Kip Powick Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 New Virus out there.... W32/mydoom@mm here is part of the warning from NAI ------------------------------------------- This is a mass-mailing worm that arrives in an email message as follows: From: (spoofed) Subject: (Random) Body: (Varies, such as) The message cannot be represented in 7-bit ASCII encoding and has been sent as a binary attachment. The message contains Unicode characters and has been sent as a binary attachment. Mail transaction failed. Partial message is available. Attachment: (varies [.exe, .pif, .cmd, .scr] - often arrives in a ZIP archive) (22,528 bytes) The icon used by the file tries to make it appear as if the attachment is a text file ----------------------------------------- The reason this is important is that NORTON does auto updates to all of us that subscribe to their service on WEDNESDAY and this virus was found today. Go to your antivirus provider and MANUALLY download the virus definition for protection... PS..I rec'd this virus twice today, was not picked up by NORTON, but I DO NOT open email from people I do not know...so was lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Niner Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 Virus-free for 13 years and counting. Besides the aesthetic argument (and the Mac still wins there!), I'm the first to admit that PC's have really caught up to the Mac in many ways. Today's PC is nearly as easy to use as a Mac - and often faster. However, nobody's really been able to argue against the Mac's freedom from viruses... and, with Mac OS X, the stability. I haven't restarted my Powerbook in months. Just close the lid - it sleeps. Open it up - it wakes. Not one crash since going to OS X about 2 years ago. T9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super 80 Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 Macs don't have as many viruses because there are not enough macs for hackers to bother writing them, although alot of Apple system updates would probably qualify as viruses, like the 10.3 upgrade that nuked FW hard drives. I like Mac OS 9, but Mac OS X is just a million shades of horrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super 80 Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 I would imagine a few Apple system updates would probably qualify as viruses, like the 10.3 upgrade that nuked FW hard drives. I like Mac OS 9, but Mac OS X just pisses me off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neo Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 T9'er, Apple makes a nice product, but is there something about them which is inherently virus-free? In other words, if we all take your advice and switch, does that mean that the virus writers are thwarted and we never have to worry again? Or does it simply mean that the virus writers will target Mac's now that everyone's using them? It's a rhetorical question. As far as I know, there's nothing inherently virus-free about the Mac OS; it just such a small percentage of the total number of systems that few virus writers bother to target it. Why program some exploit to target 7% of home PC's when you can target 90%? Also, a virus is one thing but it's merely one aspect of network safety. Apples are just as exposed to many network vulnerabilities as are other computers. Everyone connected to the internet regardless of their operating system needs a good software or hardware firewall. Happy computin', neo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kip Powick Posted January 27, 2004 Author Share Posted January 27, 2004 I guess you won't part with your : Eight Track,or your Beta Tape VCR, or your 45s, 78s and 331/3s, as well as your Rotary Dial telephone and, the good ole 21inch B and W TV.....either :> :> :> :> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Niner Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 Oooh... ow... you slay me Kip!! Comparing Apples to 8-tracks (or any other outdated technology) is "fruitless" because there's nothing outdated about Macs. Say what you like about 'em but they're always on the cutting edge. Apple likes innovation. Apologies for my insufferable Mac evangelism... T9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Niner Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 Can't argue with you there Neo. If everyone had a Mac (ahhh... Nirvana!) then the hackers would target them with gusto. As it is, OS X is essentially a UNIX system, which (though attackable by hackers) has proven itself over the years to be 2 things: 1) Whip-fast. 2) Robust. I'm sure Macs have been "virused" but it hasn't been my experience... and you gotta like the crash-proof stability. T9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tango Niner Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 Yes, the initial 10.3 release had a bug in it which was potentially destructive to data in a few cases. It was quickly fixed. Overall 10.3 really rocks over 10.2 - much faster and with a lot of cool new features. I'd suggest giving 10.3 another try. The current version (10.3.2) is safe, stable, and fast - even on older systems. What kind of system do you have? If you've got a 400MHz or faster machine, OS X 10.3.2 is the way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Max Continuous Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.novarg.a@mm.html For those needing to manually update using Symantec. Thanks for the heads up KP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super 80 Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 I used 10.1 and 10.2, but after using 10.2 for a few months I went back to Mac OS 9, Mac OS X is just not worth the trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest M. McRae Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 In actual fact, Norton put out a special update today for those of us who use the update feature and have so posted on their site. I just checked my def. data base and it has been updated to reflect this new virus, but of course it does not hurt to open your Norton program and request a liveupdate if yours is not set to do so when you start up your system or as some people do, leave it running all of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Sam of Old Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest easyjazz Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 Ahhh, Another Mac affectionado. Music to my ears. They are truly a great system and yes neo if everyone had one then we would have to ask the folks at cuppertino to snuff them out. Try one, you will love it, I know...I swithched:) easyjazz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagger Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 No not inherently virus free, but the effect is the same. I have received several of the offending virus emails today but they can do me no harm. I don't even have the latest MAC OS on my machine, and as the company is no longer providing much support for OS 8.6, I presume no virus writer on the planet has any intention of writing a nasty that affects my computer. Ergo, I am virus-protected for as long as this sack of circuits holds up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neo Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 Another Mac user? Don't you ever get tired of being wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagger Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 That's like asking a Mercedes driver whether he ever gets tired of driving a foreign car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neo Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 "I presume no virus writer on the planet has any intention of writing a nasty that affects my computer." A quick i-search suggests that a lot of people don't agree with you. There are numerous anti-virus products for Macintosh computers, including the heavyweight corps like Symantec. By the way, these products make a point of saying that they work with OS X, too. Macs are nice computers by all accounts. If I had one would I use it on the internet without every protection known to man? Not on your life. neo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neo Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 Very similar, actually. You can pay through the nose for your Mercedes when there's cars that will do a better job for less money. Macs are just the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagger Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 Sorry, not having to learn about the DOS-based concept of execution files and other Windows crap is reason enough to own a Mac. Mac is the ultimate in one-touch simplicity... I moved from PC to Mac in 1998 when most people were going the other way and with a new computer purchase in the offing, I cannot conceive of going back to PC. As for price, there is a price to pay for reliability and stability and styling and features... otherwise we would all be driving Yugos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shibui Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 As a dedicated Mercedes driver we must here part ways at least temporarily. "cars that will do a better job for less money".... I would say there are cars that will do an equal "job" for less money, but then doing a "job" is what I rely upon my toilet tissue for. My vehicle looms quite a bit larger in my life. And yes, my other car IS a Porsche. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest happy 94 Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 Now what is more functional than this :$ http://www.cruisin66.com/images/y_porto.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neo Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 DOS-based concepts? 1998? My friend, those were an ETERNITY ago in the world of PC's. You have to understand, the rest of the computing world doesn't evolve at the relative snail's pace at Apple. The frenzy of competition in both the software and hardware for PC's is why they've surpassed Macs, and will pull even farther ahead for the foreseeable future. Which admittedly is not long when talking about computers. If you're happy with the job your computer is doing for ya, great! That's all that matters. But regardless of the system I used, I'd still run anti-virus and I'd still have a firewall. Having both is fundamental to safe computin'. Best, neo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest neo Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 Well, a person could use silk for toilet paper if they wished. I can only imagine the effect would be wonderful, but in the end is the task you've accomplished worth the expense? I can understand getting a certain level of satisfaction out of owning an expensive vehicle. And I do get satisfaction from sitting on the toilet. But in the grand scheme of things I don't propose that either activity deserves a very elevated status. neo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shibui Posted January 27, 2004 Share Posted January 27, 2004 The American market excepted, it is inconceivable that any conscious being would take satisfaction out of owning an 'expensive' vehicle. A Cadillac is an expensive vehicle, but third-hand information I have received indicates that as a condition of sale one is give a paper bag to place over one's head before leaving the dealership to deflect besmirchment of the family honour. Mercedes and Porsches are only incidentally expensive vehicles. They are a Teutonically-flavoured expression of the pinnacle of human acheivement, given to us in a form which may be used every day. Deo Gratias. It must be admitted that we all take our satisfactions at different levels and from different facets, but surely you must have had a Shiraz or Cabernet recently which left you weak in the knees but which I (mea culpa) would probably have used for salad dressing. Depending on your susceptability to apocolyptic visions it's all vanitas anyway. In the words of the Prophet: "Princes on the steeple and all the pretty people, winkin', thinkin' that they 'got it made'- exchangin' all precious gifts... well, you'd better take your diamond ring - you'd better PAWN it babe...' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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