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Just had my first Mac virus
cnbcwatcher
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It happened a few minutes ago. I was browsing the internet while watching TV, as you do, and all of a sudden a warning message pops up saying that a Trojan has been detected and it was put into Sophos AV's quarantine. I've just got rid of it completely now so it can't do any damage. As I type my dad is gloating because I was very smug about how Macs don't get viruses and blah blah blah. I'm rather embarrassed actually :D I forgot to take a screenshot.
And who says Macs don't get viruses?
And who says Macs don't get viruses?
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trojan - not virus
That changes everything. Anyway, very likely it was a Windows malware unable to run on OSX.
It could have been, but would a Mac AV warn a user if it detected a Windows virus?
That would solve the arguement.
Because at the end of the day data is data?
The "AV software" is still just picking up signatures with in the data and identifying it as malicious. These signatures are cross platform.
The definition files can include references for threats for other OSes. While the code cant normally be executed on that host it is still a threat in that it could get inadvertently transferred via USB, end up on a bootcamp partition, in a network share etc.
on Mac OS X, it could still infect Windows if the Mac user also dual boots with Windows via Boot Camp, or it could be
inadvertently passed on to a friend of the Mac user, if the other person is running Windows.
It does this because some corporations run Macs and Windows alongside each other and you don't want to be spreading malware around even if it doesn't affect OS X; it's much better to zap it as soon as it's detected rather than it be propagated through SMB shares and such and spread to the Windows machines.
Uhm...you!!
I think it does, but I removed the piece of malware very quick before it could do any damage. If it was a Windows virus it could sneak its way into a file and if said file was shared with the Dark Side the damage would be done there.
I was using my Macbook Air rather than my Pro and I wasn't running Windows on it. I'm going to run it on my Pro at some point though. It had to be a Mac virus.
But no one is claiming that. Statistically, it's far more likely to be Windows malware. As Stig said, the log file needs to be examined.
http://www.reedcorner.net/mac-av-detection-rates/
So that limits the types of malware to ... trojans only? (I'm not aware of any OSX malware key loggers.)
And most Mac trojans require installation by the user. So, for anyone with a brain cell, the risk of problems on a Mac is miniscule. (Not zero but really, really low.) Don't forget that the latest MacOS has its own built-in "Gatekeeper" protection. Consequently, I see no point in running anything extra. It's likely to cause more problems than it solves.
See http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/features/security/3418367/do-apple-macs-need-antivirus-os-x-security-explained/
I'll just add that I've been running Macs on-line since 1995. No "protection" installed and no malware problems so far. Of course that's only 18 years so it's early days, still.
As far as I'm concerned, Windows users should be running their own protection. I'm not going to risk slowing down my Macs (or causing other problems) just in case I finally manage to 1. download a malware package and 2. become demented enough to pass it to someone else accidentally. The chances of those two occurrences are lower than the chances of my winning the lottery.
If you don't want to run security software that's your decision, but telling others to do the same because you haven't had any issues yourself is stupid, ignorant and reckless.
Yep. Sums up the idiocy and arrogance of OSX users.:rolleyes:
It's been covered here many times before, but you keep ignoring it - the average computer user is utterly clueless when it comes to security. And computers.
From your guy who ought to know:
Simple, practical advice. Nothing to do with people having brain cells.
There are different types of malware? You didn't have a virus.
Yep.