Apple and OS security--communication is key

TalkBack 22 of 37:

Next »

« Previous

• Thread View
• Flat View

*sigh*

"Sure can. I've gone from OS X 10.0 all the way up to OS X 10.3.4 and have installed and updated gobs of third party software and have never, and that is NEVER, logged in as anything but a user."
The update manager (or whatever it is called in OSX) is most certainly a daemon that runs as root, and is programmed to allow normal users to interact with it. This 'functionality' could be considered a security hazard. I wonder- can this feature be turned off? This functionality exists in Windows 2000/XP/2003 too, but it must be set up by an administrator.


"That little step right there is why virus don't propogate on the Mac. You have to go through steps to get software on the machine, namely type in your password. So, I go to the offending website or get the offending program e-mailed to me. I have to actively download the program or save it from the e-mail. Then, double click on the installer icon, then enter mypassword. Only then will the software install."

You must have misread my last post. The behavior you are describing it identical in Windows for non-administrative accounts.

Let me spell it out for you as clearly as I can:

When a normal user in Windows trys to execute a program that requires access to any area outside of that users profile, the program will either fail or prompt the user for the credentials of an administrative account.

In Windows, by default, normal users have read-only access to virtually every part of the system, except of course, their own profile.

The problem with Windows is not so much it's security apparatus, but the default implimetation of that apparatus. I was never arguing that Windows comes set up incorrectly. I was arguing against the assumption that Windows lacks the ability to be secured.

Posted by: toadlife   Posted on: 06/03/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

Alert moderator to an offensive message

Subscribe to this discussion via Email or RSS

SponsoredWhite Papers, Webcasts, and Downloads

• Why Isn't Server Virtualization Saving Us More? A Few Small Changes May Dramatically Increase Your Efficiency VMware Companies have rapidly adopted server virtualization over the past few ... Download Now
• Finally, an easier way for Small and Mid-Sized Companies to Run Their Business Applications: IBM Smart Business IBM From the PC to the Internet to every piece of hardware and software in ... Download Now
• Five Steps to Determine When to Virtualize YourServers VMware Server virtualization isn't just for big companies. Entry-level ... Download Now