“A second Mac security threat has appeared. Security experts at Sophos have issued protection against this second Mac OS X worm, which is called ‘Inqtana-A,'” Macworld UK reports. “This worm spreads among Macs using a Bluetooth vulnerability (known as CAN-2005-1333), it appeared within days of the discovery of the Mac OS Leap-A Trojan last week. Once again, the threat isn’t critical. The Bluetooth flaw the worm exploits was addressed by Apple in mid-2005, when the company released a patch to protect against it. This means the worm is unlikely to spread successfully. Sophos warns that Mac users should keep their software up to date, applying Apple Security and OS updates as they are released.”
Full article here.
“F-Secure and Symantec have both called Inqtana a “proof-of-concept” worm, saying that it is just an example of a potential attack code, and probably won’t be any treat to users. Symantec Security Response director, Vincent Weafer, however, believes that this could be the beginning of a trend,’ TeleClick reports. ‘We have speculated that attackers would turn their attention to other platforms, and two back-to-back examples of malicious code targeting Macintosh OS X this week illustrates this emerging trend,’ Weafer warned.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: A proof-of-concept worm that is no threat to users and was patched in mid-2005 “could be the beginning of a trend?” Give us a break.
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Related MacDailyNews articles:
OSX.Leap.A: a near miss for Mac users – February 18, 2006
Apple: ‘Leap-A’ not a virus; only accept files from vendors and Web sites that you know and trust – February 16, 2006
More a case of Sour Grapes than Wormy Apples.
They are idiots. I’m God. I’m first
Well we’ve had five years with no virus/worms/trojans and now two of them have emerged in one week.. harmless or not, I’d have to agree and say that this is proof-of-concept and could very well be the beginning of a trend…
Those security developers …. ! What a coinsidence.
Man! The folks with allusions of being first post-ers are really takiing it on the chin lately.
Sounds like someone is desperate to sell some software.
MW ‘single’.. as in, not one.
While I’ll admit these two “threats” so far aren’t really dangerous to most Mac user. Keep in mind, as more users join the mac fold…you’re getting more and more average joe users…those that don’t necessarily keep their machines up-to-date with patches, those that don’t follow safe computing practices, like not opening attachments, or who provide their admin password willy nilly.
While the majority of long-time Mac users won’t ever be affected by lame worms like these two…it will only take one mild infection among the many new Mac uers to create a news and PR firestorm.
So, MacDailyNews, rather than maintaining a cavalier attitude, you should at least provide links and advice on safe computing practices in your growing lists of related links. Better to provide helpful knowledge than to be arrogant.
Come what may, Mac OS X is the most secure, stable platform there is…or likely to be.
I rarely swear, but the directors and managers of these companies are total A$$HOLE$!!
How do these people sleep at night KNOWING they are unnecessarily inducing and escalating fear, just to create a profit by selling worthless “security” software? Fear and terror, especially when completely baseless and focussed upon the weak and unknowing, is the WORST kind of marketing any company could possibly do.
These companies, not the viruses, are what we need protection from.
how much u wanna bet these are coming from failed attempts by these “security companies”…. low profits.. eh? nothing better to do??..
This is terrible. Not these ‘viruses’ because you don’t deserve to own a computer if you fall victim to one, these security companies propogating FUD all over the world with their silly pessemistic attitude. BEWARE! DON’T WALK DOWN THE ROAD, THERE IS A PROOF-OF-CONCEPT THAT A BIRD WILL SHIT ON YOUR HEAD!
Give me a break, and call me back when an ACTUAL virus is in the wild.
Idiots.
Thanks Mr. Bill!
The point shouldn’t be “That you’d have to be an idiot, to install these things,” the point SHOULD be that yes, we have two exploits in a week.. There will be more… They will become more sophisticated..
You know, you don’t have to be an idiot to accidentally open a file that is labeled “pics of grandkids” or something to that effect… Especially for the casual user… They can be tricked very easily..
This just in! Key logger discovered for System 7… and potential Word Macro discovered for Microsoft Word Running on Mac OS 8!
Batten down the hatches boys… the sky is falling!!!!!
Of course they say that!!!! The have the most remote reason to actually sell the software they make.
“Hey I’m a PC user and you guys are just hiding from reality. Me ‘an Reality Check and the boys are now laughing at you ‘cos you can’t say it’s 100,000 to zero. there are Mac viruses now”
Funny that that post hasn’t been made yet. No doubt it will shortly…
Just to remind you Winboxers, it is STILL 100,000 to ZERO. And as you see the Mac community will be alert, protect itself and retain its zero tolerence towards these cretins. For the for people who exposed themselves to this piece of code, it is unlikely they will make that mistake again.
Isn’t it also funny how this spurt of activity has come about just as Microsoft head off the pass on all Winbox anti-virus revenues???
It’s definitely a trend: the malware comes out half a year after the patch; kinda like the other way round compared with Windows.
Macaday
Play fair. A large chunk of that 100k are also trojans requiring user input and unable to self-replicate.
So let’s say 70,000 – 0. That’s better.
It’s amazing listening to the amount of smugness on this board…
The first two OSX exploits arrive and all that most of you can say is …
“Nothing to worry about, it’s not dangerous enough.”
Remember that majority of the 100,000 Windows exploits are low-level threats too.
“…and two back-to-back examples of malicious code targeting Macintosh OS X this week illustrates this emerging trend,’ Weafer warned.”
What trend would that be? Other anti-virus companies jumping on the bandwagon of Mac mass-hysteria?
MDN word, “GREED”
I downloaded ClamXav virus protection. Mainly because I work in a Windows environment and I don’t want to be blamed for forwarding a Windows virus in an email.
I also downloaded it because I want to be in the habit of using it. It may be that the days of no Mac malware is over. I think hackers will be encouraged by thee headlines more than anything else.
When there’s a will there’s a way. Now may come Mac OS X’s baptism of fire. I am confident that the threats will always remain very small and confined to social networks of irresponsible users.
Won’t be long before my kids are part of that group. Protect yourself against your children.
That’s right! its not dangerous enough. Know why?
Because its not windows! Get it to your heads idiots. Apple computers are still the safest and best so there you have it.
By the way, do these idiots realize that the effective range of Bluetooth is only 30 feet?!? So even if this was a real threat that hadn’t been patched already several months ago, you would have to get within 30 feet of someone’s Mac in order to exploit this! God, Symantec is a pathetic joke…
The Titanic was unsinkable; the Maginot Line could not be over run, and Iraq had weapons of mass distruction. There are very few absolutes. It’s simply common sense to suggest that OS X will eventually be infected by something even MDN could agree is a threat. To suggest that OS X will always have fewer viruses than Windoze is probably true; however, all it takes is one to ruin your day.
I’m not running anti-virus at the moment, but the day is coming when I probably will have to. I’d love to be proved wrong.
I think since Apple moved into the intel platform some Antivirus Sotware makers are exploiting OSX by creating these viruses.
They, the antivirus software makers, are responsible for creating these viruses and then alarming people that they need to get their latest software.
These exploits are only minimal and will not hurt anyone. What idiot is going to download these exploits and the knowingly install it on their computers.
These exploits are a lousy excuse for not being able to create a virus on the Mac.
rhoytink…
Okay I’ll rub your ego and say that, MACS ARE SAFER THAN WINDOWS…
Now that it’s been said, do you feel better? You’re missing the whole point. I don’t think anyone is trying to argue that we might as well jump ship now and swim to the other side… These articles have nothing to do with which platform is safer..
The point is that in it’s five years of existence, Mac OSX has seen it’s first two exploits this week.. Let’s put the arrogance aside, and learn to accept the fact that we will most likely be facing more sophisticated attacks in the near future..