If you found this message, then you should be congratulated for that feat alone.

Anyway, here's the story we're talking about today: If Macintosh users worldwide have one more thing to congratulate themselves for today, it's for not panicking in the face of a potential threat that may just serve as one more indication of the platform's resurgent strength. An instant messaging worm, code-named OSX/Leap-A by security engineers, that poses as a JPEG image being shared on the iChat service, is being recognized for what it is by thousands of Mac users: not a major threat, specifically because Mac users recognize it. Here's the story on TG Daily.

So how do you distinguish between the different categories of malware in your mind? And perhaps even more importantly, should that distinction matter?

Scott M. Fulton, III

I'm not going to get into all of this but it's obvious you're in trouble if you give your root password like that . No OS can protect you if you're a .... let's say naive user . The only flaw seems to be in an app and OS X is still a hard nut to crack because it is after all Unix as is Linux 8) .

Hmmm, let me recap. The user has to download this, doubleclick to unpack it and doubleclick to run it. Then type in name and the admin password. And afterall it doesnt really do anything harmful. Wow, doesnt anybody know where I could get this? 8O

The only thing that it does harmful is is that it "cripples" the latest 5 programs used so that they do not execute. So that is something harmful.
As for where one can get their hands on it, it has basically been eradicated from the internet because of the fast response from the Macintosh community.

Nope. If your account is set with the option "Allow user to administer this computer", it apparently doesn't require a password, due to the default permissions set. Inherent fault of the OS? That's a marginal one.

Eitherway it's not a virus, it's social engineering. No computer user is ever completely safe from themselves... quite how this is news, I'm not sure.

That's just first wave. Be prepared for others....
UNIX also have virus, rite?

you know, im a unix sysadmin, and now that i think about it, i dont remember any unix viruses before now. well worms but you get my meaning.

We need a new term for this 'exploit'.

In other word, those people arguing whether it's a virus or trojan or malware... etc. need a life.

I believe, to classify this whether to virus, trojan, worm.... the very easy out of this is to compare its characteristics with the viruses, Trojans and Worms for Windows... which category in characteristics most satisfies be awarded to this Mac threat. Calling it Malware will be like just calling it only a "bad thing".

I personally believe this is a "Virus".....
Its not trogan cuz of classic old definitions (not current/recent defs by every tom/dickle/harry) trojan when infecting gives some sort of remote admin control. It remains stealth and harms are tasks asociated to remote-controler's operations.
Its also not a Worm cuz worm doesnot damages the PC. Worm is similar to Trojan.. yes and not virus cuz Worm is also leaks perosnal info but it lacks the controlability of remote admin. Worm just keep broadcasting preprogrammed valuable information like all email addresses on the PC for bulk mailers buisness etc.
It is Virus.... cuz it was only damaging the PC it was broadcasting personal info. and it was also not a remot-admin software.

Regards

Muhammad Imran
Islamabad, Pakistan.

CORRECTION (added word "NOT" in last para): Admin please delete the earlier post. Thanks.

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I believe, to classify this whether to virus, trojan, worm.... the very easy out of this is to compare its characteristics with the viruses, Trojans and Worms for Windows... which category in characteristics most satisfies be awarded to this Mac threat. Calling it Malware will be like just calling it only a "bad thing".

I personally believe this is a "Virus".....
Its not trogan cuz of classic old definitions (not current/recent defs by every tom/dickle/harry) trojan when infecting gives some sort of remote admin control. It remains stealth and harms are tasks asociated to remote-controler's operations.
Its also not a Worm cuz worm doesnot damages the PC. Worm is similar to Trojan.. yes and not virus cuz Worm is also leaks perosnal info but it lacks the controlability of remote admin. Worm just keep broadcasting preprogrammed valuable information like all email addresses on the PC for bulk mailers buisness etc.
It is Virus.... cuz it was only damaging the PC it was NOT broadcasting personal info. and it was also not a remot-admin software.

Regards

Muhammad Imran
Islamabad, Pakistan.

After reading the first few responses - where does this "thing" qualify to be a virus or trojan? It qualifies as malware and that is about it.

Has everyone forgot the fact that the way this thing moves about is by iChat - iChat for gods sake, who uses iChat?.......

This is FUD plain and simple - the last poster basically said as much and I agree.

You need a life... [/seriously]

If Mac users want to stay away from this, USE ADIUM. besides its much better any way.

as we all no people who write viruses and such go after the largest population possible ( PC's ) this guy just got a bug up his a** and desided that it would be fun to write a malisious program that would affect 2% of the worlds computer population. it's cool that he took the time and effort to do this but it wasn't really worth it, that and it didn't work. i'd like to get it and see the code that he wrote. be interesting to see.

And if he/she is in this forum. congrats. not many people outside of cupertino can write code for unix.

Very grateful, pgstormblade ...
Tomorow i was also wondering about Mac/Steve Jobs' confusion what to call this threat. there are two points hidden in this confusion

1. The frustruation/rhetoric Mac has with Windows/Bill gates of just-not-to-follow or learn, take good free advice from them.

2. Steve Jobs was perhaps despirately looking fpr a glorious market name for it. perhaps the names before in consideration for "Malware" were MalNano, Then Virus likes threats in future to be called MalMini and reserved name for Trojans be PowerMal..... Common on Steve the virus world is not glorious but its cruel killer world... Please stop using HarryPotter-ious names every where. OS threats are no like Harmless-Wizards/Witches of Harry potter dealing with him while behaving strickly inside british-manners. The OS threats make people cry and companies Bankrupt.

3. The over tiddy dressed and skill-less MAC-OS is perhaps the proof that Mac remained so far behined that when it comes t just identify a hurdel it takes first the Mac marketting people to invent term for it and then to Mac Engineers start written solution using those terms.

Muhammad Imran
Islamabad, Pakistan.

we can all tell your a PC user. : )


dood sorry to say but Apple has beaten Microsoft to the punch many times.

Apple had the first 64 bit OS, Microsoft has yet to relaese a STABLE version of a true 64 bit OS.

OH and dont forget where the original consept of windows came from.

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. Yes it may be a surprise to you but its TRUE. Gates just stole it and marketed it at the right time. besides i predict that Microsofts market share will decress. only because the are so gay about their user licensing i can see them burnning their bridges because of it.

also you might want to watch the CES keynote from Gates. you'll see that gates has once again stolen an idea that someone else came up with and tried miserably to make it his own (Windows Vista)

You know i tend to think that people who talk smack about Apple have never used one. so im going to make a challange to those people. go to an Apple store or online, buy a Mac, and become familliar with it. i can asure you that you wont want to go back to windows. i sure haven't.

OH one last thing Micosoft + Licensing = Microshaft

Dear Pwnage, i agree with you and M$ will keep cheating for ever.. does that pleased.... but dilema is why the "pioneers" are crying fowl when they are left behind. XBOX is cheated version of PS, WindowsCE is perhaps of Symbian, Billgates car whells are cheated from the person who invented Wheel....

Lets assume that MAC was first for 64bit http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/07/07/mac_os_x/ .... saying this i must tell... that when there a new software lets say wine .. will propagate that it runs faster eventhan the actual companies own software.. thing is the new software lacks their own documented features. i.e. Naked man will run faster than one in soldier gear. So when u see Discovery channel etc and F1 racing or Science Programs what will u see... yes Windows running their engineering softwares. Swedish Navy's new stealth fregates run Windows-2000 as Ships central OS....

I have used Mac and Mini aswell... but in brief using there were two tings.. most of the world doesnt even knw there is a root like user for mac and Apple has not even documented that their is and they even dont tell its default password. Mac mini the propagated compact pc cant eject dvd when off with even inserting pin. no mic socket, no battery. it is a 3 times expensinve system than the hardware in it. When u pay for a machine with no screen/keyboard/mouse and equal to a NoteBook's price why not just buy a NoteBook.

The vista delay u r talking is because MS not developing an OS to run iTunes and sincronise iPodNano with it. It is to continue serving/evolving the trillion dollar corporates, Engineers and all the world to migrate to new horizons. It is New space shuttle in development, not yet another flying vehicle.

Yes i am feared of MS licencing. But we atleast not have to fear for the World not following the Moore's law. But still being religious i dont like this too hurry in technology progress.....

Muhammad Imran
Islamabad, Pakistan

im not entirely sure what you're trying to say. but i'll address the points i could make out.

i wasnt talking about panther, i ment tiger. and yes tiger is 64 Bit

yes there is a root user and there is no default password. just leave it blank. you can enable it in the net info manager.

the reason apple doesn't document it is because most people dont need to know. for most standard admiin access is fine. the only people, out side of cupertino, who would want to use the root or su account, are people who like to fidel with things that they shouldn't.

really i counldn't care less about vista being able to run itunes and sincronise with my ipod. that what my mac is for.

the only reason corperations still use window is because its not cost effective to change the way there net work runs.

i cant see why being religious has to do with hurring into technology. im religious too and i love the latest and greatest.

Actually, it's NOT.

Now while this article claims that it's incorrect to say that Apple copied PARC... it's quite clear that the original concept for a GUI did NOT come from Apple. They changed and improved on PARC's concepts, but those concepts were conceived before Apple.

Win XP x86-64 is perfectly stable. It lacks the wide driver support of 32-bit XP, but those issues aside, it is a perfectly stable OS.

As for being the first, you're wrong yet again:

First