Macintosh Information

Flashback Removal Tool Available

April 12, 2012

F-Secure released a free tool to detect and remove the Flashback trojan. Download it here. Anti malware software can remove the trojan, and the upcoming tool from Apple will as well, but this is the first free remedy specifically for the Flashback trojan that does not require use of Terminal.

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Apple Developing a Flashback Removal Tool

April 11, 2012

Last night Apple announced that they are developing a tool to remove the Flashback trojan that I’ve posted about several times. Apple released an update to Java on April 3 for Snow Leopard and Lion (10.6 and 10.7) to patch the vulnerability… if you haven’t run Software Update recently, do. It’s important to keep your [...]

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More good information about Flashback trojan and Java vulnerability

April 9, 2012

AppStorm Mac has a very cogent article posted this morning with even more good info about the Flashback trojan and various ways to be protected. I found the following to be very helpful… it seems that having some kind of malware protection will prevent infection from the start. After you visit a compromised website, FlashBack [...]

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Flashback trojan info, and a detection app

April 8, 2012

Auto-installing Flashback trojan varient infecting Macs worldwide First, I’d like to mention that while the news media is making a lot of the Flashback trojan and the “600,000″ infections worldwide, the number may be suspect, and even if true, is less that 1% of Macs in use. Second, while the Flashback trojan is a serious [...]

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Turn Off Java — Flashback Trojan Risk

April 5, 2012

Originaly posted on the Mac Performance Guide MacRumors has an unsubstantiated report of infected Macs from the Flashback Trojan, another reason to refuse to run Adobe Flash, and validating Jobs’ brilliant decision to discontinue including it in Mac OS X a few years back, a decision that drew ugly denial-of-reality attacks from Adobe. This latest [...]

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Keyboard shortcuts… faster and easier computing

March 20, 2012

Unless you’re using a mouse and/or tablet exclusively, you’re like me, and have your hands on the keyboard most of the time. I, for one, resent the time and effort it takes to move my hand from the keyboard to the mouse, click or drag something, then back to the keyboard. I love shortcuts, because [...]

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Trojan masquerades as image files

March 17, 2012

Intego reported that a new version of the Imuler trojan first discovered last September has been found disguised as image files. This has not been found in the wild yet… but use caution! A couple of examples were discovered on a site used by security companies to share malware samples, both zipped archives: “Pictures and [...]

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More phishing… this time “from” Charles Schwab

March 16, 2012

I got this one today, addressed to me and about 15 others. The “from” address seems legit, but it is clearly forged. The return path is to another Schwab.com address, and the originator is a Rumanian address. Here’s the text of the email: Thank you for entrusting Charles Schwab & Co. with your investments and [...]

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Yet another Phishing attempt!

March 12, 2012

This one came with American Express logos, but the Reply-To address was a dead givaway. I left links off, as they were clearly fraudlent. This is a much cruder attempt than the Apple one referred to in my last post. I’m feeling a bit like Charlie Tuna these days. Fraud Protection Alert. Cardholder, For your [...]

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Another phishing alert for Apple users

March 12, 2012

I just got an email, from the Apple Store (so it appeared) that scared the blazes out of me. It said that my order for over $4,000 had been charged to my credit card… and I didn’t even place an order. A link was provided to view the order, but before I clicked it (my [...]

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