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Mac Myths

One of the things that has helped make Apple’s personal computers popular is their immunity to viruses and other malicious software.

It would be a great selling point if it wasn’t a myth.

The myth has come from the fact that, in its early days, the bad boys who write malicious software left Apple alone because it was such a small part of the market.

Apple’s market share has recently grown to around 10 per cent of the market, attracting more attention from the creators of viruses who are still focused on bringing down the nearly 90 per cent of personal computers running an iteration of Microsoft’s operating system.

Mac Defender is a Mac invader

Mac Defender, also known as Mac Protector, Mac Security, Mac Guard and Mac Shield, is a Trojan horse masquerading as an anti-virus program for Apple computers which run the Mac OS X operating system, although it is probably the most prolific.

The Leap, or Oompa-Loompa, virus for Macs was discovered in 2006 which spreads over Local Area Networks. It’s been incorrectly described as the major malicious software (malware) threat for Apple.

Computers infected with Mac Defender generate a pop up with a message that the machine is infected with a virus when the user tries to open an image in a search engine such as Google or Bing. It then prompts the user to download the Mac Defender program for US$59.99 to clean the system which, instead, passes the users names and credit card details on to the creators while automatically opening pornographic websites.

Unhelpful centre

In less than a month staff at Apple’s AppleCare help centre received 60,000 calls in relation to Mac Defender but were instructed, by Apple, not to assist them.

It took Apple about a month to release a software patch, Security Update 2011-003, which automatically removes Mac Defender and updates the system with new malware definitions as they are discovered.

Security Update 2011-003 can be downloaded and installed in via the Mac OS X Software Update, accessed by clicking the Apple in the top left of the screen, or from Apple. Third party internet security packages are also advisable for an extra layer of protection.

Need A Nerd recommends ESET CyberSecurity for Mac which protects against viruses and spyware and delivers online security training in the bargain.

ESET CyberSecurity:

■Blocks any attempts to infect your Mac or steal your personal information through viruses, trojans and other forms of malware.

■Eliminates viruses and other threats to your Mac from email and removable media, such as USB, FireWire, CDs, and DVDs.

■Protects your Mac from malicious third party applications.

You can try, for 30 days, before you buy by downloading it from www.eset.com/us/home/cybersecurity-for-mac.

Another option is Norton for Mac, from Symantec, which:

■Automatically detects and removes viruses. Offers automatic protection against the latest threats with set-and-forget convenience

■Scans and cleans downloaded files and email attachments. Delivers continuous, up-to-date protection via fast updates

■Protects against attacks that target software vulnerabilities. Provides advanced protection against software and Internet vulnerabilities.

You can trial it free for 30 days by downloading a copy from www.symantec.com