Apple Updates Malware Definitions to Protect Against Botnet Threat Coordinated via Reddit

[Builder]

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/10/04/iworm-malware-xprotect/

 

@LAwLz They got on this one fast

 

For those of you that haven't heard of why this happens yet, (get on your RSS bro!) the infection is a trojan that masquerades as the installer for popular pirated software like Photoshop. http://www.thesafemac.com/iworm-method-of-infection-found/ So no, the Mac is not suddenly vulnerable. Trojans exist for all platforms and the moral of the story, as always, is DON'T PIRATE YOUR SHIT!

In an effort to address the threat, Apple has now updated its "Xprotect" anti-malware system to recognize two different variants of the iWorm malware and prevent them from being installed on users' machines.

Honestly even I'm shocked by this one. They got on this faster than I've ever seen before and faster than a lot of other companies I've known of as well. Maybe this means a stronger security effort from them in the future. I sure hope so!

 

[Unhelpful]

Trojans exist for all platforms and the moral of the story, as always, is DON'T PIRATE YOUR SHIT!

Words to live by.

[Snickerzz]

Osx has built in antivirus? O,o

[patrickjp93]

Osx has built in antivirus? O,o

You didn't know that?! Go into your terminal and use the ps command to view processes.

[Builder]

Osx has built in antivirus? O,o

Of course it does. Apple is surprisingly not awful at security. 

[Snickerzz]

You didn't know that?! Go into your terminal and use the ps command to view processes.

 im not running osx currently, decided to wait for yosemite. In the mean time im using my ssd in my ps3, gtav loads sooooo much faster  

Of course it does. Apple is surprisingly not awful at security.

TIL

[Builder]

TIL

Had to say not awful because I'd get flamed for saying otherwise.

 

They're good at security. Not fantastic, but good.

[Snickerzz]

Had to say not awful because I'd get flamed for saying otherwise.

 

They're good at security. Not fantastic, but good.

im sure its better than msse

[Builder]

im sure its better than msse

I like to think so. It does a good job of staying the fuck out of your way. (silent updates)

[Builder]

You didn't know that?! Go into your terminal and use the ps command to view processes.

Does that show XProtect?

[Misanthrope]

Had to say not awful because I'd get flamed for saying otherwise.

They're good at security. Not fantastic, but good.

I can still manage though not seriously of course: It's easy to have a secure system if you mostly copy/paste freebsd

[Builder]

I can still manage though not seriously of course: It's easy to have a secure system if you mostly copy/paste freebsd

Ehhh...they didn't really though. I mean it has the networking stack I believe and some other components, (networking stack IS a big security feature) but much of the stuff in Darwin is different because the kernel was so strange at the time being a hybrid microkernel.

[Techhog]

Of course it does. Apple is surprisingly not awful at security. 

To be fair, Windows has a malware tool too, though it's likely less powerful.

[Builder]

To be fair, Windows has a malware tool too, though it's likely less powerful.

I know. I use Security Essentials (among other tools) on my machines as well. XProtect is slightly different though because it works completely in the background.

[Techhog]

I know. I use Security Essentials (among other tools) on my machines as well. XProtect is slightly different though because it works completely in the background.

I was actually talking about the monthly malware removal too. For some dumb reason, MSE isn't available for Windows 8 and later. They feel that Defender is enough. That actually runs in the background, though.

[Builder]

I was actually talking about the monthly malware removal too. For some dumb reason, MSE isn't available for Windows 8 and later. They feel that Defender is enough. That actually runs in the background, though.

Yeah but XProtect is like background background. Most people don't even know (or believe ) it exists when I tell them.

[AlwaysFSX]

So did they have to pirate photoshop in order to find this?

[Techhog]

Yeah but XProtect is like background background. Most people don't even know (or believe ) it exists when I tell them.

Yeah, I know. It's Apple's style.

[Builder]

Yeah, I know. It's Apple's style.

Honestly it concerns me a little bit because I do indeed like knowing what's going on with my computer so I have a script that tells me when it detects an update to the definitions plist so I know it's at least doing something.

[AlexGoesHigh]

I was actually talking about the monthly malware removal too. For some dumb reason, MSE isn't available for Windows 8 and later. They feel that Defender is enough. That actually runs in the background, though.

That's because defender is the same thing as mse expect the gui and updates automatically

[flibberdipper]

Not bad Apple. Makes me want a Mac Mini even more.

[Builder]

Not bad Apple. Makes me want a Mac Mini even more.