Mac OS X 10.6.4 Now Available
18/06/10 11:14
The latest version of Mac
OS X, 10.6.4, is now available via Software Update.
This update is recommended for all users running Snow
Leopard and includes the latest Safari web browser
release, version 5.0. It also delivers fixes for
several application issues and core hardware problems:
• resolve an issue that causes the keyboard or trackpad to become unresponsive
• resolve an issue that may prevent some Adobe Creative Suite 3 applications from opening
• address issues copying, renaming, or deleting files on SMB file servers
• improve reliability of VPN connections
• resolve a playback issue in DVD Player when using Good Quality deinterlacing
• resolve an issue editing photos with iPhoto or Aperture in full screen view
• improve compatibility with some braille displays
Full details of the update are described in the following Apple knowledge base article http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4150
The Mac OS X release also includes a number of security updates, amongst which is an update to Apple’s own malware detection for the HellRTS threat - this is a malicious Trojan pretending to be an iPhoto posting on the internet.
Full details of the security update can be found here http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222
If you need to update multiple computers and would prefer to download the relevant update only once then this can be located on the following webpage http://support.apple.com/downloads/#macosx106
Apple recommends that you back up your system before upgrading to 10.6.4.
• resolve an issue that causes the keyboard or trackpad to become unresponsive
• resolve an issue that may prevent some Adobe Creative Suite 3 applications from opening
• address issues copying, renaming, or deleting files on SMB file servers
• improve reliability of VPN connections
• resolve a playback issue in DVD Player when using Good Quality deinterlacing
• resolve an issue editing photos with iPhoto or Aperture in full screen view
• improve compatibility with some braille displays
Full details of the update are described in the following Apple knowledge base article http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4150
The Mac OS X release also includes a number of security updates, amongst which is an update to Apple’s own malware detection for the HellRTS threat - this is a malicious Trojan pretending to be an iPhoto posting on the internet.
Full details of the security update can be found here http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222
If you need to update multiple computers and would prefer to download the relevant update only once then this can be located on the following webpage http://support.apple.com/downloads/#macosx106
Apple recommends that you back up your system before upgrading to 10.6.4.
Premier Opinion, Spyware, Trojan or legitimate software?
02/06/10 16:15
With the much-heralded
discovery of the latest Mac computer threat,
OSX/opinionspy, on a variety of Mac software download
sites, the question arises as to whether it is actually
Spyware, a Trojan or legitimate software.
Clearly the makers of the 7art screensavers believe it is legitimate software, designed to allow you to download their screensavers freely, based on the understanding that you are participating in a market survey by providing details of your computer usage and online habits.
The integral component of the Premier Opinion software does ask you to accept (and presumably read) their conditions before continuing with the installation - there’s no opt-out choice just for this component.
Clearly the makers of the 7art screensavers believe it is legitimate software, designed to allow you to download their screensavers freely, based on the understanding that you are participating in a market survey by providing details of your computer usage and online habits.
The integral component of the Premier Opinion software does ask you to accept (and presumably read) their conditions before continuing with the installation - there’s no opt-out choice just for this component.
Admittedly, the software does not
attempt to obfuscate itself so it should be quite easy
to spot if you have installed it, there is a menu bar
icon at the top of your screen and most of the software
is located in the Applications folder - there’s also a
launchd file in LaunchDaemons.
Arguably, this ‘threat’ could be classified as a Trojan
rather than spyware i.e. you thought you were
downloading just a screensaver but got more than you
bargained for because it’s installed all these other
components:
Once you install the screensaver there is a root
process called PremierOpinion that does appear to be
reasonably active; what exactly it is collecting from
your computer and how that information is used will
determine how nefarious this application is.
Uninstalling the screensaver does NOT remove the
Premier Opinion software, for that you will need to run
the Premier Opinion Uninstaller located in the
/Application/Premier Opinion folder by default.
So the moral of this story is read the license
agreement in installers and be fully aware of what you
are signing up to. If in doubt, only download and
install software that you actually need from websites
that you absolutely trust - are your private details
and computer usage profile worth the risk!
Apple go from strength to strength in the first Quarter of 2010
20/04/10 21:49
Apple today posted their
financial results for its second fiscal quarter of the
year, ending in March 2010. Revenue of $13.5 billion
and profit of over $3 billion were attributed to sales
of 8.75 million iPhones, 10.89 million iPods and almost
3 million Macs shipped in the first 3 months of 2010.
It was the best non-holiday quarter figures ever by Apple, with revenues up almost 50% and profit up 90%. With the recent release of the iPad and “...more extraordinary products in the pipeline for this year”, the future is looking extremely interesting and healthy for the Cupertino-based company.
Read more... Apple Reports Second Quarter Results
It was the best non-holiday quarter figures ever by Apple, with revenues up almost 50% and profit up 90%. With the recent release of the iPad and “...more extraordinary products in the pipeline for this year”, the future is looking extremely interesting and healthy for the Cupertino-based company.
Read more... Apple Reports Second Quarter Results
27- inch iMac EFI Firmware Update
15/04/10 14:15
If you are fortunate
enough to own one of the new 27-inch quad-core iMacs
then you’ll be pleased to know that Apple have released
a firmware update for Mac OS X 10.6.3 to address a
number of issues with high processor usage and display
backlighting problems.
As usual the update is available through Software Update and will be downloaded automatically if you have ‘Check for Updates’ selected in your System Preferences.
As usual the update is available through Software Update and will be downloaded automatically if you have ‘Check for Updates’ selected in your System Preferences.
Mac OS X 10.6.3 and Security Update 2010-003 Released
14/04/10 16:16
Apple has released a
security update for Snow Leopard and Leopard users. The
upgrade covers a single vulnerability in Apple Type
Services (ATS) when viewing or downloading documents
that contain ‘maliciously crafted embedded fonts’ ,
which was recently reported in the media and credited
to computer security researcher Charlie Miller. An
Apple knowledgebase article describes the content of
the update in more detail, http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4131
The size of the Leopard update is considerably larger than the Snow Leopard download as it contains previous security patches. As well as being available via Software Updates, the updates can also be manually downloaded via the links below:
Snow Leopard Update (6.5MB)
Leopard Update - Client (218.6MB)
Leopard Update - Server (379.5 MB)
The size of the Leopard update is considerably larger than the Snow Leopard download as it contains previous security patches. As well as being available via Software Updates, the updates can also be manually downloaded via the links below:
Snow Leopard Update (6.5MB)
Leopard Update - Client (218.6MB)
Leopard Update - Server (379.5 MB)
Mac OS X 10.6.3 and Security Update 2010-002 Released
30/03/10 13:49
Apple has released a major
update for Mac OS X. The upgrade to Snow Leopard,
10.6.3, is available through Software Update and will
be downloaded automatically if you have ‘Check for
Updates’ selected in your System Preferences.
You can also manually download the Update from here if you have multiple computers that need updating and only want to download the update once. Be aware that it is 720MB for the update and 784MB for the Combo Update.
Apple recommends that you back up your system before upgrading to 10.6.3.
The update covers general operating system fixes for a wide variety of applications and core technologies, ranging from Time Machine, Mail, iCal to MobileMe, Airport and Directory Services. Further information can be found on the Apple website About the Mac OS X v10.6.3 Update
In addition, the release includes a significant number of security fixes which are detailed in the following knowledgebase article Security Update 2010-002 Note, the Security Update applies to both 10.5.8 and 10.6
You can also manually download the Update from here if you have multiple computers that need updating and only want to download the update once. Be aware that it is 720MB for the update and 784MB for the Combo Update.
Apple recommends that you back up your system before upgrading to 10.6.3.
The update covers general operating system fixes for a wide variety of applications and core technologies, ranging from Time Machine, Mail, iCal to MobileMe, Airport and Directory Services. Further information can be found on the Apple website About the Mac OS X v10.6.3 Update
In addition, the release includes a significant number of security fixes which are detailed in the following knowledgebase article Security Update 2010-002 Note, the Security Update applies to both 10.5.8 and 10.6
Apple Security Update 2010-01
20/01/10 09:44
Apple has released Security Update 2010-01 to fix a
number of vulnerabilities in Adobe Flash Player plug-in
and to resolve potential problems with Image rendering.
The update is available for Mac OS X 10.5.x and Mac OS
X 10.6.x and can be downloaded via Software Update on
your Mac.
Mac users can read a full description of the Security fixes on the Apple website http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4004
Mac users can read a full description of the Security fixes on the Apple website http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4004
ProtectMac AntiVirus Version 1.1.2 Released
19/12/09 15:30
A new version of
ProtectMac AntiVirus has been released. Version 1.12
will be downloaded automatically if you have ‘Checked
for Updates’ enabled in the application’s Updating
preferences. See Updating
Preferences
The new version contains the following changes:
Customers can check the version of ProtectMac AntiVirus they are running in the Application’s About box. Read more...
The new version contains the following changes:
- Clearing the Recent Finder Scans menu has been made more reliable.
- VoiceOver support has been enhanced.
- Improved the editing of the Scheduled Scan time in different time zones.
Customers can check the version of ProtectMac AntiVirus they are running in the Application’s About box. Read more...
Lose/Lose a game too far?
04/11/09 11:42
A Mac OS X arcade-style,
shoot’m-up alien game named Lose/Lose has been doing
the rounds recently. One of the aims of the author is
to supposedly raise questions about the role of these
type of video games, whilst using the files on your
disk as collateral: every time you kill an alien a
random file on your disk is deleted.
At the moment the game can only be downloaded via the author’s website, if you are happy to ignore the big red warning!
KILLING ALIENS IN LOSE/LOSE WILL DELETE FILES ON YOUR HARD DRIVE PERMANANTLY
Although the player is given several warnings about what the game will do, and it may not have been created with malicious intent, the idea of deleting personal files and system files on someone’s Mac to make a point, clearly has an impact on the security and integrity of their system.
So the moral of the story is, if you don’t want to lose your files don’t run the game!
For more information see OSX.LoseGame on the Macintosh Malware page .
At the moment the game can only be downloaded via the author’s website, if you are happy to ignore the big red warning!
KILLING ALIENS IN LOSE/LOSE WILL DELETE FILES ON YOUR HARD DRIVE PERMANANTLY
Although the player is given several warnings about what the game will do, and it may not have been created with malicious intent, the idea of deleting personal files and system files on someone’s Mac to make a point, clearly has an impact on the security and integrity of their system.
So the moral of the story is, if you don’t want to lose your files don’t run the game!
For more information see OSX.LoseGame on the Macintosh Malware page .
ProtectMac AntiVirus Version 1.1.1 Released
07/10/09 18:15
A new version of
ProtectMac AntiVirus has been released. Version 1.1.1
will be downloaded automatically if you have ‘Checked
for Updates’ enabled in the application’s Updating
preferences. See Updating
Preferences
The new version contains the following changes:
Customers can check the version of ProtectMac AntiVirus they are running in the Application’s About box. Read more...
The new version contains the following changes:
- a Service to allow Finder Contextual menu scanning on Snow Leopard
- user interface enhancements
- an update to the license renewal feature in the application, that verifies a customer’s license key and redirects the user to the Renewal page of the online store at a click of a button
- ProtectMac menu integrity check on startup.
Customers can check the version of ProtectMac AntiVirus they are running in the Application’s About box. Read more...
Apple Mac OS X 10.6.1 Update
10/09/09 18:01
Apple has released Mac OS
X 10.6.1. The first upgrade to Snow Leopard is
available through Software Update and will be
downloaded automatically if you have ‘Check for
Updates’ selected in your System Preferences.
“The 10.6.1 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Snow Leopard version and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.”
There are specific fixes in several areas:
For detailed information on this update, please visit the Apple support website: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT38103
Corresponding security patches have also been release with 10.6.1 and are described in the following knowledgebase article: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222
“The 10.6.1 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Snow Leopard version and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.”
There are specific fixes in several areas:
- compatibility with Sierra Wireless 3G modems
- a fix to prevent DVD playback from stopping unexpectedly
- resolution of a problem where automatic account setup in Mail might fail
- printer compatibility drivers failing to be displayed correctly in the printer browser
- problems removing items form the Dock
- unresponsiveness of Motion 4
For detailed information on this update, please visit the Apple support website: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT38103
Corresponding security patches have also been release with 10.6.1 and are described in the following knowledgebase article: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222
Apple Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard Released
28/08/09 17:37
Apple released their long
awaited update to Mac OS X today. Mac OS X 10.6, Snow
Leopard, goes on sale for just $29 for those upgrading
from Snow Leopard.
A plethora of updates to core systems and application have been included in this release. It’s “Better, Faster. Easier”, to quote Apple. To read what’s new in Snow Leopard check out the Apple website.
And, of course, ProtectMac AntiVirus fully supports this new operating system. Support Information...
A plethora of updates to core systems and application have been included in this release. It’s “Better, Faster. Easier”, to quote Apple. To read what’s new in Snow Leopard check out the Apple website.
And, of course, ProtectMac AntiVirus fully supports this new operating system. Support Information...
ProtectMac AntiVirus v1.1 Snow Leopard version available
27/08/09 16:31
A new version of
ProtectMac AntiVirus, version 1.1, is available to
compliment the forthcoming release of Mac OS X 10.6
Snow Leopard.
The new version of ProtectMac AntiVirus also includes the following enhancements:
Users should ensure that they are running ProtectMac AntiVirus version 1.1 or later before upgrading to Snow Leopard. See the Support pages for more information...
The new version of ProtectMac AntiVirus also includes the following enhancements:
- Snow Leopard is fully supported in both 32-bit and 64-bit modes.
- Compatibility with FileVault has been improved.
- File-access scanning performance has been enhanced.
Users should ensure that they are running ProtectMac AntiVirus version 1.1 or later before upgrading to Snow Leopard. See the Support pages for more information...
Mac OS X 10.5.8 Released
05/08/09 13:39
Apple has released version
10.5.8, probably the last major upgrade of Mac OS X
10.5 before Mac OS X 10.6, Snow Leopard, is available
sometime in August or September.
The latest upgrade to Leopard is available through Software Update and will be downloaded automatically if you have ‘Check for Updates’ selected in your System Preferences.
“The 10.5.8 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard version 10.5.7 and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.”
There are specific fixes in several areas:
This update also upgrades Safari to version 4.0.2.
For detailed information on this update, please visit the Apple support website: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3606
The numerous security patches, ranging from kernel to dock enhancements, are described in the following knowledgebase article: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3757
The latest upgrade to Leopard is available through Software Update and will be downloaded automatically if you have ‘Check for Updates’ selected in your System Preferences.
“The 10.5.8 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard version 10.5.7 and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.”
There are specific fixes in several areas:
- compatibility and reliability issues when joining AirPort networks.
- an issue that could cause some monitor resolutions to no longer appear in Displays System Preferences.
- issues that may affect Bluetooth reliability.
This update also upgrades Safari to version 4.0.2.
For detailed information on this update, please visit the Apple support website: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3606
The numerous security patches, ranging from kernel to dock enhancements, are described in the following knowledgebase article: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3757
OSX.Jahlav.C Trojan discovered
11/06/09 22:45
A variant of the Jahlav family of Trojans has been
discovered. OSX.Jahlav.C pretends to be a fix for a
missing ActiveX Object, copying itself to your Mac when
you run the installer.
For more information see the Macintosh Malware page.
For more information see the Macintosh Malware page.
Security Update for iTunes and QuickTime
02/06/09 11:04
Apple has released an update to fix a number of
security issues within QuickTime and iTunes.
QuickTime version 7.6.2, resolves an exploit whereby hackers creating a movie or graphics file could use this file to execute malicious code on your computer. iTunes version 8.2, fixes a stack buffer overflow problem which again could allow hackers to run code if the user visits a “maliciously crafted website”.
The updates to these applications apply to both Mac and Windows users.
QuickTime version 7.6.2, resolves an exploit whereby hackers creating a movie or graphics file could use this file to execute malicious code on your computer. iTunes version 8.2, fixes a stack buffer overflow problem which again could allow hackers to run code if the user visits a “maliciously crafted website”.
The updates to these applications apply to both Mac and Windows users.
Mac OS X 10.5.7 Released
12/05/09 19:49
Apple has released version 10.5.7. The latest upgrade
to Mac OS 10.5 Leopard is available through Software
Update and will be downloaded automatically if you have
Check for Updates selected in your Preferences.
“The Mac OS X 10.5.7 Update is recommended for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.”
Be patient, though, as the upgrade includes changes to many applications and components and has several security fixes, it stands at a hefty 449MB for 10.5.6 users!
Further details of the upgrade can be found on the Apple support page http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3397 along with a description of the Security Updates http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222
“The Mac OS X 10.5.7 Update is recommended for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.”
Be patient, though, as the upgrade includes changes to many applications and components and has several security fixes, it stands at a hefty 449MB for 10.5.6 users!
Further details of the upgrade can be found on the Apple support page http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3397 along with a description of the Security Updates http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222
OSX.RSPlug.F Discovered
20/03/09 10:56
A variant of the RSPlug Trojan has been discovered that
modifies network configuration on your Mac, changing
the DNS Server settings and redirecting the user to
malicious websites when browsing the internet.
The Trojan has been posted on various websites as installers for Avid Express Pro.
For more information view the Macintosh Malware page.
The Trojan has been posted on various websites as installers for Avid Express Pro.
For more information view the Macintosh Malware page.
OSX.iServices.B Trojan Horse discovered with pirated copies of Adobe PhotoShop CS4
26/01/09 16:15
A Trojan Horses, OSX.iServices.B, have been discovered
on BitTorrent websites packaged with a copy of Adobe
PhotoShop CS4. Along with a commercial copy of Adobe
PhotoShop, the downloaded package contains an
application to 'crack' the software's serial number
protection. Running the Crack application installs the
Trojan on your Mac.
The Trojan is a variant of the OSX.iWorkServices.A Trojan that was discovered a few days ago and exhibits similar characteristics once installed, attempting to connect to a remote server, freehostia.com:1024, on the Internet to broadcast its existence and download further malware from the server.
For more information see the Macintosh Malware page.
The Trojan is a variant of the OSX.iWorkServices.A Trojan that was discovered a few days ago and exhibits similar characteristics once installed, attempting to connect to a remote server, freehostia.com:1024, on the Internet to broadcast its existence and download further malware from the server.
For more information see the Macintosh Malware page.
OSX.iWorkServices.A Trojan Horse discovered in pirated copies of iWorks 09
22/01/09 10:06
A Trojan Horses, OSX.iWorkServices.A, have been
discovered on BitTorrent websites inside a copy of
iWorks 09 installer. Running the iWork 09 installer
installs the Trojan on your Mac. The trojan attempts to
connect to a remote server on the Internet,
broadcasting its existence and enabling your Mac to
download further malware.
For more information see the Macintosh Malware page.
For more information see the Macintosh Malware page.
Mac OS X 10.5.6 Released
15/12/08 19:17
Apple have upgraded Leopard to 10.5.6. The latest
upgrade is available through Software Update and will
be downloaded automatically if you have Check for
Updates selected in your Preferences.
“The 10.5.6 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.”
Further details of the upgrade can be found on the Apple support page http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3194 along with a description of the Security Updates http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3338
“The 10.5.6 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.”
Further details of the upgrade can be found on the Apple support page http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3194 along with a description of the Security Updates http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3338
A new Mac OS X Trojan Horse has been discovered: OSX.Jahlav.A
23/11/08 10:50
OSX.Jahlav.A has many
similarities with the RSPlug.A Trojan that was
discovered recently, having been written by the same
virus writers. The Trojan can be found on several
pornographic websites and purports to be a fix for
Active X errors when attempting to view online
videos. More
Information...
OSX.Lamzev.A Trojan discovered
17/11/08 13:18
OSX.Lamzev.A, a Trojan
Horse that could be used to open up a 'backdoor' on a
compromised Mac, has been discovered.
More
Information...
Mac OS X 10.5.5 Released
15/09/08 08:52
Apple have upgraded Leopard to 10.5.5. The latest
upgrade is available through Software Update and will
be downloaded automatically if you have Check for
Updates selected in your Preferences.
“The 10.5.5 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.”
Further details of the upgrade can be found on the Apple support page http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2405 along with a description of the Security Updates http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222
“The 10.5.5 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Leopard and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac.”
Further details of the upgrade can be found on the Apple support page http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2405 along with a description of the Security Updates http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222
Apple Releases Mac OS X 10.5.4 (Leopard) Security Update
01/07/08 20:49
This latest release from
Apple improves both the stability and security of
Leopard in a number of areas. The update and a full
description of the changes can be obtained from
the
Apple website.
Apple Remote Destop Agent vulnerability
20/06/08 21:58
An AppleScript Trojan
horse (Hovdy.A/Saprilt.A) has been discovered that
exploits a vulnerability in ARDAgent , a component of
Apple's Remote Desktop technology, which allows
unauthorized code to run as root.
More
Information...
Mac OS X Leopard Security Update
29/05/08 17:22
Apple have released a
security update to fix a number of potential
vulnerabilities in their operating system, and
recommend that users download and install this update
as soon as possible. The Mac OS X update includes a
patch to prevent hackers from running malicious movie
files and Flash based web content. For more information
read the
Apple Security Update
information
page.
DNSChanger aka RSPlug Trojan Horse discovered
31/10/07 21:28
A Trojan Horse posing as a
codec to view pornographic videos has been discovered.
The Trojan changes DNS settings on the infected Mac,
redirecting the user's web requests to a number of
potentially malicious websites.
Leopard Released
26/10/07 12:35
Apple have released their
latest version of Mac OS X. Code named 'Leopard', Mac
OS X 10.5 contains over 300 changes to the operating
system. The new OS boasts an updated version of the
desktop, Finder and a new automatic backup utility
called Time Machine, along with a whole raft of other
new features and enhancements
Read More...
Macarena Virus Discovered
02/11/06 21:23
Macarena is a proof of
concept virus that infects files that are run from the
folder in which it resides.
Inqtana.B Bluetooth worm found
21/02/06 15:46
Inqtana.B is a variant of
the Inqtana.A worm discovered earlier this month.
Infected computers look for other Bluetooth-enabled
computers on startup and the worm attempts to propagate
by copying itself to the other computer(s).
Inqtana.A Proof of concept worm
18/02/06 13:37
Inqtana.A is a proof of
concept worm that runs by exploiting a vulnerability in
Apple's Bluetooth technlogy. It propagates by copying
itself to other computers via Bluetooth.
First OS X Virus appears - Leap.A
16/02/06 10:03
The first virus for Mac OS
X has been discovered. The virus named 'Leap.A'
propagates via iChat instant messaging by sending a
file called latestpics.tgz to the contacts in a user's
'Buddy List'. Be aware once the archive file is
expanded the virus attempts to disguise itself by
posing as a jpeg graphics file, named latestpics. Users
should not double-click this file.
If you believe you may be infected by Leap.A contact Support for advice on how to remove it.
If you believe you may be infected by Leap.A contact Support for advice on how to remove it.