Prev: I'll add more RAM to my MacBook
Next: It needs to never be forgotten about Intego that... [Re: OSX/OpinionSpy]
From: J Burns on 4 Jun 2010 19:18
Claude V. Lucas wrote:
> The spyware downloads during the installation process of
> certain applications and screensavers the users download from those
> sites. OpinionSpy is a variant of spyware that has been infecting
> Windows machines since 2008. The spyware asks for the users'
> administrative passwords, claiming the software that will be installed
> will collect browsing and online shopping history. Instead, OpinionSpy
> installs and "runs as root ... with full rights to access and change any
> file on the infected ... computer."
>

It appears that asking for a password to install spyware was not a way
to get users to install it but a way to make them suspicious so there
would be a news story saying Macs are not secure.
From: Tim McNamara on 4 Jun 2010 20:40
In article <tph-965DB1.17010004062010(a)localhost>,
Tom Harrington <tph(a)pcisys.no.spam.dammit.net> wrote:

> In article <4c09763c$0$1633$742ec2ed(a)news.sonic.net>,
> claudel(a)sonic.net (Claude V. Lucas) wrote:
>
> > In article <Ds2dnUdtN90E8JTRnZ2dnUVZ_qydnZ2d(a)earthlink.com>, Kurt
> > Ullman <kurtullman(a)yahoo.com> wrote:
> > >In article <4c09643e$0$1631$742ec2ed(a)news.sonic.net>,
> > > claudel(a)sonic.net (Claude V. Lucas) wrote:
> > >
> > >> In article <5eljauilgt.fsf(a)ethel.the.log>, Doug Anderson
> > >> <ethelthelogremovethis(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> > >> >claudel(a)sonic.net (Claude V. Lucas) writes:
> > >> >
> > >> >> OpinionSpy is a variant of spyware that has been infecting
> > >> >> Windows machines since 2008. The spyware asks for the
> > >> >> users'administrative passwords, claiming the software that
> > >> >> will be installed will collect browsing and online shopping
> > >> >> history.
> > >> >
> > >> >Does it really count as spyware/malware if it _tells_ you
> > >> >during the installation process that it is spyware/malware?
> > >>
> > >> If one is lame enough to give it the root password, then signs
> > >> point to "yes".
> > >
> > > Does that count as malware or suicide?
> > >
> >
> > I've heard such behavior referred to in the South (USA) as "dumb
> > fuckery".
>
> The situation is also described as PEBKAC, "problem exists between
> keyboard and chair".

I think that "dumb fuckery" somehow carries a bit more oomph and is
ahead on succinctness.
From: Claude V. Lucas on 5 Jun 2010 07:53
In article <4c09e5f2$0$23994$e4fe514c(a)dreader29.news.xs4all.nl>,
Cat <0kevi(a)accessforall.invalid> wrote:
>In article <4c095ab5$0$1675$742ec2ed(a)news.sonic.net>,
> claudel(a)sonic.net (Claude V. Lucas) wrote:
>
>> FYI...
>
>Unsure if you have it?
>
>http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20100603055412831
>

Thanks for that...
From: Macdan2004 on 5 Jun 2010 11:55
On 2010-06-04 17:24:03 -0600, dempson(a)actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) said:

> The problem is that some software which is listed/distributed through
> those sites has this spyware included. The same spyware would be
> included if you downloaded the software directly from the vendor's own
> web site and didn't use MacUpdate (etc.) at all.

True. I just hope now that this is known, those sites will remove it
from their list.
--
MacDan2004

From: Macdan2004 on 5 Jun 2010 11:58
On 2010-06-04 14:36:34 -0600, Doug Anderson
<ethelthelogremovethis(a)gmail.com> said:

> Does it really count as spyware/malware if it _tells_ you during the
> installation process that it is spyware/malware?

Not by my definition, no. Read the fine print people. :-)
--
MacDan2004

First  |  Prev  |  Next  |  Last
Pages: 1 2 3 4
Prev: I'll add more RAM to my MacBook
Next: It needs to never be forgotten about Intego that... [Re: OSX/OpinionSpy]