{"id":2943,"date":"2010-06-18T15:29:52","date_gmt":"2010-06-18T19:29:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rbachnet.wwwmi3-ss40.a2hosted.com\/?p=2943"},"modified":"2022-12-30T15:18:13","modified_gmt":"2022-12-30T20:18:13","slug":"full-av-needed-for-macos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rbach.net\/index.php\/full-av-needed-for-macos\/","title":{"rendered":"Full AV Needed for MacOS"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"The Mac antivirus vendor Intego<\/a> has identified a new malware threat for MacOS. On the Mac Security Blog<\/a>, the firm calls<\/a> the threat, OSX\/OpinionSpy, a “high risk.” According to their blog, the main distribution channel for the malware through screen saver programs downloadable from reputable download sites including MacUpdate,<\/a> VersionTracker<\/a>, and Softpedia<\/a>. The malicious code does the typical malware things like scan files, record user activity, create a backdoor, and send stolen data to remote servers.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>SeacrchSecurit<\/a>y<\/em> quotes security expert and SANS Institute<\/a> instructor, Rob VandenBrink, writing on the SANS Internet Storm Center Diary<\/a>, who said the malware is a simple bolt-on to other freely downloadable applications. “The neat thing about this malware is that it passes most static scan tests – the downloaded software itself is clean, the malware is downloaded as part of the installation process,” VandenBrink wrote. “This highlights the requirement for an on-access virus scanner for your OSX computers.”<\/p>\n

rb-<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Many people have long-held that macOS is more secure than Windows. macOS and its underlying *NIX OS have their own issues. The recent announcement by Google to increase its use of non-Windows OS’s (here<\/a> and here<\/a>) has made macOS security thru obscurity mute. Mickey Boodaei, CEO of security vendor Trusteer, told SC Magazine<\/a>, \u201cMac and Linux are not more secure than Windows. They’re less targeted. There is a big difference.”
\n<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

This announcement weakens the theory that using MacOS computers is the best way to secure online financial transactions. For the time being, a * NIX-based live CD is probably the safest bet to secure your online financial transactions.<\/em><\/p>\n

macOS users should get a real anti-malware package that includes an on-access scanner.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ralph Bach<\/a>\u00a0has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his\u00a0Bach Seat<\/a> about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0and\u00a0Twitter<\/a>. Email the Bach Seat\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New macOS malware is a simple bolt-on to other freely downloadable applications that pass most static scan tests<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[3240,420,101,3023,197,23,282,4,1468],"class_list":["post-2943","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-security","tag-3240","tag-aapl","tag-apple","tag-intego","tag-macos","tag-malware","tag-sans-institute","tag-security","tag-trusteer"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t