Mac Defender Malware

You have to give it permission to install.

No OS is safe anymore from hackers. It's now a business, and a well paying one to boot.

The new variant, Mac Guard, doesn't require admin password to install. It looks like the malware still needs manual user intervention (mouse clicks) to install.

http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2011/05/26/apple-malware-evo...

If I didn't request it, I'm not excepting it and of course I'm not going to download it.

You sound like an educated computer user, and not one of the lemmings/sheep who blindly follow whatever is placed in front of them with a Apple logo on it, which is just the type of person who would fall for this virus.

I'm sure Apple will have a quick fix for this virus shortly, and even if there is major fallout, Job's will spin it to make it seem like it was the best thing to ever happen in ones life.

I like Sophos AV for Mac...full-featured, light footprint, automatic updates, on demand and/or scheduled scans. I have it running on two Macs and see no performance difference. Given that it's free, it makes a nice insurance policy just in case there's a zero day. Since the bad guys are starting to target OS/X, it's a simple way to add some safety. It's also easy to uninstall of course.

I totally agree!

Within hours after Apple releases security update to get rid of Mac Defender malware, a new variant is already in the wild and easily bypasses Apple's security update.

New MacDefender Defeats Apple Security Update
http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20110601/sc_livescience/...

Can it be true? I hope not. I am to old to go through this.

The latest variants will install for a current user if they say yes when it asks to install...

And if you have user accounts set up on the computer that do not have administrator rights on it - the only thing this will do is screw up the user account - and that's all... it can be cleaned up if you happened to get it.

There's an awful lot of F.U.D. being spread around... but take it as a reminder that you need to take measures to protect yourself from malware/viruses etc. no matter what OS you run on a computer.

I have and use Sophos anitvirus on my MacBook Pro - and have had it warn me of things twice before it deleted the threat before ti could do any harm.

http://tinyurl.com/3qmdymn

That's a very quick response from Apple. There's no doubt the cat and mouse game has begun. It's malware writers move now. Let's see how long it takes them to release a new variant.

I've been using an Apple computer for a couple of years now and never had a problem with viruses and malware. But this is making me take a second look about installing some kind of protections software, like Norton or McAfee, even though I hated them when I was using PC computers because it slows down the PC. I'm hoping to find something that will not slow down my Apple computer.

I always thought the same thing about, particularly, Norton and hadn't used it in years. Just got the wife a new laptop that came with a trail period of Nortom Security and was presently surprised at the fact that it didn't seem to slow the machine down and for the most part stayed out of the way.

Don't know for sure about the Mac version but you may want to see if you can load up a trail version.

While Norton/Symantec downloads updates and fills your hard drive with definitions to the point of filling your drive with crap.... Like Internet Deplorer, it starts off fast enough, but give it time..

Security Essentials is free and very easy on the system.Not sure if works for Mac but doing a good job on my wifes pc computer. http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security_essentials/default.a...

can be susceptible to virus and malware because of the its user's gullibility.

But I personally thinks that Macs are quite secure unless you download apps not approve by apple's app store.

All Mac users swear that they are made of titanium and will not get virus or malware!!! We have a Mac shop and some have been hit by malware. With the popularity of the Mac rising the amount of malware will also rise.

Is the one that's never used....

Yeah, it probably stays out of the way of malware attacks too

Norton is the malware in a sense that it is tough to remove the remnants of the software after uninstalling it.

Yes, it's true. We've had a great ride and now have to be more careful.

... causes all kinds of problems. Beware !!!

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it's the dog's fault