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From: Claude V. Lucas on 4 Jun 2010 15:57
FYI...

From today's SANS Newsbites Vol. 12 Num. 44

quoted without permission...

--Spyware Variant Targets Macs
(June 1, 2010)
Spyware that targets Mac users has been detected on three widely-used
download sites. The OSX/OpinionSpy software spreads through the
Softpedia, MacUpdate and VersionTracker sites. OpinionSpy scans hard
drives for information and injects code into certain applications that
allows it to search for email addresses, message headers and other
information. 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."

<http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/06/01/mac_spyware/>

<http://voices.washingtonpost.com/fasterforward/2010/06/mac_spyware_alert_is_nothing_n.html>

<http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/197696/security_firm_discovers_spyware_in_mac_software.html>


[Editor's Note (Pescatore): While there is *less* Mac malware around
than PC malware, there is plenty around. The new calculus of targeted
attacks means using a low market share product gains you *no* security
through obscurity - if you are using Macs or Linux or whatever, when
someone targets you they go after the numerous vulnerabilities in those
platforms - or in reality, the vulnerabilities of your users.]

end quote.


Careful with those root/admin passwords, kids....
From: M-M on 4 Jun 2010 16:09
In article <4c095ab5$0$1675$742ec2ed(a)news.sonic.net>,
claudel(a)sonic.net (Claude V. Lucas) wrote:

> The spyware asks for the users'
> administrative passwords, claiming the software that will be installed
>
> will collect browsing and online shopping history.


No OS is safe if you give out your admin pw.

--
m-m
http://www.mhmyers.com
From: Claude V. Lucas on 4 Jun 2010 16:09
In article <michelle-23D53B.13032604062010(a)news.eternal-september.org>,
Michelle Steiner <michelle(a)michelle.org> wrote:
>In article <4c095ab5$0$1675$742ec2ed(a)news.sonic.net>,
> claudel(a)sonic.net (Claude V. Lucas) wrote:
>
>> The spyware asks for the users' administrative passwords, claiming the
>> software that will be installed will collect browsing and online
>> shopping history.
>
>That's reason enough for me not to install it in the first place.
>

Ya think?
From: Doug Anderson on 4 Jun 2010 16:36
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?
From: Claude V. Lucas on 4 Jun 2010 16:38
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".
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