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You're not being very discerning.
"And shame on you if you ever load a file by double-clicking
(which translates to "shame on you if you use a Mac", after all)."

Your statement reveals a real lack of understanding. If you're
using Windows, double clicking an e-mail attachment elicits a
warning that what you're doing "might" be dangerous. This
happens regardless of whether the file is an executable, which
could do damage, or a totally innocuous text file. Windows
doesn't make any distinction. If you first save that file, then
double click it, you get no warning at all, again regardless of
what kind of file it is.

On a Macintosh, it's not a matter of where the file came from,
but rather, what it is trying to do. If it's a text file or an ordinary
executable, it just opens or runs. The worst that can happen if
it's an executable is that it might delete files, but at least you
know it's an application, and it's up to you whether you want to
run it or not. But if a program tries to modify the system, you
are prompted to enter an administrative password, so at this
point you should have a pretty good ideal if that's a legitimate
action for the program to take or not.

The problem with the MP3 trojan is that the user is unable to tell
that the file is executable--something that apparently happens
on Windows all the time. It accomplishes this by hiding
executable code in the ID3 tag, which, if you ask me, is a flaw in
the MP3 file spec, or at worst, a flaw in the way OS X accesses
this tag, and one which they will undoubtedly fix shortly.

All security systems aren't the same. The Unix security system is
a lot better. If all you know is Windows, you probably aren't
capable of appreciating this, but having used both, I see the
distinction very clearly.
Posted by: Immanuel Tranz-Mischen   Posted on: 04/10/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
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So long as  MkIIISupra | 04/09/04
you assume  JoeMama_z | 04/09/04
No I read the story...  MkIIISupra | 04/09/04
Recent April 5th security update fixed this.  paul351 | 04/09/04
I disagree  richhayes | 04/10/04
unless ..  g_ludlow | 04/10/04
Yes and no.  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 04/10/04
Yes and no  richhayes | 04/10/04
But they have to know the password.  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 04/10/04
you must have misunderstood me....  JoeMama_z | 04/10/04
Just goes to show you why...  voska | 04/12/04
True, but...  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 04/09/04
But..  d_jedi | 04/09/04
Re: But..  Franklin_z | 04/09/04
OK, then..  d_jedi | 04/09/04
You're missing the whole point.  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 04/10/04
More importantly....  JoeMama_z | 04/10/04
User are what they are.  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 04/10/04
Easy to avoid  jjenkins | 04/09/04
...or better yet  David Wandelt | 04/09/04
I download legal mp3's all the time  tic swayback | 04/09/04
FUD!  d_jedi | 04/09/04
It is illegal if...  voska | 04/12/04
Are you sure?  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 04/09/04
you're kidding, right?  gudin | 04/12/04
Everybody's such a genius...  Christopher McLendon | 04/09/04
That's easy!  MkIIISupra | 04/09/04
Administrator vs. root  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 04/10/04
Is that even possible?  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 04/10/04
Sales attempt by anti-virus company  tic swayback | 04/09/04
Re: Sales attempt by anti-virus company  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 04/09/04
Best extra info I've found on the trojan  Squawkbox | 04/09/04
Wrong Info  ITGuy04 | 04/12/04
Shame on "shame on you"  escoles@... | 04/10/04
You're not being very discerning.  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 04/10/04
Unix  richhayes | 04/10/04
really missing the point  TWRX | 04/10/04
Missing the point.  richhayes | 04/12/04
The Point is:  TWRX | 04/12/04
Please notice  richhayes | 04/12/04
richhayes  mabricen | 04/12/04
Do Know  richhayes | 04/13/04
Unix is no less user friendly than DOS.  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 04/10/04
Make up your mind  richhayes | 04/12/04
Please make up your mind  NemesisNL | 04/12/04
I agree, to a point  richhayes | 04/12/04
Right on !!!  mabricen | 04/12/04
You succeeded in precisely missing my point.  escoles@... | 04/10/04
How does one miss something precisely?  Immanuel Tranz-Mischen | 04/10/04
You seem to do a pretty good job  escoles@... | 04/12/04
"unable to tell..."  tooner440 | 04/12/04
No security solution, and education is insufficient  escoles@... | 04/12/04
good point  tooner440 | 04/12/04
It's clear that you know nothing of OSX  j.m.galvin | 04/12/04
Not bad.. 60,000 to 1 ratio  Xunil_Sierutuf | 04/10/04
I'm reserving judgement...  tooner440 | 04/12/04
It's the software design  Rick_K | 04/12/04
New Story Title  TWRX | 04/10/04
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz...next  jimk_z | 04/10/04
The Operant Word Here is "May"  Yen_z | 04/11/04
Ouchhh, so right  mabricen | 04/12/04
It's not a virus  Romanval | 04/11/04
Too smart for your own good  jmquinn72 | 04/12/04
Get over yourself  MarcB_z | 04/12/04
Reality Distortion Fields  escoles@... | 04/12/04
jmquinn72  mabricen | 04/12/04
For the record,  mlindl | 04/12/04
mlindl  mabricen | 04/12/04
I buy Macs because they ar superior to Windows PCs  MacGeek2121 | 04/13/04
Intego & Probability  joemckernan | 04/12/04
If OS X is vulnerable with it's BSD OS then......  jfalknor | 04/12/04
Not entirely correct reasoning  dscherf | 04/12/04
Not even close  j.m.galvin | 04/12/04
Too many Windows = glass houses  fuchikoma | 04/12/04
This is not news!  MacGeek2121 | 04/13/04
Exploitation is bad, supporter grief against  FilledOut | 04/15/04

What do you think?

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