Author Topic: Warning for mac users (Read 5967 times)

rodekyll · « **on:** March 27, 2015, 05:15:53 PM »

IFYI --'ve had a rash of mac viruses and other malware in the shop this month. One is for some reason particularly nasty -- and completely avoidable. It comes as either an email or a pop-up that says people are trying to trick you into letting them steal your information, and you need to call this number and talk to the apple specialist about how to secure your mac. The message is of course the trick, and the phone number is not apple's. It maps back to a place called HEAVEN'S REVENGE (and others). Draw your own conclusions, but don't visit the website.

The other one appears to be coming from facebook and is a browser hijacker/ad conduit. It spawns a lot of pop-ups and is hard to remove withut the help of an antivirus THAT WAS INSTALLED PRIOR TO THE INTRUSION. It attempts to defeat installations of antivirus once it's in the computer. There are several free antivirus programs for mac. I suggest you get yourself one before the fact, since afterward might be too late. I install the mac version of FREE AVG on my customer's computers. It's just one of many.

Hope this helps steer some of you away from trouble.

Matteo · « **Reply #1 on:** March 27, 2015, 05:19:10 PM »

Thanks Dave!

StuCorpe · « **Reply #2 on:** March 27, 2015, 06:06:34 PM »

I am just cleaning out a Windows machine that has what sounds like the same thing for Windows. It seems to be quite well embedded! Watch out! ::(

Sasquatch Jim · « **Reply #3 on:** March 27, 2015, 06:31:08 PM »

Spreading computer viruses needs to be up graded to a capital crime.
If convicted, execution stops recidivism.

Wildguzzi.com · « **Reply #3 on:** March 27, 2015, 06:31:08 PM »

nikwax · « **Reply #4 on:** March 27, 2015, 06:41:10 PM »

Quote from: rodekyll on March 27, 2015, 05:15:53 PM

.

The other one appears to be coming from facebook and is a browser hijacker/ad conduit. It spawns a lot of pop-ups and is hard to remove withut the help of an antivirus THAT WAS INSTALLED PRIOR TO THE INTRUSION. It attempts to defeat installations of antivirus once it's in the computer. There are several free antivirus programs for mac. I suggest you get yourself one before the fact, since afterward might be too late. I install the mac version of FREE AVG on my customer's computers. It's just one of many.

can you say more about this? Does it have a name or some other description?

Bill Hagan · « **Reply #5 on:** March 27, 2015, 06:59:01 PM »

Quote from: Sasquatch Jim on March 27, 2015, 06:31:08 PM

Spreading computer viruses needs to be up graded to a capital crime.
If convicted, execution stops recidivism.

Heartily agree, tho must admit I am curious as to why folks do it.

Bill

Yukonica · « **Reply #6 on:** March 27, 2015, 07:17:05 PM »

So I jumped on board: AVG antiVi for Mac, install free.
Being a guy who believes I should pay my own way in life I want to subscribe to the offering. (thanks for the tip Rodekyll)
Also being a guy who doesn't sign on for a product without knowing the cost.... I'm at a loss. Their website is embarrassed to talk about money?
There are (very fair) prices listed for commercial use in the 'compare products' section.
I read the user agreement (quickly) and did not see anything beyond an auto-renewal claus... no mention of how much the renewal costs.
Other than the first iteration is 'free' I wonder if I'm missing something? Is Steve Jobs overseeing the offering?

Murray · « **Reply #7 on:** March 27, 2015, 07:30:48 PM »

After managing a few windows based machines for various organisations I really think AVG and a number of other of their ilk is worse than the complaint we use security essentials and keep the machines up to date.

The current virus spreaders aren't 14 year old school boys trying to show how cleaver they are, typically they are run by scammers they are after your information or for you to pay them something so they release the computer.

I run macs at home TBH I cringe at the idea of putting a AVG or similar system on it as it will intrude on the user interface. If your ISP provider is onto it a lot of these messages simply will not reach you. Typically there are very few viruses for Macs partly because of their once tiny market share and party because mac haven't licensed the production of machines out to all an sundry and so the operating system is a lot less open source than a PC. So basically if you do get an e-mail regarding a mac virus and it wants you to go to a link its most likely someone trying to get you to load some malware.

However its a fair warning macs market share has increased significantly from about ten years ago and undoubtedly someone somewhere will see it as an opportunity.

Joe A. · « **Reply #8 on:** March 27, 2015, 07:57:36 PM »

thanks for the heads up!

Wayne Orwig · « **Reply #9 on:** March 27, 2015, 08:14:09 PM »

Quote from: Murray on March 27, 2015, 07:30:48 PM

After managing a few windows based machines for various organisations I really think AVG and a number of other of their ilk is worse than the complaint we use security essentials and keep the machines up to date.

As far as I am concerned, Norton anti-virus IS a virus, or close to it. At least in years past.

Kent in Upstate NY · « **Reply #10 on:** March 27, 2015, 08:19:51 PM »

I had one of those popup generators on a PC. It was called the Vundo worm. Trying to get rid of it was like playing Wack a Mole. You could not link to anti malware sites and if you had a malware cleaner, it prevented installation. It also hid itself very well, so when you found and deleted what you thought was the beast, it regenerated. That took a little time, and once I figured out how long it took to renew itself, I was able to install the anti-malware and erase the sucker.

rodekyll · « **Reply #11 on:** March 27, 2015, 09:40:50 PM »

No, I can't give word-for-word messages because they aren't all worded the same. Look in your apps folder for something called securesearch or similar name. It looks legit and might have a file date in 2014. I think the date is spoofed, sine one of the computers was reloaded in January. Inside the folder will be perhaps some subfolders and a file with a name similar to adconduit, conduit, or macbrowserredirecto r. Remember, the names might be different, but they should hearken back to these descriptors. At least three of the files in the folder where you find these are viral. My fix has been to find all the places these files are hiding, defeat the security on them (some want a master password) and trash the folders. Then I follow up with AVG and let it find the rest.

The pop-up is always worded differently, but is to the effect that someone is trying to trick you into giving them your personal information, and tells you to call apple at a bogus number. The message claims to be coming from Microsoft security, Microsoft security essentials, Microsoft antivirus, and other names of programs that are not installed on the computer and may not actually exist.

AVG in the paid version is about $40/yr and is discounted for multi-year or multi-computer subscriptions. I too believe in paying the man for his work, but I also think software should prove itself useful before you spend money on it. So I tell my customers that the first year (of whatever free antivirus I install) is free. I won't do a reload of the free version for the second year. If it works over the first year, in my opinion the programmers have earned the price.

rboe · « **Reply #12 on:** March 27, 2015, 09:42:58 PM »

I've used Sophos Anti-Virus. I can recommend it.

sib · « **Reply #13 on:** March 28, 2015, 07:19:07 AM »

I've been using Macs since they came out in 1984, and a Lisa even before that. I've never encountered, or even heard of, a "virus" that behaves like that. I think you just stumbled onto a spoof web page that wants you to think you have a virus.

fotoguzzi · « **Reply #14 on:** March 28, 2015, 07:42:07 AM »

Quote from: rodekyll on March 27, 2015, 09:40:50 PM

No, I can't give word-for-word messages because they aren't all worded the same. Look in your apps folder for something called securesearch or similar name.

how could anything get into your Application folder with out being installed by administrator of said Mac?

rodekyll · « **Reply #15 on:** March 28, 2015, 01:16:52 PM »

Quote from: sib on March 28, 2015, 07:19:07 AM

I've been using Macs since they came out in 1984, and a Lisa even before that. I've never encountered, or even heard of, a "virus" that behaves like that. I think you just stumbled onto a spoof web page that wants you to think you have a virus.

I 'stumbled' on nothing. I have no intention of debating your opinions with my facts. I'm just giving a heads-up that might keep some folks out of trouble. Believe and do what you like.

NCAmother · « **Reply #16 on:** March 28, 2015, 01:25:29 PM »

Quote from: sib on March 28, 2015, 07:19:07 AM

I've been using Macs since they came out in 1984, and a Lisa even before that. I've never encountered, or even heard of, a "virus" that behaves like that. I think you just stumbled onto a spoof web page that wants you to think you have a virus.

I have the same experience (knock on wood) but I haven't run virus software since I switched PC to Mac. Don't download everything that pops up, and so far so good. And not saying Mac is better, because you do have to pay a premium for their sticker.

rodekyll · « **Reply #17 on:** March 28, 2015, 01:37:33 PM »

*sigh*

Next time I'll lock the topic at the original post. **C

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Author Topic: Warning for mac users (Read 5967 times)

Wildguzzi.com

Bill Hagan

Joe A.