From the How-To Geek website Jim Hamm finds some helpful info on viruses, worms, and Trojans, along with adware, crapware, and spyware programs. The writer outlines the problems and the possibilities. He also warns, “Don’t have the Java plug-in enabled, either . . . “ This article was published 7-25-15.
See if Virus Detection Software is Working
A helpful tip comes from David Passell: "Here is a site to go to if you want to see if virus detection software is working. http://www.rexswain.com/eicar.html
"It gives you three situations that you can have downloaded. When i downloaded any of them my Mozilla (Firefox) browser gave me a 'Malicious Software Detected' and blocked the load.
"What was downloaded is a harmless test virus. If not detected, it gives you a message." And David explains, "Somebody at the last LUGY meeting told me about this. That's the Linux User's Group of Yavapai County. They have an evening social meeting early in each month. Idea is similar to our PMUG brunches."
Being Careful to Avoid Viruses
John Carter knows what he's talking about. He writes, "In my experience, there are NO Mac viruses that Apple hasn’t taken care of, and that the only threats found anywhere are in some email message or in an application that is not blessed by Apple; in the latter case, it won’t be found in the App Store.
"If you have downloaded and installed an app from the Internet, such as Firefox or Chrome, that app may contain something that Sophos doesn’t like the looks of and declare it as suspicious or a threat. However, if you get the app from the source (e.g., Mozilla or Google), then you should not have any problems with that app. However, avoid links that claim to be the source or that offers extra features."
And John goes into detail in a report to be posted at the Prescott Mac User Group's website, www.pmug.us so you'll learn more about Sophos (www.sophos.com) and how to use it.
8 Simple Tips: Secure Mac from Malware, Viruses & Trojans
Two key words jump out here: "simple" and "secure." Jim Hamm has found a very helpful site at OS X Daily. Read these 8 tips here.
About Infected Macs
Headlined, “It’s Alive! Once-prolific Flashback trojan still infecting 22,000 Macs” the article in Ars Technica is dated 1-9-14. Read it for details here.
Macs Are Safer
David Passell starts off his New Year with, "Here is an article that should make Mac users happy or unhappy depending on which OS they are running:). http://www.zdnet.com/why-mac-users-are-safer-7000024694/?s_cid=e539&ttag=e539
Some controversial comments provide food for thought. One person said, “A 10 year old Mac should be safer than the latest Windows 8 with all securty patches, the best anti-virus and malware fighter installed.”
Another informs, “the main vulnerability on Mac is the user. . . “
Avoid This Amazon Virus
John Carter grabs our attention with this information on how to avoid this Amazon virus.
"Here’s a new way to install a virus or tracking cookie on your computer. Just make the email message look like an official note from Amazon and include a zip file to click on to let the curious try to figure out what it’s all about.
The email address in the message wasn't mine. I never order from Amazon using the email address the message used. And if I wanted to verify the order, I would go online and check out the order ID mentioned in this email.
(Remember you can click to enlarge the illustration.)
Java & JavaScript Explained
You've seen it, too. Java. JavaScript. Are they related?
Here John Carter explains what the difference is. "Java and JavaScript are not the same. Disabling Java in the browser is necessary to prevent the possibility of getting one of the new Java enabled viruses.
"You have to have JavaScript enabled on your browser because nearly every web page has some kind of JavaScript in it. Currently, it is not possible to get a virus from JavaScript, but that was once said about Java.
"JavaScript is language that has become popular with web designers to perform sophisticated operations. To view a web site that contains JavaScript does not require an application on the computer. To view a web site that contains a Java app requires that the computer have Java installed. However, the release of HTML5 may see the end of both JavaScript and Java in web sites."
And John finishes today's explanation with this, "Updates will come out soon for Java that will make it okay to use with browsers, but like any other 'fix,' the hackers will find yet another undiscovered hole to give them an opportunity to pass on more viruses."
Virus Affecting PC and Mac
John Carter gets our attention with this! "There's a particularly nasty virus associated with the email that supposedly comes from UPS. The virus actually causes the mouse on a Mac to freeze up after about 15 seconds, you then have to reset the mouse, and it freezes again 15 seconds later.
"But this can only happen if you have a Windows machine on the same network as your Mac. Once the virus hits Windows, it infects all machines in the same network, including the Mac.
"The moral of the story is do not run Windows without fully protecting the Windows OS with an A/V program - like AVAST. The Windows OS also needs Malwarebytes and SpyBot Search & Destroy software installed and running all the time in addition to AVAST."
Watch Out for This Email
David Passell alerts us to another scam now making the rounds in our area. It involves an email complete with phony tracking number informing you that there was a package delivery error. It purports to come from one of these delivery companies: UPS, FedEx, DHL, or USPS. In the phony email you'll be instructed to open an attachment and print out a correct delivery label that you're supposed to take to the nearest (UPS, FedEx, DHL, or USPS) office.
Open the attachment, however, and you'll open your computer to malware and virus attacks. Delete the phony email. The FedEx website posts this information.
Package Delivery Virus
If you receive an email notification about a package delivery it could be a virus, making the rounds again. Look at this info from Snopes which is dated April 19.
Finding a Virus
David Passell tells about some virus precautions. He begins, "Thanks to Allen Laudenslager for info on ClamXav (CXA) ( posted on this newsblog on June 11)." David explains the procedure he followed.
"You are right in that some things aren't obvious in the setup. I find it difficult after following instructions, etc. to recall exactly what I did, however:
1. You should create a folder on your desktop and name it something like 'quarantined stuff.'
2. After you get CXA installed, you may be asked to update virus definitions. You should do this and note the small progress bar on the bottom of the screen. The process will take several minutes.
3. Go to preferences > quarantine > select quarantine file.
4. When a list of files opens, navigate to your desktop and select 'quarantined stuff.'
5. Now you are ready to do a scan.
6. In the left hand pane (source list) I found my user home at the top so I selected it and ran it.
7. My most recent scan yielded the following. Please note that second item. That is the E-mail from Dorothy Gonzales that came to the board yesterday. (Double click to enlarge this screen shot)
8. The zip attachment contains a .exe which will run on XP. It's antivirus spotted it (I won't go into details on that since not everyone will be running a Windows program in Parallels).
9. If you open your folder 'quarantined stuff' you will see them there. I move them to the trash and 'secure erase' them.
"That is about it for my initial stumbling about. I'm sure there are a lot more features that I may be missing. I ran it yesterday and found some other viruses, a couple going back to 2006. They all seemed to be related to mbox."