Wustlog: Bitch please...

Can't you keep my hand to yourself?!

Friday, February 17

Some owners of Mac computers have held the belief that Mac OS X is incapable of harboring computer viruses, but Leap-A will leave them shell-shocked, as it shows that the malware threat on Mac OS X is real...Apple Mac users need to be just as careful running unknown or unsolicited code on their computers as their friends and colleagues running Windows.

Is this really a surprise to anyone?! A simple script to wreak major havoc on an OS X system would take about 30 seconds to write...

So why are these not legitimate, "virus" threats? Because they require users to be foolish enough to give an unknown, unsolicited program UNRESTRICTED ACCESS to their entire system by entering their administrator password. Contrast this to holes in Windows and IE that allow infection to propagate without any user intervention and you'll understand why this is a nonevent, at least for conscientious computer users.

It's not about having an invulnerable system (nobody does), it's about being aware and knowing what you're allowing into your system in the first place. (Unless you're using Windows, in which case you're f$cked no matter what.)

posted by issek @ 17:53

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Comments:

I was sent an e-mail about this first mac virus that's causing all the fuss. Well, trojan actually. It sounds pretty harmless, comically so, even. In addition to manually downloading it, double clicking, and entering your admin password, it doesn't do anything besides send itself to other friends of yours through iChat. Apparently it may or may not cause other programs to not run properly as a side effect. Scary stuff!!

The end of the e-mail said "to be on the safe side, don't install this file." Strong words!

# posted by

Leeeeeeeeeebs : Fri Feb 17, 06:43:00 PM

The reporting around this is ridiculous and excessive. Written, I suspect, mostly by PC users who've been jealous of Mac security all along. They're like those kids in school who get all Cs, and take every chance they get to make fun of the A student. "Look! Mac got a C too! LOOOK! LOOOOOOOOK!!! WAAAUUUGGHH!!! *sob*"

# posted by

botherate : Fri Feb 17, 08:09:00 PM

You're probably right about that. But if Mac is an "A" student, it definitely got there by taking Ceramics and Shop class.

I'm sure someone's going to fight me on this...but that's OK, I'm right. Not that Macs aren't top of the class, but they definitely don't have the toughest and most diverse schedules. At graduation, they're gonna get great jobs, but in limited fields.

# posted by

Leeeeeeeeeebs : Sat Feb 18, 03:28:00 PM

The way I see it...

Less business software: minus 1
Great graphics/audio/video editing software: plus 1
No serious games support: minus 1
An OS so advanced it blows windows away: plus 2
Exposé: plus 500

Mac wins!

The Powerbook truly is the holy grail of notebook computers though...anyone disputing this is in denial.

# posted by

issek : Mon Feb 20, 12:43:00 AM

Yeah, the graphics stuff is way better, IF YOU HAVE THE SOFTWARE. This is the problem I keep encountering over and over again with macs. For graphics, yes the softwares is out there, but like EVERYTHING for macs, it's way more expensive...unless you get it illegally. Which is possible but much harder to find in general.

Have you ever noticed that mac people, in general, know a lot more about their computers than PC people? I'm sure mac users would like everyone to believe that they're just "smarter" somehow, but I'm realizing that this may be more out of necessity than anything else. I've only had my mac for 6 months, and I could already make small-novel-sized list of all the software issues I've encountered. I've resolved most of said issues, but not without a good deal of time and research.

Not to say that I hate my new mac. It's an awesome machine. I have a good deal of respect for it. I miss Counter-Strike, though...

# posted by

Leeeeeeeeeebs : Mon Feb 20, 08:16:00 AM

I'd be 100% content, gamewise, if I could only emulate FF7 along with all the SNES games and Civ III

# posted by

issek : Thu Feb 23, 04:10:00 PM