On July 13, 2016 6:46:20 AM EDT, Zenaan Harkness <[email protected]> wrote: >On Wed, Jul 13, 2016 at 06:33:19AM -0400, John Newman wrote: >> >> > On Jul 6, 2016, at 2:52 PM, grarpamp <[email protected]> wrote: >> > >> > >http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/07/05/easydoc_malware_adds_tor_backdoor_to_mac_systems_for_botnet_control/ >> > >http://appleinsider.com/articles/16/07/06/new-mac-malware-can-remotely-access-facetime-camera-but-macos-gatekeeper-users-are-protected >> > >> > Security firm Bitdefender has issued an alert about a malicious app >> > that hands over control of Macs to criminals via Tor. The software, >> > called EasyDoc Converter.app, is supposed to be a file converter >but >> > doesn't do its advertised functions. Instead it drops complex >malware >> > onto the system that subverts the security of the system, allowing >it >> > to be used as part of a botnet or to spy on the owner. "This type >of >> > malware is particularly dangerous as it's hard to detect and offers >> > the attacker full control of the compromised system," said Tiberius >> > Axinte, Technical Leader, Bitdefender Antimalware Lab. "For >instance, >> > someone can lock you out of your laptop, threaten to blackmail you >to >> > restore your private files or transform your laptop into a botnet >to >> > attack other devices. The possibilities are endless." The malware, >> > dubbed Backdoor.MAC.Eleanor, sets up a hidden Tor service and >> > PHP-capable web server on the infected computer, generating a >.onion >> > domain that the attacker can use to connect to the Mac and control >it. >> > Once installed, the malware grants full access to the file system >and >> > can run scripts given to it by its masters.A report on AppleInsider >> > says that malware can also control the FaceTime camera on a >victim's >> > computer. But thankfully, Apple's Gatekeeper security prevents the >> > unsigned app from being installed. >> >> This is why I install only a limited number of apps from (hopefully >non subverted) known good sources on hackintosh & MacBook. Some UNIX >stuff from homebrew, transmission, chrome, iterm and a couple others.. >of course even this isn't anywhere near perfect >> >> "Easydoc converter.app" name fucking sounds fishy (and worthless)... >> >> More and more malware finally starting to target osx (err macOS, or >whatever it's called these days).. > >Just as well your operating system, drivers and desktop software are >all >open source too - you'd be at the mercy of a corporation's walled >garden >otherwise.
Aye true enough. I use Linux and freebsd as other primary OSs but am for instance using the nvidia supplied x11 driver, which has a binary blob in it... Performs so much better than nouveau though!! Otherwise it's all free - xfce, Firefox and chromium... I still remember when Linux journal advertised commercial X11 for Linux that came with motif & cde... heh, I was still a bright eyed kid John -- Sent from my Android device with K-9 Mail. Please excuse my brevity.
