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The Pontificator
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Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 784
Location: Somewhere in South Carolina
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 Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 5:37 pm Post subject: Rogue anti-virus malware targets Macs |
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Safe from rogue anti-virus malware? According to Bleepingcomputer.com, the answer is NO.
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic396473.html
If you haven't already done so...
Safari>Preferences>General>uncheck "Open safe files after download" box. |
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Bandit Bill
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Joined: 07 Jun 2005
Posts: 5805
Location: Edmonton, AB, Canada
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| Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 7:20 pm Post subject: |
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The question should be "are you safe from yourself".
Malware isn't new. This particular malware happens to be clever enough to fool a lot of inexperienced users.
This is not a self propagating virus, this is purely malware. Anyone with a little bit of experience will be fine. Those who fall for the trick will learn from their mistakes and become a more experience computer user because of it.
Thanks for the heads up Pontificator. Hopefully through education none of our 123macmini users will fall for this scam.
So be happy all... there are still no viruses for OS X. Don't be fooled into thinking you need free antivirus software, it's just a trick. More important... don't install any program, unless you are absolutely certain that you need the program and you know the source of the program. Always have your system backed up, just incase you get punked. Whenever you are asked to type in you admin password, this should be a red flag. This is the point of having to type an admin password.
Below is a link to a youtube video that shows how the scam works.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6cvUY4CGp0
p.s. this video is pretty lousy only watch a 3 minutes of it, if you value your time. |
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The Pontificator
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Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 784
Location: Somewhere in South Carolina
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| Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 7:51 pm Post subject: |
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I actually ran into this crap several days ago. I was looking for some new Ubuntu desktop wallpapers and all of a sudden i get this giant pop-up screen that starts running a 'scan' and a .zip file gets downloaded to my "downloads" folder. I, of course, trashed it.
that's why that little check box in Safari>Preferences>General needs to be UNCHECKED! |
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Bandit Bill
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Joined: 07 Jun 2005
Posts: 5805
Location: Edmonton, AB, Canada
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| Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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| The Pontificator wrote: | | that's why that little check box in Safari>Preferences>General needs to be UNCHECKED! |
I agree. 100%
on another note:
A couple of times using my Mac I have had some form of intrusive message pop up. When this happens I won't even close the message window or select any choices. I'll force quit Safari and relaunch it again. I dare not click on anything on the screen. Who knows what sort of trick a developer may play. If you click on no, "no" may download something. |
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The Pontificator
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Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 784
Location: Somewhere in South Carolina
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| Posted: Sun May 15, 2011 10:44 am Post subject: |
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Here is a flyer I made and will post on the bulletin boards at school.
I have also asked the IT Support department to post this warning in the "Hot News" section of the college's website.PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COPY THIS AND DISTRIBUTE WHEREVER YOU NEED TO |
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fiat
Senior Member
Joined: 20 Apr 2009
Posts: 423
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 2:56 pm Post subject: Re: Rogue anti-virus malware targets Macs |
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| The Pontificator wrote: | ...
If you haven't already done so...
Safari>Preferences>General>uncheck "Open safe files after download" box. |
What if use Firefox only? |
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The Pontificator
Veteran Member
Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 784
Location: Somewhere in South Carolina
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 3:04 pm Post subject: Re: Rogue anti-virus malware targets Macs |
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| fiat wrote: | | The Pontificator wrote: | ...
If you haven't already done so...
Safari>Preferences>General>uncheck "Open safe files after download" box. |
What if use Firefox only? |
Do it anyway. It will build character.
Seriously, why would you allow ANY browser to auto-run downloaded files? Why take a chance?
Of course, if you have deleted Safari from your Mac then that's a different story. |
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fiat
Senior Member
Joined: 20 Apr 2009
Posts: 423
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 3:48 pm Post subject: Re: Rogue anti-virus malware targets Macs |
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| The Pontificator wrote: |
Do it anyway. It will build character...
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Do what? There is no similar setting in FF preference. |
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The Pontificator
Veteran Member
Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 784
Location: Somewhere in South Carolina
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| Posted: Thu May 26, 2011 4:15 pm Post subject: Re: Rogue anti-virus malware targets Macs |
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| fiat wrote: | | The Pontificator wrote: |
Do it anyway. It will build character...
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Do what? There is no similar setting in FF preference. |
Sorry about that. The checkbox in question is found only in Safari. I mistakenly thought you were asking if changing the setting in Safari was necessary if you only used Firefox.
Yes, you do want to make the preferences change in Safari but it's not necessary in Firefox because...
Firefox has no such similar preference to enable or disable.
Unlike Safari, FF does not allow auto-run of files by default. |
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