October 25, 2004 6:20 AM PDT

Mac users face rare threat

Share
- Digg
- Del.icio.us
- Reddit
- Facebook
Email
Print

Related Stories: Firm sweetens Mac virus tool, but will Apple-ites bite?
June 23, 2004; Apple patches 'critical' OS X flaw
June 7, 2004; For Mac security, communication is key
June 3, 2004; Mac OS fix fails to plug security hole
May 25, 2004

A script-based threat that spies on Mac users caught the attention of some security watchers last week.

The malware, which has been dubbed Opener by Mac user groups, has the potential to disable Mac OS X's built-in firewall, steal personal information or destroy data. At the moment, however, it seems to pose little danger.

Security experts say those threatening traits are common among the thousands of online threats targeting Microsoft's ubiquitous Windows operating system but are virtually unheard of on Apple Computer's Mac OS.

Paul Ducklin, Sophos' head of technology in the Asia-Pacific region, said that the software, which Sophos calls Renepo, is designed to affect Mac OS X drives connected to an infected system and that it leaves affected computers vulnerable to further attack.

Latest tech news headlines

The main problem with Windows Vista
Posted in Defensive Computing by Michael Horowitz

September 6, 2008 7:50 PM PDT
Google-focused satellite enters orbit
Posted in News - Digital Media by Jonathan Skillings

September 6, 2008 7:33 PM PDT
In NFL deal, an extra point for Adobe's Flash
Posted in News - Digital Media by Jonathan Skillings

September 6, 2008 6:40 PM PDT

RSS Feeds

Add headlines from CNET News to your homepage or feedreader.

More feeds available in our RSS feed index.

Inside CNET News

Scroll Left Scroll Right

News - Business Tech
Chrome's JavaScript challenge to Silverlight
The advent of Google's Chrome browser, software pros say, should spur a big speedup for JavaScript, which would raise its standing against Microsoft's Silverlight technology.
Gallery
Photos: Top 10 reviews of the week
Here are CNET Reviews' 10 favorite items from the past week, including the TiVo HD XL, Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50, and the Dish Network's newest digital TV converter box.
News - Apple
Apple watchers spot 'iPod Nano' pix, iTunes hints
The rumor mill has long been predicting a longer, leaner new version of the iPod Nano, and now it's conjuring up some pictures.
Coop's Corner
Chris Shipley 1, Internet lynch mob 0
Demo's impresario goes public with a tart and smartly written riposte to the shoot-from-the-lip crowd.
Video
Katie Couric reflects on first Webcast
The political conventions are over and so are CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric's first series of Webcasts. CNET's Kara Tsuboi sat down with Couric on the final night of the Republican National Convention to discuss what she liked about Webcasting, some of her most memorable guests, and whether TV news will still be around by the next round of conventions.
News - Digital Media
Google-focused satellite enters orbit
The search titan has exclusive rights among online mapping sites to images from the new GeoEye-1 satellite, which launched Saturday.
Video
YouTube plays party politics
During the presidential campaigning four years ago, YouTube didn't even exist. Now it's a tool candidates must master to get their message across. CNET's Kara Tsuboi stops by the YouTube upload booths at the Democratic and Republican conventions to find out why Google's video site has such a big presence in Denver and St. Paul, Minn.
News - Gaming and Culture
Are Demo and TechCrunch50 fragmenting their audiences?
With both events scheduled to start Monday, many press, as well as venture capitalists and others are having to choose which one to attend.
News - Cutting Edge
Execs predict next Google-like tech
On eve of company's 10-year anniversary, researchers and business pundits speculate about what technologies might someday have as much impact as Google.
Gallery
Images: The art of 'Spore' prototypes
Will Wright and his Maxis team worked on dozens of prototypes to test the elements of their soon-to-be-released evolution game. Here's a sampling.
Webware
At the TechCrunch50, an unfair advantage?
Inside baseball: How Webware and other blogs can compete with TechCrunch in covering the TechCrunch50 event.
Green Tech
Duke Energy to invest in mini solar power plants
Can hundreds of rooftop solar panels collectively operate like a central power plant? Duke Energy launches $100 million distributed solar program to find out.