Mac has had a false reputation as being untouchable, and now Mac users will be faced with a harsh reality of a world full of malware, and viruses. Mac’s success has shown as an interesting target for Malware programmers, and has seen in statistics the growing number of infections under Mac’s Platform.
Eugene Kaspersky, the CEO of security firm Kaspersky Lab, says Apple is headed for a rough patch, and claimed that when it comes to computer security, Apple’s Mac platform was a decade behind Microsoft’s.
“They will understand very soon that they have the same problems Microsoft had 10 or 12 years ago,” Kaspersky said in an interview. “They will have to make changes in terms of the cycle of updates and so on and will be forced to invest more into their security audits for the software.”
“That’s what Microsoft did in the past after so many incidents like Blaster and the more complicated worms that infected millions of computers in a short time,” he added. “They had to do a lot of work to check the code to find mistakes and vulnerabilities. Now it’s time for Apple [to do the same].”
The statements come on the heels of Flashback, a high-profile piece of Mac malware that is estimated to have infected more than 600,000 Macs at its peak. More recent figures put its current infection somewhere at less than 185,000 machines worldwide. –Symantec (Statistics of how many computers have been infected).
Apple patched the system vulnerability the Flashback attacks were using, and released a removal tool for infected machines. But the company got flack from security experts for not fixing it sooner. Security companies (including Kaspersky) also made Apple look slow to react by offering up their own detection and removal tools ahead of an official fix.
Apple’s also announced Gatekeeper, a technology that will be built into the upcoming release of OS X Mountain Lion, that gives users a way to install only software that’s been signed by registered developers.
Even with those things on tap, Kaspersky argues that Apple’s success will continue to make the Mac a bigger target.
“Cyber criminals have now recognized that Mac is an interesting area. Now we have more malware and it’s not just Flashback or Flashfake,” Kaspersky told CBR. “Welcome to Microsoft’s world, Mac. It’s full of malware”
An Apple spokesman declined to comment on Kaspersky’s remarks.
(Information referenced from Cnet Blogger- Josh Lowensohn)
Security Issues such as these can be easily remedied At Orange County Computer’s Tech Center. Contact a member of our Tech Team about any security issues you may be experiencing at 949-699-6619 or, email support@orangecountycomputer.com. For more information about simple steps you can take to prevent system infections, visit OrangeCountyComputer.com.
Microsoft is officially launching the reimagined operating system Windows 8, which functions on many new devices aside from a traditional PC such as: iPad on Metro Testbed app, Touch Screen all in one Desktops, Windows Tablet and Windows Phone. These new devices will debut the new touch screen feature that is available in a Beta Version on the iPad.
They reportedly will finish work on Windows 8 by this summer, setting the stage to release the next version of its flagship operating system sometime around October.
Until then, Microsoft’s Windows 8 Beta is now available as a free download, which means that it’s time to figure out how to install it.
Officially called the Consumer Preview, the Windows 8 Beta is actually quite simple to install. There are some requirements, though. Most Windows 7 computers should to be able to handle Windows 8.
To verify, you’ll want to have:
- 1 Ghz or faster processor
- 1 GB of RAM for 32-bit or 2 GB for the 64-bit version
- 16 GB hard drive for 32-bit, or 20 GB for 64-bit version
- Graphics card that supports Microsoft DirectX 9 or higher
A word on what our Microsoft Certified Technician’s think:
“Windows 8 is very similar to Windows 7; it’s even faster than Windows 7, with faster boot times and shut downs almost instantly. Internet Explorer 10 has a new look to it and a few cool animations when clicking on the drop down menus. The biggest difference you will notice with Windows 8 is that it lacks the traditional “START” button, which is due to Windows 8 having a very clean look to it and allowing fluent touch screen control over Windows 8. You can now stretch the task bar over both screens and have the ability to pause data transfers”.
There are also some extras that won’t work without certain specifics. As shocking as this may sound, the touch features will require a touch screen monitor or tablet. Accessing the Windows Store requires an Internet connection, obviously, but also a screen resolution of at least 1024 x 76, and to Snap apps, which lets you split the screen between two apps, you’ll need a resolution of at least 1366 x 768.
To get started, go to preview.windows.com.
For further information, you can also contact our Tech Repair Center and speak to a Microsoft Certified Professional that will get you started. Call us now @ 949-699-6619, email us @ support@orangecountycomputer.com, and visit our site at OrangeCountyComputer.com, to read about the importance of genuine software licensing, and software support.
Federal law enforcement agents have arrested members of two cyber-crime gangs who may have netted more than $74 million by infecting user computers with scareware and then charging for fake antivirus software.
(Scareware generates pop-ups that imitate Windows System messages, and will usually advertise as a anti-virus software. They typically state that there is a list of issues such as: “Infected files have been found on your computer” and the user is prompted to purchase the software to fix the problem. Once the fake software is installed, Malware will be downloaded and infect the system. While purchasing the fake antivirus does make the scareware stop displaying the warnings, the user will have purchased harmful malware that can potentially corrupt the system and make it unusable. )
In an endeavor dubbed Operation Trident Tribunal, federal agents seized more than 40 computers, servers and bank accounts in the Netherlands, Latvia, Germany, France, Lithuania, Sweden and the United Kingdom, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said June 22. Of the computers seized, 22 were in the United States.
The two rings infected hundreds of thousands of computers with scareware programs using a variety of tricks, and then badgered users into forking over money for fake antivirus software to supposedly clean up the infection. The fake software ranged from $49.95 to $129 apiece, according to federal agents.
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