April 2, 2008
Sophos warns against scarrrrry ware
Posted Apr. 2, ’08, 11:32 AM PT by Dan Moren
Category | Security
We’ve got a little over six months until Halloween, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t spooktastic happenings all over the place. Antivirus maker Sophos is warning of a piece of “scareware” that’s floating around for the Mac, called “iMunizator” (I think there’s an “immunize” joke in there…somewhere).
Far more common on Windows than OS X, “scareware” refers to programs that runs “scans” and then inform you about problems on your computer—which you can conveniently “fix” by purchasing the full version of their “application.”
Frankly, we thought in this case the “scare” part might be a side effect of the program’s achingly bad user interface—an interface that has reputedly already caused more than one Mac developer to intentionally blind themselves.
The app, which Sophos describes as a “Trojan” is said to be closely related to another similar program called “MacSweeper,” which was using ads on British TV sites as an attack vector.
We suggest our patented MacUser rule of thumb: think of banner ads as bums with signs. Would you take a “scan” from a bum with a sign? No? There you go. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to replenish my supply of sarcastaquotes™.
[via Macworld]
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Re: scary things, last night something on USA Today's site grabbed my Mac by the throat and squeezed the breath from it. It took over the entire screen, demanding that I download something to speed up performance. I couldn't shut down anything, not Safari or the mac itself, even with the on/off button. Pulling the wall plug was the only solution.
No harm was done, but I was so stupefied, I don't even remember the name of the attacker. There are creepy things out there.
That last thought sounds funnier with the British definition of "bum".