Russian security expert Eugene Kaspersky, co-founder of IT security company Kaspersky Labs, has said Linux and Mac users will be “easy targets” for hackers and malware writers over the next few years.Linux and Mac users have enjoyed a secure past which has split opinions across the world as to why this is the case. Some believe that malicious virus writers and hackers do not target Apple OSX as it has a small percentage of the market share compared to Microsoft's Windows operating systems. The opposite opinion is that the Mac OS is inherently more secure than that of Windows so the same attacks do not work.
Apple ran an ad campaign in the UK where adverts claimed macs are not subjected to viruses. The Advertising Standards Authority in the UK cleared the adverts which included a national press ad, a regional press ad, a poster and two Internet and cinema ads.
Kaspersky goes on to mention that "Modern operating systems are flawed by design. Mac and Linux are not as secure as [users] think; criminals pay no attention to them at the moment, but they will be vulnerable — easy targets. The problem is that customers design the operating systems (either within open source communities or via market demand) and they choose flexibility over security.”
The only reason I would want this to happen, is to wipe the smug away from... certain users.
Yes... that would be priceless. All those mac zealots ****ing their pants because they got a virus! HAHA
"Oh noes! viruzes are has for the windowzes!!"
"Oh noes! viruzes are has for the windowzes!! == Priceless !
"Oh noes! Me solded mines lagses to byies thees Muckinposh !! Sheeeeet ! Oh Mon Dieues ! "
We'll see when it'll happen
I'm pretty confident though, that so little damage will be done that I'm gonna laugh
Damn right. (Refer to countless cases of "UAC is annoying so I just turn it off"
I don't think there'll be many viruses per se, just trojans, spyware and rootkits, as they seem to be the in thing at the mo, and the obvious inevetable program vunerabilities. Firewall and patches FTW.
Also, not immune, you simply don't have them yet.
Technically though it would be interesting to see how many exploits are actually found in the patch of the patch of the patch of the patch of the patch all of which XP RTM wouldn't have.
I usually see cleaner Sp1 machines than Sp2
Agreed. *nix viruses exist. It is just a plain fact. But, just as in Windows, it is up to the admin (which is also the user in home systems) to keep all of his software updated, and to know enough to not start up services that are unnecessary, especially outward-facing ones that accept traffic on a TCP/IP port, for example.
And, in this case, from what I have seen, Apple has been pretty lucky. The version of BSD they use seems to have some older packages, and Apple tends to be slow in updating them. (If I recall correctly, BIND is one of the packages in question)
Well, at least you have a good reason for wanting an OS to get exploited.
I am a Linux user, and you don't see me getting some childish glee from Windows exploits. But whatever floats your boat, man.
I am a Linux user, and you don't see me getting some childish glee from Windows exploits. But whatever floats your boat, man.
Off topic, but what Linux distro you use?
Up until recently (last year) I was a Red Hat (Fedora) kind of guy. Switched from dual-booting to 100% Linux back in 2003.
Since Feb 2008 (with purchase of a new computer), I have decided to go the *buntu route. Xubuntu, specifically. My wife liked Ubuntu on her desktop, and some aspects of installation and initial configuration were much easier than I was used to in Fedora. For a longer version of the story, look here: http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?auto...&showentry=1638
Since Feb 2008 (with purchase of a new computer), I have decided to go the *buntu route. Xubuntu, specifically. My wife liked Ubuntu on her desktop, and some aspects of installation and initial configuration were much easier than I was used to in Fedora. For a longer version of the story, look here: http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?auto...&showentry=1638
Cool, I may PM you if thats ok since I have some questions. I have tried and like Ubuntu and tried Xubuntu at one point. Be interested to hear why you like Xubuntu over Ubuntu
Be interested to hear why you like Xubuntu over Ubuntu
Simply put, I like a minimalist window manager / desktop. On my older hardware, I used fluxbox over KDE/Gnome to reduce my resource usage. I grew to really appreciate fluxbox, so much so that it has been my window manager of choice, even on my new much more powerful box.
Well, we're still waiting. We've been "easy targets" since 2001. Blah blah blah. An antivirus company telling us we're at risk. Shocker!!
I have no problem with admitting that the possibility to be infected is there. But I DO have a problem with stupid crystal-ball gazing when there is no evidence at all to support it.
Again, sorry we haven't been infected. I apologize for my worry-free internet experience thus far. LOL.
But I know many of you are praying for the day to come. Keep at it!
Fair enough. But my attitude doesn't change the facts. Though I'll admit OS X isn't perfect.
Besides, regardless of my fanboyism, we have yet another dime-a-dozen antivirus co. that has yet to penetrate a particular market telling us that we might need their products in the future.
In any case, if and when it does happen, we can all say we had an amazing run.
What you fail to understand (yet again) is most people don't wish harm on Mac users to level the playing field. The only reason we are waiting for it to happen is to put a huge dent in their arrogant superiority complex attitude. You fail to see how much more respect Mac people could have if they shed their smug attitude and realized that their precious Macs are simply a different tool to do the same job PC's can do.
When it is worth someone's time to develop (more) malware for other operating systems, they will.
Last edited by techbeck on 23 Oct 2008 - 14:57
So you think that millions of users should be in risk just so that a small chunk of them, some few to get a shocker to "STFU" to put it that way?
Come on, that is far off mature.
Laugh at Mac users who are so arrogant, laugh about their childishness and don't get mad about it, because that's what those rant-a**es want.
Calm down, this world is full of retards, so what? Don't listen to them and walk on.
I'm a Mac user myself and I used to think like bashing Windows etc is cool. It can be fun to joke around with friends who think so, too, but I'd never intend to insult anyone. And I don't take my rants totally serious, I am not acting arrogantly and I don't try to insult on the big stage.
IMO there shouldn't be malware in first place, but all you think is "junk for everyone".
Sorry, I completely fail to see your maturity and so should most other people here.
Glassed Silver:mac
What you fail to understand (yet again) is most people don't wish harm on Mac users to level the playing field. The only reason we are waiting for it to happen is to put a huge dent in their arrogant superiority complex attitude. You fail to see how much more respect Mac people could have if they shed their smug attitude and realized that their precious Macs are simply a different tool to do the same job PC's can do.
When it is worth someone's time to develop (more) malware for other operating systems, they will.
Oh please, your posts aren't any better. At least LTD has a point with the AV companies trying to sell them a product they don't really need.
You however seem to believe that Google has a secret workshop of millions reading email upon email just to cut and paste a little advertisement on the side. Oh, but only Steve Ballmer knows about it!
Nothing at all against Linux and I am keeping my eye on Zenwalks developement as it is the only distro I tried that worked out of the box on all 6 machines. None of the buntu's did that.
To be on topic though, never been infected in Linux or Windows and have been using Windows for WAY longer. I guess that could mean either OS is immune, when done right.
And it's easy to sit there and say "Hey, in the future you will need our product!" Of course, because nobody has any idea what the future brings! Way to go out on a limb.
Mac and Linux users have been in a false sense of security for a long time. Apple runs ads that say Macs dont get viruses. I also hear, on a weekly basis, from people that Macs dont get viruses or spyware and there is no need for any type of antivirus or protection. Yea, a lot of these comments are from normal users. but several are from Apple itself. This was a bad move for Apple since OSX is just as insecure, if not more, than Windows. Same goes for Linux. It was proven several months ago that the OSX was the least secure with Vista coming in 2nd and Linux coming in 1st.
And hackers/virus makers, attack away at Windows and discover those flaws. You are actually doing MS and the rest of us PC users a favor. You are discovering security issues with that OS and that MS is really quick to fix/patch thus making Windows an even more secure OS.
Macs have been in the news with their issues more and more since they claimed the #3 computer maker in the US title. Heck, Apple couldnt even patch a DNS exploit correctly the first time. I am not ragging on Apple, but if they cannot patch a simple DNS security flaw, then they better get their **** together or they will be caught with their pants down.
Last edited by techbeck on 23 Oct 2008 - 14:59
An exploit that creates millions of spam-bots does not do the computing world any bit of good.
Never heard of a virus that attacks exploits and vulnerabilities in software huh?
An exploit that creates millions of spam-bots does not do the computing world any bit of good.
I dont fail to get anything...im just giving my opinion...but anywho.. I am not condoning anything and if there were no hackers or viruses...then the world would be a perfect place...lot less security related jobs to.
Reminds me of imagine a world without lawyers
http://www.itworld.com/mac-hacked-first-in-contest-080327
http://www.itworld.com/mac-hacked-first-in-contest-080327
Confined to contests and labs.
Let's see something in the wild now. Today!
You'd think someone would have *gotten paid* to write one by now, especially given the ridiculous notoriety they'd enjoy.
Labs and contests don't really count, although they're interesting in terms of fiddling around with a proof-of-concept.
I wonder, though, what the first virus in the wild for OS X will be like . . .
http://www.itworld.com/mac-hacked-first-in-contest-080327
Confined to contests and labs.
Let's see something in the wild now. Today!
You'd think someone would have *gotten paid* to write one by now, especially given the ridiculous notoriety they'd enjoy.
Labs and contests don't really count, although they're interesting in terms of fiddling around with a proof-of-concept.
I wonder, though, what the first virus in the wild for OS X will be like . . .
Yea, they arent the same as someone in the wild attacking. But a lot of consumers read these kind of things and then base their purchase off of it. Lot of non informed people out there.
And there are Mac viruses...just not a lot of them.
http://www.itworld.com/mac-hacked-first-in-contest-080327
Confined to contests and labs.
Let's see something in the wild now. Today!
You'd think someone would have *gotten paid* to write one by now, especially given the ridiculous notoriety they'd enjoy.
Labs and contests don't really count, although they're interesting in terms of fiddling around with a proof-of-concept.
I wonder, though, what the first virus in the wild for OS X will be like . . .
Yea, they arent the same as someone in the wild attacking. But a lot of consumers read these kind of things and then base their purchase off of it. Lot of non informed people out there.
And there are Mac viruses...just not a lot of them.
Fair enough, that's true.
But re the last part: there are no actual documented viruses for OS X.
http://www.itworld.com/mac-hacked-first-in-contest-080327
Confined to contests and labs.
Let's see something in the wild now. Today!
You'd think someone would have *gotten paid* to write one by now, especially given the ridiculous notoriety they'd enjoy.
Labs and contests don't really count, although they're interesting in terms of fiddling around with a proof-of-concept.
I wonder, though, what the first virus in the wild for OS X will be like . . .
Yea, they arent the same as someone in the wild attacking. But a lot of consumers read these kind of things and then base their purchase off of it. Lot of non informed people out there.
And there are Mac viruses...just not a lot of them.
What I quoted very clearly proves that it is not secure. Hackers putting in time and effort to write a malware or virus is a totally different story which brings in a lot of other factors. The point I wanted to highlight is that OSX is like any other OS i.e. only as good as its user.
True, I was just talking about Mac in general (missed where you stated OSX). I know there were viruses for the older Mac OS.
Anyone running a Mac made in the last 6 or 7 years is going to be running OS X. Bringing up the fact that there were viruses for OS 9 and earlier is comparable to bringing up viruses that only worked on Windows 95 or 98. Mac Classic OS (9 and earlier) viruses will not run on OS X at all, so they are essentially a moot point anyway now.
:shakehead:
I haven't had a virus on any of my Windows machines since 2000, 2001.
All OSes have secured the system files side of the OS very nicely. However, user data is very vulnerable on all OSes.
how do you know you didn't have a virus or something on XP or Vista if you didn't have something scanning for it?
Most people with computer experience can tell when they have a virus. Significant slow downs, strange processes running etc. I personally run my PC and Laptop both with Vista and without a Virus scanner running.
These days I don't think virus are a real issue as long as you half competent on what you do on the internet. I've been running computers on both Windows and Linux for years without getting a virus and in my opinion if anyone does write a virus for Linux or Mac's it wouldn't do much since in my experience users of these system generally know what they are doing around a system more than the average Windows user.
When this is a serious issue, I will install.
(email attachments in Linux are not executable, since they lack the "rwx" attributes)
P.S. In all actuality, I already have avast installed on my Linux box, mostly just to play with it. Strangely enough, my Linux PC was found to be virus-free, even after visiting porn, gambling and warez sites.
Windows users (especially sellers of antivirus software) have been saying this for 7 years now since OS X was released. How soon is "soon enough"?
Hope not like windows... I'll certainly never use an on access AV on linux.
If we do ever get to that situation I'd rather rely on something like SELinux instead of hogging resources with AVs where you can only hope they will detect something before it screws your computer.
Like: virus and spyware aren't allowed to run on my computer. Period.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap_virus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap_virus
From that article:
This virus is not in the wild and is therefore no different than any other "proof of concept" virus, so it is not counted as an actual virus by anyone who knows what they are talking about.
Very good point.
I don't see why Mac is much different in this case.
...
You didn't ask the right people, apparently. Anyone with a modicum of knowledge would have known that there have already been several viruses/worms for the Linux platform.
OS X's authentication process makes it impervious to self-propagating malware. With UAC Microsoft has, as usual, taken someone else's concept and made it less user-friendly.
I don't wanna come off as another smug Mac user, but ... ah, what the hell. Wake me when there's an OS X virus in the wild!
Last edited by Neomac v6 on 25 Oct 2008 - 01:03
But I'm not going to lose sleep over it.
Why do people write crapware? For a laugh? No - for the money that's in it. At the moment their time is better spent attacking Windows purely because the 1% of users who open or run whatever it is that gives them the data they want make it worthwhile.
If Macs and Linux increase in market share it will become more worthwhile to attack them.
As far as proof of concept goes, it's a nice idea, but it doesn't compare to organised and persistent attacks like we see against Windows so I don't think it would ever lead to the same level of malware. Money motivates a lot more people than bragging rights..
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