Apple to users: installed malware? You're on your own

by Hugo Jobling on 20 May 2011, 16:31

Tags: Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), AVG

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This Apple won't keep the viruses away

Apple's response the recent 'Mac Defender' malware threat has caused a great deal of debate.

In an internal memo to customer support staff reported on by ZDNet, Apple instructs its employees to tell customers calling to ask about the 'Mac Defender' that the company will not offer support to users affected by it. Further Apple reps should 'neither confirm nor deny whether the customers computer is infected or not.'

Additionally, Apple will not offer any advice as to what applications are available in order to remove any this malware once installed. Other than pointing customers in the direction of the Apple Online Store or Mac App Store to find an anti-virus solution on their own.

The reasonable side of that response is highlighted by in the memo - for the malware to infect your Mac you need to enter your administrator password. Were this a virus taking advantage of an exploit in the OS, Apple's dismissal might well be met with righteous indignation, but in this case the problem exists with the user, not the OS.

What this particular incident has once again brought to light is the fact that the belief long-held by many that Macs are somehow immune to virus or malware attacks is far from true. In the words of AVG's Chief Scientist, Karel Obluk: "For Apple, it's time to admit that there are threats to OS X users, and to start educating its customers on how to avoid them. Avoiding the issue is an unacceptable abdication of its duty to its customers."

Whether Apple will take further action, and whether it really needs to, remains to be seen.  One this is for certain: the debate surrounding the issue is far from over.

 



HEXUS Forums :: 41 Comments

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Out of interest would microsoft provide support in the same situation? I don't know the answer, but I suspect you would be on your own?

As for the comments from the anti virus industry, how many times have they called wolf on apple now?
Thats because Macs never get any problems remember, its only PCs.

They made adverts about it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3Z386vXrt4

Fact is most infected are poorly educated, never applying patches, always elevating everything is neither here nor there, if they were cool like the guy in the video they'd be fine. Silly Rabbits.

The real problem is most PC users know they need to do something, granted PC World grade staff don't help much, but now adays the biggest issues are browser toolbars (which the IE team now warn about on loadup) and crap running in the background, which tbh isn't that much of a big deal, the £100 of extra RAM CPU HDD they take is probably just cheaper than those people learning how to be a good user.

As the mac faithful have been told at many a sermon they are immune, because you know their the chosen people, kinda the like the Israel of the IT world, they don't need anything, they can click what they like etc.
Gordy
Out of interest would microsoft provide support in the same situation? I don't know the answer, but I suspect you would be on your own?
Defender and MSE. If it was generating this much hype it would make it into defender…..

And for the really serious stuff:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833330

All free, for 10+ years I might ad too. But no seriously Apple has better customer service, you paid for it after all.
Gordy
Out of interest would microsoft provide support in the same situation?

Yes.

Gordy
I don't know the answer, but I suspect you would be on your own?

No.

In addition to the security fixes Microsoft also has the following free security packages:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/security_essentials/default.aspx

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx

As part of the security fixes Microsoft also has a free malicious software removal tool:

http://www.microsoft.com/security/pc-security/malware-removal.aspx
Resists… urge… to… laugh