If you are a Mac user, here's how to avoid the most common kind of malware

boing
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I was getting the ‘Install Flash’ pop-up a few weeks ago, every time I visited BoingBoing.

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Using the legit Adobe Flash installer should also install a control in your System Preferences window. If you ever get an “update Flash” pop-up in your browser, just go into System Preferences and run the Flash control and it will check with the mothership to see if if, indeed, there is an update available. Install from the control.

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Java on the desktop failed because Microsoft and Apple didn’t want it there. With manual installation and constantly requiring updates, users didn’t want to use it. A lot of the UI responsiveness and look-and-feel issues are solved today, but without the OS vendor embracing it, it’s pretty much doomed on the desktop.

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I just got done tangling with such a setup on my Mac (running Chrome.) I can’t say if it is the best way, but I had to quit out of Chrome (force quit if needed) and then delete the cookies from that website, as it kept sending me pop-ups even after Chrome restart. Some things you can do:

  • Turn on a pop-up blocker and just allow it for known websites (for example, my bank uses them sometimes so I allow it just for that trusted website)
  • Never click on any pop up unless you specifically requested it (and allowed it through your ad blocker.)
  • Never, ever enter any sort of password to install anything if you didn’t request it.
  • If a website starts spamming you, clear the cookies or better yet delete it from your browser’s memory.
  • Periodically, just clear all cookies, history, and everything (except passwords) from your browser (it will take a few days to relearn the website you visit most, but it clears away any trash you’ve forgotten about.)
  • Keep your OS as up to date as possible, except for major patches I sometimes wait a week or two and let the interwebs work it out the kinks.

Happy hunting!

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Yeah that really is a major security flaw that has made me paranoid about any update or dialogue box on my Mac. Nothing should be able to draw over a system dialog box. Nothing.

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Please be careful everybody: I just received a spoofed e-mail from " tinfoadobesystems dot ml " , pretending to be Adobe and telling me to upgrade FlashPlayer.

AdobeSpoofMail
AdobeSpoofMail1408×1244 165 KB

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You do still need Flash for some things, yes. Also, there are some permission bugs that were supposed to be fixed that are not. Even in 6.7U2…

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One time a housemate proudly told me he installed MacKeeper. I walked out of the room in utter disgust. It was somewhat painful as it wasn’t easy convincing he pwned himself as I don’t put a lot of effort in justifying installing shit. A true debater would have a strong case… I just knew it was a bad idea and shit and most likely useless malware and that was where I began and finished for my own computing habits. My main argument to this day would be that a clean install is the only way to guarantee OS state and in “IT” you will just rely on re-imaging + user data backup, and that’s the only right way trust your start state

I mean it’s a bad idea because you don’t have control over executables you have installed, particularly if there are long running service / daemon processes involved but a trollish argument is going to be “do you ever really vet anything you install, ever?” which is somewhat accurate

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