It seems that Snow Leopard contains some sort of anti-malware system. But what does it really protect you from? Not much.
It seems to scan for only OSX.RSPlug and OSX.Iservice and then only scans files from Safari, Mail, and a few web browsers. Usenet and Bittorrent clients are unaffected. It doesn’t even actively scan the Downloads folder.
So it’s basically like someone at Apple wrote an anti-virus program and just snuck it into Snow Leopard. You can just imagine some grizzled old programmer who has been working on this since 1994 finally getting his chance to shine.
Apple stuck the anti-malware software into Snow Leopard without actually announcing it. The software is invisible – it just kind of hangs out – and the only thing I see this doing is encouraging anti-virus software vendors to try to upsell their paltry OS X offerings. While Macs aren’t totally impervious to virii and trojanii, there is always the off chance that a piece of rogue software could fall into the mix. This could be a simple solution to preventing Snow Leopard Macs from falling into a botnet.
Who cares.
At least they’re starting to include it– they’re just getting ready for when they have a large market share and they’re a real target.
thank you. someone else who understands that apple is almost virus free because 99% of the world doesn’t use it.
I wish some talented virus writers would go after apple and shut them up about their supposed security. I’m not a fanboy for M$, but I’m a fan of equal oppty.
I wish all the talented virus writers would shrivel up and die. How do those people even justify their own existence? Won’t they all be proud to get old and, when asked what they contributed to life, the can say “trouble and heartache for hundreds of thousands of people”? Doing this is like saying things. If you can’t doing something good for someone, don’t do anything at all.
You know, I don’t buy that reasoning.
If people that create viruses and bots sometimes do it just to cause problems with other people’s computers for the sake of it, the whole idea seems to reek of ego.
I’m sure that there are virus makers out there who would do it just for ego’s sake of saying they beat apple’s “no-viruses” claim. Just like with DRM, many people try to break it just because a company says they can’t.
Or at the very least, a hacker might want to target Apple users because they assume they are protected and could be easy targets.
But now with Apple having more than 10% of the market, and has been around for more than a decade…you would assume there would have been one major attack if it was easily possible.
Wrong. Market share has nothing to do with it. Prior to OS X there were plenty of Apple malware issues. Viruses etc. Its much harder to write malware for OS X whereas any script kiddie can modify existing malware and there you go. Windows is an extremely soft target. Always has been. Hackers seek attention. Writing malware for the Mac would get them that. But its hard to do. Learn something about Unix and Windows internals and you will see why.
This anti-malware is in the kernel (no its not an app) where it whould be and obviously will be easily updated. Apple is taking responsibility for the security of their OS which Microsoft has yet to do. Unless you count Windows Defender which is useless or the pay Once Care Suite which is garbage. No Microsoft wants YOU to take responsibility for the archaic state of their OS’ up to and including Windows 7.
While I am a huge fan of Apple.. Microsoft needs SOME credit.
To my (limited) knowledge, Apple didn’t invent the Unix kernel. They’re just using it.
M$ (to my (limited) knowledge) actually built their OS.
Sooo you have to give them some kind of credit.
Correct me if I’m wrong.
That’s bullshit.
This isn’t 1980, most viruses nowadays are designed to steal information, to make money, NOT for ego. Therefore, since most systems are Windows, its the best target, since it can spread the farthest.
In a recent hacking contest the MAC was the first system to go down, far faster than the Windows system got hacked.
If anything, MACOSX is the least secure OS, its just not a big target.
So Matt, you’re a fan of some guy getting a virus and getting his files screwed up?
What? Your point?
To the idiots who say mac’s security is based on obscurity:
where are the remote exploits that don’t rely on social engineering?
i’ve seen at least 10 os x viruses, (codecs, and pirated versions of CS3 and iwork seem to be super popular) so people are writing them, but they all rely on the user being as stupid as most of the commenters:/
At certain points in MS’s history you could do as little as see a gif and get infected. Market share isn’t everything.
really, every OS will get viruses, stop being fan boys
Dylan,
Windows NT not a MS original
it was ibm’s OS/2 3.0 tech that became windows NT.
why you couldnt’ google it is why your a fan boy
@Jesse: wow that’s so wrong. first of all, OS/2 was not IBM’s child, it was a cooperation of Microsoft and IBM. second, NT *does not* descend from OS/2 in any way. it was built from scratch and had a compatibility layer for OS/2 command line programs. I did not have to use Google or Wikipedia to find that out, I was there when it happened.
Market share is only a part of why Mac OS X has no viruses. For example, there’s a virus for Linux running on iPods. What are the odds of that? :)
Another Microsoft in the making (like bundlng IE)
this is nothing like bundling ie.
John even said it was INVISIBLE. IE is far from invisible, it’s like a hugely fat smelly person walking down the sidewalk you are on. How can you miss it?
So you want an OS with NO built-in browser? How the hell would the average joe download a browser so they can, you know, BROWSE?
And MACOS comes with a browser as well.
Interesting. Thanks for sharing. Always like stories about Apple.
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Finally I’m saved!!! I’ll be able install that cracked copy of iWork ‘09 with the malicious code that I downloaded from the t0rrents!!!1!
I really can’t understand why a trojan or virus hasn’t been created by one of the AppleH8′ing script-kiddie crowd… seems like exposing the soft underbelly of OS X to the world would be the ultimate source of underweb-cred.
Because the OS doesn’t allow that sort of rudimentary attack.
Because virus writers aren’t about cred, they are about stealing information, they couldn’t give two shits what the system they hack is, they just want what it on it.
Macs don’t have viruses, the TV told me so. /sarcasm
The TV is right. Did you actually read the article? Do you know the difference between a Trojan and a Virus?
powned.
:L
You mean a Trojan VIRUS?
Let’s not split hairs here, we all know what the TV implies (macs can’t be hacked!), and what people associate a virus with.
By virus, they don’t mean “exclusing trojans, script kiddies, etc” they mean any hacking attempt.
The TV also says Macs don’t crash, lets see you try to spin that.
What about the rest of the USC spoiled children? Who will protect me from those Trojans?
so if microsoft included an invisible antivirus they will be fine? wrong they tried and were told those practices would not be accepted.
to the idiot that said is had nothing to do with market share. i assume you will also state you have as many hackers trying to hack windows and apple? i assume that hackers get the same credit for hacking apple and is as equally as rewarding as hacking windows since it also runs on almost all banks, government agencies, and armies. and even more so outside the US, in most countries where itunes doesn’t really work and they are no apple stores.
You wrote: “so if microsoft included an invisible antivirus they will be fine? wrong they tried and were told those practices would not be accepted.”
Now that has everything to do with market share. If Apple’s OS had ~ 90% market share, they would be subject to the same anti-trust regulations.
more banks run OS/2 than windows. shows what you know.
The security of Macs has a lot to do with its OBSCURITY. Which anyone will tell you is not a good way to keep your shit safe.
I am glad to see apple taking a more proactive stance because as any security expert will tell you, there is no such thing as a truly secure system.
But I also believe that apples program checks ALL installer files (so long as they use apple’s installer) so it should prevent you from ever installing a trojan.
Jim
This is a pretty hilarious article! Mac’s don’t seem as likely to get infected and targeted by malware so I don’t think its much of a big deal!
It would be interesting to see the government switch to MAC if Apple stood behind their OS and made is impenetrable. We’ve been running OS-x 10.4 for the last year and not seen any indication of an infection. I can monitor all traffic on my network and can log the MAC and have not seen any indication that it’s been compromised and it does not have any “anti-virus” products installed. Will be doing the upgrade to 10.6 when the disk arrives.
Not going to happen. Security by obscurity doesn’t work with the goverment.
please see above comment, and your an asshat.
For those folks who are still eagerly waiting for snow leopard.. Here’s a guide on how to install snow leopard if it’s not yet out in your country! http://tinyurl.com/sleopardinstall
The reason it only scans for two threats is that is the total list of known threats.
Oh but only protects from two? with another whats ur idea? lolz
http://live-point.net