network of 60 macs and when I ran the commandline checks on Tuesday none had been infected.

Apple crafting weapon to vanquish Flashback virus (http://www.theage.com.au/digital-life/consumer-security/apple-crafting-weapon-to-vanquish-flashback-virus-20120411-1wpwl.html)

I love how it's a weapon. Is that Apple speak for bash script?

[OffTrack]

I love how it's a weapon. Is that Apple speak for bash script?

You say "bash script" like it's a bad thing? The interwebs would be a hollow shell without scripts. We wouldn't even be having this conversation if it weren't for php scripts. :D

And of course Apple didn't say "a weapon". The headline is from a AFP (Agence France-Presse) news feed which was published verbatim in Australia by Fairfax press outlets.

The article posted to support.apple.com (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5244?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US) (not a blog post btw) contained the following content. Note that "weapon", "fight", "battle", "wage holy war", "get medieval upon" or variations upon that theme are nowhere to found.


About Flashback malware

Summary
A recent version of malicious software called Flashback exploits a security flaw in Java in order to install itself on Macs.

Products Affected
Java, Mac OS X 10.6, OS X Lion

A recent version of malicious software called Flashback exploits a security flaw in Java in order to install itself on Macs.

Apple released a Java update on April 3, 2012 that fixes the Java security flaw for systems running OS X v10.7 and Mac OS X v10.6. By default, your Mac automatically checks for software updates every week, but you can change that setting in Software Update preferences. You can also run Software Update at any time to manually check for the latest updates.

Apple is developing software that will detect and remove the Flashback malware.

In addition to the Java vulnerability, the Flashback malware relies on computer servers hosted by the malware authors to perform many of its critical functions. Apple is working with ISPs worldwide to disable this command and control network.

Additional Information
For Macs running Mac OS X v10.5 or earlier, you can better protect yourself from this malware by disabling Java in your web browser(s) preferences.


FWIW Apple has been very proactive in protecting users against malicious software via a new sandbox security model. As an example the version of "Preview" (an all purpose lightweight document reader/editor that handles pdf, docx, excel, etc) bundled with OSX 10.7 will only open files directly selected by the user. This prevents PDF or Word documents opening external documents on your hard drive or the net. The downside of this is that using the pdf based navigation of RAVE (running freeraved on OSX) simply doesn't work with Preview. Acrobat still works because it hasn't as yet adopted the new sandbox security mode.

[incisor]

http://downloads.sophos.com/home-edition/savosx_80_he.dmg

the link above is to sophos antivirus for mac home edition, which is free for personal use and full featured with no nag screens and a low resource impact.

doesn't kill hacintoshes either :p

[goingbush]

Ive never bothered installing any antivirus software on any mac Ive had & Ive been running Macs since the G4 Powermac. I think the any freebie antivirus software itself is probably as much a virus as a virus.

Also seriously, I don't get why any Mac users need to run Windows, For the times you do need Windows like Nanocom updates etc an elcheapo $500 netbook is all you need. Why stuff up a good computer by putting Windows on it.

Each to their own.

That said I HATE Lion , Does anyone know if you can use an old install DVD & run Leopard on a New Macbook pro that came with Lion preinstalled !!

[incisor]

I think the any freebie antivirus software itself is probably as much a virus as a virus.

like they say

you can lead a horse to water but...

the old days have just about sunk into the sunset and there are getting to be more and more things to be concerned about running osx

sure no real viruses but getting to be some smart trojans out there

i agree that lion is a pox but it is mainly designed to engage new users not old set in their ways noodle heads like you and maybe me... :D

[Judo]

You say "bash script" like it's a bad thing? The interwebs would be a hollow shell without scripts. We wouldn't even be having this conversation if it weren't for php scripts. :D


I meant bash script in quite a literal sense. As in the scripting language referred to as "bash". I agree, scripts of all kinds are leet. Why do anything more than once, when you can script it? ;)

[Bytemrk]

like they say

you can lead a horse to water but...

the old days have just about sunk into the sunset and there are getting to be more and more things to be concerned about running osx

sure no real viruses but getting to be some smart trojans out there
:D

So true.... and unfortunately as OSX gains more marketshare, the vultures of the internet will see it as a more and more attractive target..

Operating system market share (http://netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=10)

MAC roughly 6% market share against Windows around 85% ... any wonder up til now M$ has been the target.

More and more people moving to MAC, particularly with the "MAC's don't get Viruses" myth..... They are a soft target.

It's true a pure virus on OSX is very unlikely.... but lots of other ways for these scum to steal from you...and they are getting trickier.

[clubagreenie]

I've already given up on macs and turned to unix.

[OffTrack]

I've already given up on macs and turned to unix.

Now there is an oxymoron if I ever saw one. The foundation of OSX is pure UNIX.


Screenshot of geda-pcb (http://pcb.geda-project.org/) running under X11 on OSX10.7.
45802

[OffTrack]

A new Java update showed up on Software Update yesterday afternoon. It is available for OSX 10.6 and 10.7.


This Java security update removes the most common variants of the Flashback malware.

This update also configures the Java web plug-in to disable the automatic execution of Java applets. Users may re-enable automatic execution of Java applets using the Java Preferences application. If the Java web plug-in detects that no applets have been run for an extended period of time it will again disable Java applets.

Java for OS X Lion 2012-003 delivers Java SE 6 version 1.6.0_31 and supersedes all previous versions of Java for OS X Lion.

This update is recommended for all Mac users with Java installed.

[incisor]

So true.... and unfortunately as OSX gains more marketshare, the vultures of the internet will see it as a more and more attractive target..
apple are being more proactive than microsoft ever were when it comes to acting on serious threats.

whether they are successful enough is yet to be seen.

[clubagreenie]

I know the background of OSx but I'm running a pure version.

[Bytemrk]

apple are being more proactive than microsoft ever were when it comes to acting on serious threats.

whether they are successful enough is yet to be seen.

Absolutely, and that is one of the reasons I am running a MAC as my work machine now days.

But a large element of what these cyber crooks do is driven by a basic numbers game.

I think Apple are reacting exactly right, and to be fair MS have certainly picked up there game around security. So many attacks now are coming through 3rd party software, it seems Adobe was a favorite for a while... now Java.

Lets hope Apple do manage to keep the damage to a minimum.

[dmdigital]

That said I HATE Lion , Does anyone know if you can use an old install DVD & run Leopard on a New Macbook pro that came with Lion preinstalled !!
Yes and I believe you can do it without loosing anything. Google it and you'll find an answer.

I like some of the features of Lion but can't say I'm overly fussed on it. See what Mountain Lion has to offer I guess.

[OffTrack]

I'm running a pure version.

So obviously you aren't running Linux in that case. Which BSD distribution are you using?

I used OpenBSD for quite a while and still have a site running a OpenBSD based router I put together.

[Bytemrk]

Looks like it may not be getting much better after Apples patches.... :mad:

Flashback infections not waning after all; 650,000 Macs still hijacked (http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2012/04/flashback-infections-not-waning-after-all-650000-macs-still-hijacked.ars)

[shorty943]

Don't breath easy yet Mac users, breaking news at ZDNet tech site today.

New Flashback variant silently infects Macs | ZDNet (http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/new-flashback-variant-silently-infects-macs/11686'tag=nl.e589)

[incisor]

the new variant is only an issue if have not heeded the earlier warnings...

the java update sorts it...

as for the word based issue that only affects unpatched early versions, although many still run it to use entourage as outlook in the later version sucks candy esp the filtering rules.

btw sophos runs much better on the mac than kaspersky's effort i am finding...