This show is hosted by:
John F Braun Mac Geek Gab; Twitter
Katie Floyd – Mac Power Users; Twitter
Chuck Joiner – The MacVoices Group Twitter
The panel discuss the new Amazon Mac Software Download Store, iDevices dominating online video consumption, bandwidth caps and monitoring your usage, the controversy over AT&T’s data billing, the recent Skype and Twitter outages, and protecting yourself in an increasingly dangerous online world.
Amazon Mac Store
Special launch promotion Amazon is adding a $5 discount with the coupon code “SAVE5MAC” through June 1st.
The Amazon downloads require OS X 10.5 and higher. Purchases can be downloaded an unlimited number of times and are stored in Amazon’s Games and Software library.
iPhone, iPad Dominate Mobile Video Viewing Market by Jeff Gamet on The Mac Observer
AT&T Hit with iPhone Data Charges Lawsuit by Jeff Gamet on The Mac Observer
Utilities to monitor bandwidth:
Mac
SurplusMeter
iDevice
DataMan Lite
DataMan Pro
To learn about current Twitter network issues – http://status.twitter.com/
Note that the current batch of malware requires the user to do something via an installer, be it clicking on a Continue button, and perhaps entering an admin username/password.
Securing your Mac from the new MacGuard malware variant by Topher Kessler on cnet
Mac Defender: Mostly Harmless by Chuck La Tournous on The Mac Observer
Picks:
Chuck – Western Digital 3 TB Drive
Katie – Stitcher Radio
John – Square
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Hi Katie, Chuck, and John
You need Mac AV software now. You have malware looking for Mac browser headers and loading through bad i-frames, third party ad servers, and of late Google images through Javascript. You have access to all of this on every website on the internet. Target, Home Depot, JC Penny, Drudge, and many other top name websites. These all have served users malware within the last two years. They just happened to NOT serve it to browsers with Mac based headers that they could of easily have done.
As for not going to bad or sleazy sites, according to Websense 2010 Report, you are safer surfing porn sites then you are News sites. Anyone, even experts can get pwnd while surfing on the 2011’s internet. What helps is running NoScript, Ghostery, Better Privacy, and AdBlock Plus.
I don’t work for Intego, I am just a Mac guy that was hit with a Unix zero day that pwnd my Mac about 4 years ago and have been into internet security for both Mac and PCs since then. I am lucky I can listen to security podcasts from 1 to 3 hours a day at work, I listen to university computer science professors to corporate penetration testers to top tier security experts in the internet security field.
Katie, Chuck, and John, Please listen to Sophos Security Podcast #61 May 27 2011 starting at the 3.00 minute mark.
Website player
http://www.sophos.com/en-us/security-news-trends/podcasts.aspx
Download link
http://www.sophos.com/medialibrary/podcasts/sophospodcast119.ashx?dl=true
Chester Wisniewski talks about how the new Mac malware that loads without admin credentials, BUT loads the installer page is one easy step away from being a stealth drive-by download and stealth install just like on PCs. He was wondering why they did not do it that way since it is a couple lines of code to do it with a vulnerability.
Our Macs ARE just like PCs. Mac’s are not any safer then PCs because for one, Unix has 1/3 more code then Windows to attack and find vulnerabilities. The hackers will attack third party software on the Mac just like the PC. Granted most don’t have Adobe Reader on their Macs, but they all have Adobe Flash. Plus, OS X has not been vetted by the hackers yet. Windows has.
We have Mac security evangelists AKA fanboy like Derek Currie on his Mac security blog that is truly clueless about Mac security and says everything is FUD when people who know and say the Mac is just as hackable as a PC. This guy can write, and truly is an artisan and turning the tables on any opinion against his precious OS X. There is one flaw in his blog, he does not like another opinion other then his. He only lets a very fine few post comments in his blog, and of course not a one against his opinion.
http://mac-security.blogspot.com/
Pentesters just laugh when people think the Mac is so safe. They know, they hack them. Both Windows 7 and OS X are robust. They both get hacked by third party apps or external facing programs. Both are alike in that way. OS X has been safer because of obscurity. Not any more. Even Dr. Charlie Miller, four time winner of the Pwn2Own contest at CanSecWest says Macs are easier to hack then a Windows machine.
Also, in the Securabit podcast #67 at the 33.20 minute mark, Rodger Grimes talks about how easy Macs are too hack and gain corporate access. Interesting complete podcast, a bit slow at times.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/securabit/id280048405
or
http://media.blubrry.com/securabit/p/traffic.libsyn.com/securabit/SecuraBit_EP67.mp3
Here are some of Roger Grimes articles at InfoWorld.
http://www.infoworld.com/blogs/roger-a.-grimes
Ted
Comment by Ted — May 31, 2011 @ 9:09 pm
Here is a great article for the three of you to read, very informative.
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/why-malware-for-macs-is-on-its-way/3243
.
Comment by Ted — June 2, 2011 @ 4:03 pm