Per ZDnet:
Summary
A couple weeks ago, the proprietor of the world’s number-one Mac site accused me of crying wolf over predictions that Mac malware was around the corner. More than 200 visitors to Apple’s support forums would disagree with him. Read the details.
On May 5, John Gruber, the proprietor of the world’s number-one Mac site, Daring Fireball added my name to a long-running post titled Wolf! The quoted text was taken from my post, Coming Soon to a Mac Near You: Serious Malware.
Gruber’s point is that tech pundits and the makers of security software have been predicting this for years, and it hasn’t happened. But this time things really are different.
Earlier today, I posted an interview with an AppleCare rep who confirmed that this problem is getting worse, One commenter on that post expressed skepticism and even insinuated that I fabricated the interview:
Yesterday I spent several hours going through discussions.apple.com and collecting requests for help from
Mac users who have been affected by this issue. I found more than 200 separate discussion threads, many of them from people who have been tricked into installing this software and are desperately trying to remove it. It started with four posts on April 30; this past weekend there were 42 unique, new discussion threads on this subject.
I am not unfamiliar with Apple’s forums. I’ve done similar searches in the past, especially after reading some of those same posts that Gruber called out from 2008. I have never found more than one or two in-the-wild reports. This time, the volume is truly exceptional.
Let me share some quotes and some links with you.
This attack is nasty. Literally.
One of the most despicable comments on my earlier post reflected a common blame-the-victim attitude: “So, I should get excited that some people are stupid enough to download a trojan? Not a virus, nor a worm, just a trojan and you have to be retarded to install it.” Classy. Here’s a sampling of what those Mac owners reported:
Can’t remove an application or unwanted web sites.
I Can’t remove an application that opens at startup and can’t be closed; it can’t be removed because it is in use. How can I can I bypass the normal startup without a boot disc, or how can I make a boot disc? This obnoxious software is call Mac Protector - anyone have experience with it? It says it is a virus scan (I thought it was a Apple product), and starts scanning automatically.
I just did something really stupid. How do you unintall something I just installed?
I was surfing looking for certain images for my 11 year old’s school project. It went into a site that was very inopopreiate. All the sudden, Mac protector came on and I installed it thinking this is the way to protect my computer and now the image is keep popping up and I cannot erase it. I don’t know how to install this. Will someone help me?
Totally lost mom.
How do I de-install the bogus mac defender?
Does anyone know how to de-install this bogus software? I nearly fell for it it was so real.
How to remove web pop ups
I just installed an MacProtector version 2.6 as an update and now rude websites are randomly popping out when my son was using the internet.
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Summary
A couple weeks ago, the proprietor of the world’s number-one Mac site accused me of crying wolf over predictions that Mac malware was around the corner. More than 200 visitors to Apple’s support forums would disagree with him. Read the details.
On May 5, John Gruber, the proprietor of the world’s number-one Mac site, Daring Fireball added my name to a long-running post titled Wolf! The quoted text was taken from my post, Coming Soon to a Mac Near You: Serious Malware.
Gruber’s point is that tech pundits and the makers of security software have been predicting this for years, and it hasn’t happened. But this time things really are different.
Earlier today, I posted an interview with an AppleCare rep who confirmed that this problem is getting worse, One commenter on that post expressed skepticism and even insinuated that I fabricated the interview:
Is it just me, or is this whole thing as sketchy as hell? So we’re given to believe that some technical support representative at Apple has told him exactly what he wants to hear - the fact I’ve NEVER even seen this thing in the wild is just some weird fluke. But of course, we have to take this on trust, because the representative can’t be named.
Of course I am not naming this rep, who would be fired in an instant for talking to me. But there is plenty of independent verification for anyone who cares to look.
Yesterday I spent several hours going through discussions.apple.com and collecting requests for help from
Mac users who have been affected by this issue. I found more than 200 separate discussion threads, many of them from people who have been tricked into installing this software and are desperately trying to remove it. It started with four posts on April 30; this past weekend there were 42 unique, new discussion threads on this subject.I am not unfamiliar with Apple’s forums. I’ve done similar searches in the past, especially after reading some of those same posts that Gruber called out from 2008. I have never found more than one or two in-the-wild reports. This time, the volume is truly exceptional.
Let me share some quotes and some links with you.
This attack is nasty. Literally.
I have a virus — **** sites keep popping up in the middle of what I’m doing. How do I get rid of this virus?
This morning my MacPro had a porn site on it. aghh. And now, in the middle of doing anything on my Mac, porn pops up. How do I get rid of it….specifically….step by step?
A macprotector was installed on my mac how do i get it off?
This morning my MacPro had a porn site on it. aghh. And now, in the middle of doing anything on my Mac, porn pops up. How do I get rid of it….specifically….step by step?
A macprotector was installed on my mac how do i get it off?
I was browsing a web site and all of a sudden a program called “macprotector” stalled on it’s own and it ran a scan and afterwards told me that i had trojans an such of that nature. And during this time a new window opened up and opened to porn websites.
P0rn sites keep popping up on my computer Help
P0rn sites just started popping up on my MacBook Pro. Is this a virus? How do I stop this? Do I need anti virus software? Is so, what can I get to prevent this type of thing happening in the future. I have never had a virus on a Mac before and I have been using Macs for years. Please help!
Many victims think it’s an official update or a legit program.P0rn sites keep popping up on my computer Help
P0rn sites just started popping up on my MacBook Pro. Is this a virus? How do I stop this? Do I need anti virus software? Is so, what can I get to prevent this type of thing happening in the future. I have never had a virus on a Mac before and I have been using Macs for years. Please help!
One of the most despicable comments on my earlier post reflected a common blame-the-victim attitude: “So, I should get excited that some people are stupid enough to download a trojan? Not a virus, nor a worm, just a trojan and you have to be retarded to install it.” Classy. Here’s a sampling of what those Mac owners reported:
Can’t remove an application or unwanted web sites.
I Can’t remove an application that opens at startup and can’t be closed; it can’t be removed because it is in use. How can I can I bypass the normal startup without a boot disc, or how can I make a boot disc? This obnoxious software is call Mac Protector - anyone have experience with it? It says it is a virus scan (I thought it was a Apple product), and starts scanning automatically.
I just did something really stupid. How do you unintall something I just installed?
I was surfing looking for certain images for my 11 year old’s school project. It went into a site that was very inopopreiate. All the sudden, Mac protector came on and I installed it thinking this is the way to protect my computer and now the image is keep popping up and I cannot erase it. I don’t know how to install this. Will someone help me?
Totally lost mom.
How do I de-install the bogus mac defender?
Does anyone know how to de-install this bogus software? I nearly fell for it it was so real.
How to remove web pop ups
I just installed an MacProtector version 2.6 as an update and now rude websites are randomly popping out when my son was using the internet.
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