November 22nd, 2008

The old "install this codec to see free porn" trick works on Mac too!

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 3:57 am

Categories: Apple, Thoughts

Tags: Apple Macintosh, Operating System, Codec, Malware, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Cyberthreats, Desktops, Security, Viruses And Worms

Install this codec to see free porn!

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It seems that this old trick for fooling Windows users to download and install malware on their PCs is now working on Mac users. Why? Because with 50% of new Macs being sold to people who used to run Windows, the OS might have changed, but the bad habits haven’t.

Note: I wouldn’t be surprised that someone, somewhere, hasn’t already tried clicking on the OK above to get their free porn …

The OS, any OS, is only as strong as as the weakest link, and while many people think that the biggest threat to their PC is malware and hackers, the truth is far more mundane than that. The main threat to most PCs (and the data that they contain) is that human element that resides between the keyboard and chair - the user. Just as you have people who actually believe and respond to spam email, there are people who will click on anything, many times blindly, to try to achieve their end goal. “Do you want to download this?” Yes. “Do you want to install that?” Yes. “Do you want to delete the other?” Yes. Yes, Yes, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES!!!!!!!!!!

Note: Let’s also not forget that some people use “viruses” as a scapegoat. I’ve come across countless examples where someone will swear up and down that there’s a “virus” or “hacker” that’s “controlling” their system and causing bad things to happen (such as deleting a file) when it’s clearly the result of their own actions.

While I don’t believe for one moment that the Mac OS is 100% hacker- and malware -proof, I’ve yet to see a credible, in-the-wild example of a drive-by compromise of the OS. But that in no way makes the OS immune. Why bother hammering away at small cracks in the castle wall when you can be invited in at the gate. It’s worked on Windows for years.

Note: I think that it’s worth making the point that many Windows security issues come down to user issue (running the wrong thing, or fiddling with settings they don’t understand) or a vulnerable third-party application. However, I will admit that I feel that the direction that Microsoft took with UAC does help encourage users to click OK or Continue of dialog boxes just to make them go away.

The biggest threat to Mac right now as the users, especially those who have migrated to the platform from Windows. Of this group, the subset to really keep an eye on are those people who couldn’t take care of the Windows OS, trashed it with malware, and think that the Mac OS will somehow magically clean up after them no matter what they do. It won’t.

Here’s a question - how can Apple put an emphasis on security without making the OS seem like it’s the weak link?