Comments on: The Hamburglar Meets the iPod http://blog.eset.com/2006/10/17/the-hamburglar-meets-the-ipod Sun, 12 Feb 2012 22:29:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: David Harley http://blog.eset.com/2006/10/17/the-hamburglar-meets-the-ipod/comment-page-1#comment-569192 David Harley Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:55:21 +0000 http://eset.com/threat-center/blog/?p=22#comment-569192 According to Apple themselves, "less than 1% - of the Video iPods available for purchase after September 12, 2006, left our contract manufacturer carrying the Windows RavMonE.exe virus." While I don't necessarily fully agree with Randy's harsh comments, surely Apple has some responsibility for problems with its products that may affect legitimate customers, even if the error didn't take place in Cupertino? According to Apple themselves, “less than 1% – of the Video iPods available for purchase after September 12, 2006, left our contract manufacturer carrying the Windows RavMonE.exe virus.” While I don’t necessarily fully agree with Randy’s harsh comments, surely Apple has some responsibility for problems with its products that may affect legitimate customers, even if the error didn’t take place in Cupertino?

]]> By: Sam http://blog.eset.com/2006/10/17/the-hamburglar-meets-the-ipod/comment-page-1#comment-569167 Sam Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:52:51 +0000 http://eset.com/threat-center/blog/?p=22#comment-569167 ok... you left an extremely important piece of information... it was not apple that released the virus, the virus was on a windows computer at the testing facility in china. When the iPods were being processed, one of the workers would pull a random iPod out of the line, test it on a WINDOWS computer, then put it back into the line. The problem was that the virus on the computer infected anything that was plugged into it, in this case, any iPod... It was in the newspapers and on KCRA 3... It was a while back though... ok… you left an extremely important piece of information… it was not apple that released the virus, the virus was on a windows computer at the testing facility in china. When the iPods were being processed, one of the workers would pull a random iPod out of the line, test it on a WINDOWS computer, then put it back into the line. The problem was that the virus on the computer infected anything that was plugged into it, in this case, any iPod… It was in the newspapers and on KCRA 3… It was a while back though…

]]> By: JAMIE ALLEN http://blog.eset.com/2006/10/17/the-hamburglar-meets-the-ipod/comment-page-1#comment-1324 JAMIE ALLEN Tue, 07 Nov 2006 04:13:28 +0000 http://eset.com/threat-center/blog/?p=22#comment-1324 I'M TRYING TO GET APPLES EMAIL ADDRESS SO I CAN SEND A INVOICE FOR $59.OO FOR THE WORK THE WANT TIO DO TO ENSURE THE IPOD THEY SENT ME IS OK.I FEEL THAT ALL IPOD USER SHOULD BE PAID TO INSPECT THESE IPODS.APPLE EMAILED ME,BUT WHY CAN'T I EMAIL THEM? I’M TRYING TO GET APPLES EMAIL ADDRESS SO I CAN SEND A INVOICE FOR $59.OO FOR THE WORK THE WANT TIO DO TO ENSURE THE IPOD THEY SENT ME IS OK.I FEEL THAT ALL IPOD USER SHOULD BE PAID TO INSPECT THESE IPODS.APPLE EMAILED ME,BUT WHY CAN’T I EMAIL THEM?

]]> By: Marc Liron - Microsoft MVP » Blog Archive » Apple Blame Microsoft? http://blog.eset.com/2006/10/17/the-hamburglar-meets-the-ipod/comment-page-1#comment-404 Marc Liron - Microsoft MVP » Blog Archive » Apple Blame Microsoft? Fri, 20 Oct 2006 21:02:56 +0000 http://eset.com/threat-center/blog/?p=22#comment-404 “McDonalds promptly apologized and set up a help line for affected users. Apple promptly blamed Microsoft and apologized. Apple doesn?t seem to get it. It isn’t that there was a virus on the iPods, the issue is that they did not know what they were releasing. I don’t expect McDonalds to understand technology, but Apple should.” –Randy Abrams, director of technical education at security company Eset “McDonalds promptly apologized and set up a help line for affected users. Apple promptly blamed Microsoft and apologized. Apple doesn?t seem to get it. It isn’t that there was a virus on the iPods, the issue is that they did not know what they were releasing. I don’t expect McDonalds to understand technology, but Apple should.” –Randy Abrams, director of technical education at security company Eset

]]> By: Sarah http://blog.eset.com/2006/10/17/the-hamburglar-meets-the-ipod/comment-page-1#comment-383 Sarah Fri, 20 Oct 2006 14:38:20 +0000 http://eset.com/threat-center/blog/?p=22#comment-383 This is bad bad news for companies' security. The threat endpoint devices pose is pretty scurry! GFI just issued an article in response to this Apple ipods shipping out with malware issue... it's at: - seems like threats are rising and keep on rising! This is bad bad news for companies’ security. The threat endpoint devices pose is pretty scurry! GFI just issued an article in response to this Apple ipods shipping out with malware issue… it’s at: – seems like threats are rising and keep on rising!

]]> By: kurt wismer http://blog.eset.com/2006/10/17/the-hamburglar-meets-the-ipod/comment-page-1#comment-357 kurt wismer Thu, 19 Oct 2006 18:29:58 +0000 http://eset.com/threat-center/blog/?p=22#comment-357 @mat their message is only true if/when you add the appropriate caveats to it (which they don't)... without those caveats it gives consumers a false sense of security and so i call it snake oil... while the mac may be the 'safer' platform (for now), that doesn't excuse snake oil or denial that the malware problem is a problem they need to be concerned with... by the way, have you ever considered linux for your dad? it's probably a cheaper way to get a similar degree of 'safety' since it wouldn't require purchasing an entirely new computer... @mat
their message is only true if/when you add the appropriate caveats to it (which they don’t)… without those caveats it gives consumers a false sense of security and so i call it snake oil…

while the mac may be the ‘safer’ platform (for now), that doesn’t excuse snake oil or denial that the malware problem is a problem they need to be concerned with…

by the way, have you ever considered linux for your dad? it’s probably a cheaper way to get a similar degree of ‘safety’ since it wouldn’t require purchasing an entirely new computer…

]]> By: psyXonova http://blog.eset.com/2006/10/17/the-hamburglar-meets-the-ipod/comment-page-1#comment-356 psyXonova Thu, 19 Oct 2006 18:27:48 +0000 http://eset.com/threat-center/blog/?p=22#comment-356 @Mat With 96% percent of the users using some version of Windows, it's obvious that the average user is the Windows one. So, Apple's commercials target the Window user (and not the average user in general) since most people dont even know how OSX looks like. Same goes to the virus programmers. They are focusing to Windows because hundreds of million ppl are using it. A simple Google will show you that security flaws exist (besides windows) to other OSs too. In fact Apple has patched a several dozens of them since the initial launch of OSX. Some of them were really serious, kernel level flaws. And that without having all the hackers worldwide trying to break in. And the worst thing is that Apple is still advertising it has the most secure OS out there. In fact, all Mac users I know strongly believe that OSX is invunerable. None of them is using antivirus or firewall and they dont plan to ever use one (for them it will be like reverting to windows). This makes OSX *really* vulnerable. It wont take a long time before someone decides to attack Macs (some hackers allready started trying, again Google) and when this happens... it will spread in no time. So, instead of accusing Windows perhaps Apple should take care of its own products and stop helping the spread of viruses by delivering them inside a 400$ iPod. @Mat
With 96% percent of the users using some version of Windows, it’s obvious that the average user is the Windows one. So, Apple’s commercials target the Window user (and not the average user in general) since most people dont even know how OSX looks like.
Same goes to the virus programmers. They are focusing to Windows because hundreds of million ppl are using it. A simple Google will show you that security flaws exist (besides windows) to other OSs too. In fact Apple has patched a several dozens of them since the initial launch of OSX. Some of them were really serious, kernel level flaws. And that without having all the hackers worldwide trying to break in.
And the worst thing is that Apple is still advertising it has the most secure OS out there. In fact, all Mac users I know strongly believe that OSX is invunerable. None of them is using antivirus or firewall and they dont plan to ever use one (for them it will be like reverting to windows).
This makes OSX *really* vulnerable. It wont take a long time before someone decides to attack Macs (some hackers allready started trying, again Google) and when this happens… it will spread in no time.
So, instead of accusing Windows perhaps Apple should take care of its own products and stop helping the spread of viruses by delivering them inside a 400$ iPod.

]]> By: Kerry http://blog.eset.com/2006/10/17/the-hamburglar-meets-the-ipod/comment-page-1#comment-354 Kerry Thu, 19 Oct 2006 18:10:32 +0000 http://eset.com/threat-center/blog/?p=22#comment-354 "Sure, my PC’s never been hit by a nasty virus that I couldn’t get rid of - but I’ve got up-to-date software, firewalls etc - it takes positive effort to keep my PC clean." With so many programs that self-update, I think the effort is becoming more and more minimal. I run antivirus, firewall, and antispyware, and I have all set to auto update. I don't have my Windows updates set to auto install, but that's only because I like to see what's happening. I've not had any malware problems on my PCs in several years. Also, I think the lack of Mac viruses have everything to do with lack of interest in creating them. I'm surprised that, with all the "Macs don't get viruses" ads, more virus writers don't concentrate on Mac just to prove they can do it. “Sure, my PC’s never been hit by a nasty virus that I couldn’t get rid of – but I’ve got up-to-date software, firewalls etc – it takes positive effort to keep my PC clean.”

With so many programs that self-update, I think the effort is becoming more and more minimal. I run antivirus, firewall, and antispyware, and I have all set to auto update. I don’t have my Windows updates set to auto install, but that’s only because I like to see what’s happening. I’ve not had any malware problems on my PCs in several years.

Also, I think the lack of Mac viruses have everything to do with lack of interest in creating them. I’m surprised that, with all the “Macs don’t get viruses” ads, more virus writers don’t concentrate on Mac just to prove they can do it.

]]> By: Mat http://blog.eset.com/2006/10/17/the-hamburglar-meets-the-ipod/comment-page-1#comment-352 Mat Thu, 19 Oct 2006 13:57:44 +0000 http://eset.com/threat-center/blog/?p=22#comment-352 @kurt I missed a crucial 'that' in Jon's sentence, apologies. Ironically I just read your post about that Mac advert and then saw your comment. I agree that Mac owners can be part of the problem by not running suitable security software and thus allowing malware to pass through them. Your points about Macs, as computers being susceptible to viruses are obviously irrefutable. It would certainly be useful if Macs shipped with their Firewalls turned on etc. However, I still have sympathy with the advert. In real terms, if your average user does not want to be troubled by malware, they are better off buying a Mac with OS X. The advert is aimed at average users. Sure, my PC's never been hit by a nasty virus that I couldn't get rid of - but I've got up-to-date software, firewalls etc - it takes positive effort to keep my PC clean. My dad, who can just about use Word, doesn't know how to keep his virus stuff up-to-date, doesn't use anything other than Windows' built-in firewall is a more average user. When he replaces his laptop (on which I've already had to reinstall Windows from scratch due to >800 virus-infected files), I'm not going to be encouraging him to get another PC. For him, the message of that advert true - buy a PC, get a virus; buy a Mac, don't. And as such, why shouldn't Apple exploit what is undoubtedly a positive selling point of their systems? @kurt
I missed a crucial ‘that’ in Jon’s sentence, apologies.

Ironically I just read your post about that Mac advert and then saw your comment. I agree that Mac owners can be part of the problem by not running suitable security software and thus allowing malware to pass through them. Your points about Macs, as computers being susceptible to viruses are obviously irrefutable. It would certainly be useful if Macs shipped with their Firewalls turned on etc. However, I still have sympathy with the advert.

In real terms, if your average user does not want to be troubled by malware, they are better off buying a Mac with OS X. The advert is aimed at average users. Sure, my PC’s never been hit by a nasty virus that I couldn’t get rid of – but I’ve got up-to-date software, firewalls etc – it takes positive effort to keep my PC clean. My dad, who can just about use Word, doesn’t know how to keep his virus stuff up-to-date, doesn’t use anything other than Windows’ built-in firewall is a more average user. When he replaces his laptop (on which I’ve already had to reinstall Windows from scratch due to >800 virus-infected files), I’m not going to be encouraging him to get another PC. For him, the message of that advert true – buy a PC, get a virus; buy a Mac, don’t. And as such, why shouldn’t Apple exploit what is undoubtedly a positive selling point of their systems?

]]> By: kurt wismer http://blog.eset.com/2006/10/17/the-hamburglar-meets-the-ipod/comment-page-1#comment-351 kurt wismer Thu, 19 Oct 2006 13:35:11 +0000 http://eset.com/threat-center/blog/?p=22#comment-351 @mat "I disagree with Jon Poon’s comment on this Apple advert though. Firstly, this advert was not released in response to this cock-up and secondly, the point it makes is fair enough - Windows is susceptible to viruses, OS X isn’t." a) he wasn't saying the video was in response to this problem, he was showing it as an example of how apple thinks about the virus problem (ie. "it's not our problem")... b) you are falling for apple's snake oil on the virus susceptibility issue... there are 3 separate ways in which that message is false: first in that a mac is a general purpose computer it is susceptible to viruses by definition, second as mac osx is a flavour of unix it should be pointed out that the initial academic treatment of computer viruses had them operating on a professionally administered unix system, and third osx/leap (besides being a proof of concept and an instant messaging worm) is an overwriting virus that at least some people have seen in the wild on mac osx machines... @mat
“I disagree with Jon Poon’s comment on this Apple advert though. Firstly, this advert was not released in response to this cock-up and secondly, the point it makes is fair enough – Windows is susceptible to viruses, OS X isn’t.”

a) he wasn’t saying the video was in response to this problem, he was showing it as an example of how apple thinks about the virus problem (ie. “it’s not our problem”)…
b) you are falling for apple’s snake oil on the virus susceptibility issue… there are 3 separate ways in which that message is false: first in that a mac is a general purpose computer it is susceptible to viruses by definition, second as mac osx is a flavour of unix it should be pointed out that the initial academic treatment of computer viruses had them operating on a professionally administered unix system, and third osx/leap (besides being a proof of concept and an instant messaging worm) is an overwriting virus that at least some people have seen in the wild on mac osx machines…

]]>