HI all

I hear alot of rumours about Apple's pc's, like how they are suppose to be all the more secure. I mean if the majority of people buy Windows products then the larger group of hackers will buy Windows. What do you think is the more accurate picture?

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if you have good defences like no scripts an anti v active
and use common sense
most times your safe

if you like apple a hackintosh is doable with a built rig or picked laptop model
just by picking the bits that work in the apple system
and at 1/3 to 1/2 a true apples cost

and you can have both on the same computer

or even add a Linux 3rd choice
as that is even less likely to be messed with

Just don't look at pr0n or click weird looking links, and you're good to go.

quote Originally posted by pavo_roddy: I hear alot of rumours about Apple's pc's, like how they are suppose to be all the more secure. I mean if the majority of people buy Windows products then the larger group of hackers will buy Windows. What do you think is the more accurate picture?

Macs receive very similar viruses and issues that any PC would. Most of the time, when these type hidden programs are running on a Mac, it's more "sneaky" in how it runs. Compared to their Windows competitor, Macs are the type of machine that are very "front end"-ish - in that most users won't dig deep into them to see what makes them tick. They'll use them for their common usage, like music, the internet, and all the Mac products like iMovie and such. Windows, while still very "front end"-ish compared to it's former reliance upon DOS, a user can typically tell within a short period of time that their PC is beginning to have issues. With Macs, the issues just kind of happen in a very harsh way. And they're very sneaky in how attacks happen on Macs. Pop-up install programs will work their way through a user's Apple account programs, such as launching iTunes and using it as an installer, sometimes without the user's knowledge (and sometimes very much with their knowledge).

The simple method as mentioned above, is just to have common sense and proper programs running, no matter what type of computer you have. Besides of course having proper anti-virus and spyware-resistant software installed, don't go onto sites or do things that put your computer at risk. Don't look up pr0n, don't click weird links or e-mails (always scan your e-mails you receive), don't run P2P programs, don't go on foreign sites that may have scripted links that you don't know or cannot read, etc, etc.

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FFox and NoScipt stop many script base attacks.
Including tracking sites like Facebook, Doubleclick, etc... Only turn on Facebook script when actively using Facebook to stop Facebook spying.

Most attack biggest audience...
Confusing small target with better security is a Fool's bet. Windows is a giant target. Apple's Mac OS is a small target.

Apple is betting the farm that most people won't know when Apple's machine get malware or virus. Apple recently told Apple's tech to stop working on machine w/ Defender malware... Apple didn't want press to get notice... too late... Apple now support removal... Just search wired and other computer news.

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[This message has been edited by theogre (edited 10-17-2011).]

People haven't created as many "OMG You've got an infection!" fake apps for the Mac as they have on the PC side - partly due to Macs not having the "notification" popups in the lower right corner (and Windows folks being more familiar with those types of things)

Wired recently had an interesting article about some of the people who created the "show an animation of a fake scan, then it shows you have bad files, and then asks you for $ to remove them" scheme...worth the read...


I'd rather surf on a MAC.

And another reason Macs seem to not get as many viruses............NOBODY cares enough to create them!!! lol just kidding some do care


btw i do own 1 apple product and sofar no viruses

quote Originally posted by ZombiePenguin: btw i do own 1 apple product and sofar no viruses

that you know of, i have had several friends who claimed their macs didnt get virii or anything and were clean, till i showed them a process list, and a shell process running as a spam mail bot... using their e-mail account... was very comical the reaction that they had

quote Originally posted by hookdonspeed: that you know of, i have had several friends who claimed their macs didnt get virii or anything and were clean, till i showed them a process list, and a shell process running as a spam mail bot... using their e-mail account... was very comical the reaction that they had

Proof? There are very very few known virii or malware for the OS X platform, and even fewer that have been successful beyond a handful of people.

It's not that it can't happen, as users are generally pretty stupid, and will 'authorize' just about anything if the message looks real enough, but that's malware, not virii.

I'm actually very interested to see what shell process names you have seen, as I have relatives and friends who do tend to click 'Yes' to things they shouldn't. And if I can identify them, all the better.

quote Originally posted by dsnover: Proof? There are very very few known virii or malware for the OS X platform, and even fewer that have been successful beyond a handful of people. It's not that it can't happen, as users are generally pretty stupid, and will 'authorize' just about anything if the message looks real enough, but that's malware, not virii. I'm actually very interested to see what shell process names you have seen, as I have relatives and friends who do tend to click 'Yes' to things they shouldn't. And if I can identify them, all the better.

I don't actually own an Apple so I may be wrong but wasn't the older OS's read-only which is why they really couldn't catch a virus?

I will say this I've had my Identity stolen from a windows machine and haven't on my mac machine. As a matter of fact the forums, social networks, and email accounts have never been hacked since I switched to mac. I'm not saying it won't happen but I was having to change my password so frequently on my Windows machine I couldn't keep up with them all, I was thinking of using a program to store them on but thought that was way to risky to use. Honestly I have had fewer problems with my mac than any windows machine ever. Just this weekend I had a huge problem with my windows machine and if it wasn't for the fact that the aftermarket charger I bought for my mac died I wouldn't have ever got on my windows machine. I've had to fix my windows machine 3 times for different problems in the past week and it isn't used for anything. Not even web surfing, basically it is storage right now for the files that I don't have room for on my mac or just old photos I want to keep. I used to think there wasn't any difference in between mac and windows but when I actually made the switch and got comfortable with the way it works I don't ever want to use a windows again. If it wasn't for the fact that we use software designed exclusively for the windows machine at work I would see if I could exchange it for a mac.

quote Originally posted by dsnover: Proof? There are very very few known virii or malware for the OS X platform, and even fewer that have been successful beyond a handful of people. It's not that it can't happen, as users are generally pretty stupid, and will 'authorize' just about anything if the message looks real enough, but that's malware, not virii. I'm actually very interested to see what shell process names you have seen, as I have relatives and friends who do tend to click 'Yes' to things they shouldn't. And if I can identify them, all the better.

not necessarily malwar, they hit week / no pass systems and just install themselves...

quote Originally posted by hookdonspeed: not necessarily malwar, they hit week / no pass systems and just install themselves...

Even weak / no password systems require the user to 'Authenticate' for any type of binaries that have system level access, or use 'privileged' ports. And that has been in place since even the first versions of OS X in late '90s.

quote Originally posted by dsnover: Proof? There are very very few known virii or malware for the OS X platform, and even fewer that have been successful beyond a handful of people. It's not that it can't happen, as users are generally pretty stupid, and will 'authorize' just about anything if the message looks real enough, but that's malware, not virii. I'm actually very interested to see what shell process names you have seen, as I have relatives and friends who do tend to click 'Yes' to things they shouldn't. And if I can identify them, all the better.

The real problem is the users. They just click ok to install anything they see, even if it needs admin rights. No OS that allows code changes or software installs by an end user will be safe. ( and ones with 'holes' even less safe )

There are *currently* no viruses for Mac. However, malware can be installed by an unsuspecting/untrained user.

[This message has been edited by Valkyrie (edited 10-18-2011).]

quote Originally posted by Valkyrie: There are *currently* no viruses for Mac. However, malware can be installed by an unsuspecting/untrained user.

There are some.

quote Originally posted by IMSA GT: I don't actually own an Apple so I may be wrong but wasn't the older OS's read-only which is why they really couldn't catch a virus?

If you mean 68x00 CPU based Mac then no... (Mac, Mac+, etc) Early Mac's had big problem w/ virus. Mac OS 7.x and down had No to little security. At work, we knew when a worker had University class etc... Why? They bring a floppy disk to class and bring back a virus at work...

You need Unix based OS (OSx etc) before you see much security. Early versions of OSx, like early Windows, need much more resources to work and cost to much for most buyers. In 1990 1mb RAM cost about $1000...

quote Originally posted by theogre: If you mean 68x00 CPU based Mac then no... (Mac, Mac+, etc) Early Mac's had big problem w/ virus. Mac OS 7.x and down had No to little security. At work, we knew when a worker had University class etc... Why? They bring a floppy disk to class and bring back a virus at work... You need Unix based OS (OSx etc) before you see much security. Early versions of OSx, like early Windows, need much more resources to work and cost to much for most buyers. In 1990 1mb RAM cost about $1000...

In 1989 i bought a 2mb upgrade for my 520STfm, it was only 400, not 2000. And that included the board that had to be installed.

Similar price to stick 4mb of LEM in my highly modified PC/AT a year or two before that. 1 mb each board. ( not even sure whatever happened to that thing.. odd. )

[This message has been edited by User00013170 (edited 10-18-2011).]

quote Originally posted by hookdonspeed: that you know of, i have had several friends who claimed their macs didnt get virii or anything and were clean, till i showed them a process list, and a shell process running as a spam mail bot... using their e-mail account... was very comical the reaction that they had

Want to show me how I can check this process list on my MacBook Pro running Snow Leopard?

I've had this machine since Spring of '08. Have never used one single anti-virus program or malware scanner. It still runs as fast as the day I purchased it. I have no complaints.

Take a user testimony for what its worth...

quote Originally posted by 1988holleyformula: Want to show me how I can check this process list on my MacBook Pro running Snow Leopard? I've had this machine since Spring of '08. Have never used one single anti-virus program or malware scanner. It still runs as fast as the day I purchased it. I have no complaints. Take a user testimony for what its worth...

I have used a PC since 1995. I have only had 1 virus. Take a user testimony for what it is worth...

EDIT. It might have been 96. This isn't including school computers and the like, just since I've owned one.

[This message has been edited by ls3mach (edited 10-18-2011).]

quote Originally posted by User00013170: There are some.

Viruses? Which?

(P.S., that's not supposed to sound as rude as it seems.)

quote Originally posted by 1988holleyformula: Want to show me how I can check this process list on my MacBook Pro running Snow Leopard? I've had this machine since Spring of '08. Have never used one single anti-virus program or malware scanner. It still runs as fast as the day I purchased it. I have no complaints. Take a user testimony for what its worth...

Applications -> Utilities -> Activity Monitor.

[This message has been edited by Valkyrie (edited 10-19-2011).]

quote Originally posted by Valkyrie: Applications -> Utilities -> Activity Monitor.

So how's it look gurus?

Looks swell so far, but you'll want to flip it from "My Processes" by the filter box to "All processes" to see everything that's running.

quote Originally posted by Valkyrie: Looks swell so far, but you'll want to flip it from "My Processes" by the filter box to "All processes" to see everything that's running.

Ah, good call.



I really wouldn't know a harmful process unless it was obvious like "WORM"

Everything in that list looks to be in order. Looks like there's more tucked a little lower than the screenshot could take. But I think it's safe to say you're trouble free.