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Tyler McAdams · Apr 12, 2003, 03:41 AM

Does anyone know of a spyware detector for os x?

Jasoco · Apr 12, 2003, 04:05 AM

Spyware doesn't survive on OS X like it does on Windows. It's not hard to track it down in X.

Tyler McAdams · Apr 12, 2003, 04:11 AM

Originally posted by Jasoco:
Spyware doesn't survive on OS X like it does on Windows. It's not hard to track it down in X.

Yes... I just want to make extra sure there isn't any.. I just downloaded spy bot for my windows box and found over 20 spyware apps on my 2000 box... what a nightmare...

Jasoco · Apr 12, 2003, 04:17 AM

I know, it's horrible! My brother's XP PC has, well, had a whole boatload. But I killed some. but he uses Kazaa so it's like.. ick.

Windows can't escape it. OS X is almost immune to it. I dunno. Maybe I'm wrong. I have not heard much about spyware on Macs anyway.

PC Magazine just did a whole article on Spyware and how they did tests of people who used programs like Kazaa and people who didn't. Then they listed ll the programs that have Spyware that can be removed and the ones that won't run unless you keep the Spyware installed. They even showed the EULA's for apps that literally say "You agree to let us install spyware on this computer" or "We have the right to sell your info rto other companies" but people don't read EULA's and they hid it down at the bottom of the page. Basically, the moral is you should at least skim the EULA.

Anyway, I am just glad I use a Mac and never have to worry about this ****.

Tyler McAdams · Apr 12, 2003, 05:25 AM

Originally posted by Jasoco:
I know, it's horrible! My brother's XP PC has, well, had a whole boatload. But I killed some. but he uses Kazaa so it's like.. ick.

Windows can't escape it. OS X is almost immune to it. I dunno. Maybe I'm wrong. I have not heard much about spyware on Macs anyway.

PC Magazine just did a whole article on Spyware and how they did tests of people who used programs like Kazaa and people who didn't. Then they listed ll the programs that have Spyware that can be removed and the ones that won't run unless you keep the Spyware installed. They even showed the EULA's for apps that literally say "You agree to let us install spyware on this computer" or "We have the right to sell your info rto other companies" but people don't read EULA's and they hid it down at the bottom of the page. Basically, the moral is you should at least skim the EULA.

Anyway, I am just glad I use a Mac and never have to worry about this ****.

True.. true... got to be *the* best thing about running a mac... the security is awsome... I run snort plus firewalkX and ifpw... so you could say I sort of a security freak... I guess it's a good thing I an admin or I'd be in the psyco house by now! I just want to be extra extra careful.. It's the best way... I know, I've been hacked several times... and if you run windows you know it will happen before it's over sometime... so there ya go... now where's my doctor?

angelmb · Apr 12, 2003, 05:30 AM

Don�t worry about spyware on the Mac

Well, there is soft for that purpose, MacScan X:

http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/17436

Maybe all you need is use NetBarrier and say it to not let go some info out the Mac, your credit card number, your legal serials and so. Tried and worked for me.

car1son · Apr 12, 2003, 10:15 AM

I've yet to see anyone cite an actual example or OS X spyware (though there seems to be quite a cult that believes it must exist and have heard from their sister's boyfriend's college roomate's cousin about something non-specific, or assumed a Windows app with Spyware must have Spyware in the OS X version. Me, I think there aren't enough Mac users to be worth spying on.

The definition of spyware is a little fuzzy, too. When itunes reports the ID of the CD I inserted to fetch the tracck names, was that spying or performing a service?

I have taken a real liking to a program called Little Snitch which will tell you about anything any app on your Mac tries to say to the outside world, and better still, let you permit to deny each attempt.

Corys · Apr 12, 2003, 10:43 AM

Originally posted by car1son:

I have taken a real liking to a program called Little Snitch which will tell you about anything any app on your Mac tries to say to the outside world, and better still, let you permit to deny each attempt.

I also like Little Snitch..

while I haven't caught any "Spyware" apps on my machine, it is interesting to know when a program is trying to access a outside server..

HiDDeN · Apr 12, 2003, 11:38 AM

Macscan X never found anything on my G4. Only I don't like what I see when little snitch tells me that messenger is trying to connect to SVCG.microsoft.com for no reason at al.

Millennium · Apr 12, 2003, 01:00 PM

At the moment, no spyware is known to exist for Mac OS X. Mind you, this isn't so much because of any innate "spyware-resistance" of the OS, as because of the fact that no one has cared enough to write any. It could be done. About the closest thing there is to spyware on OSX right now is Microsoft's software-authentication system for Office v.X, and that's easy enough to work around.

I've heard very good things about a program called Little Snitch. I haven't used it personally, but it basically detects and brings to your attention any process which attempts to connect to the Internet. That should be enough to detect most spyware.

The Placid Casual · Apr 12, 2003, 01:30 PM

I just downloaded Little Snitch...

Interesting. I have got a few alerts that were unexpected...

I subscribe to a Yahoo email board about a Guitarist (Stevie Ray Vaughan) and people email tech questions back and forth. Anyway when I get an email it has a Yahoo advert attached to it... Wonder why it needs to contact Yahoo once it is read?

LS seems like a great little app..

Peace,

Marc

ckohler · Apr 12, 2003, 01:39 PM

Does Adobe Photoshop 7 have "spyware" in the sense that it sends packets to it's home servers with your IP information to track registration usage? While not spyware in the normal sense, it supposidly sends this info to adobe.com in the background without your knowledge. At least, that's what I read online once.

The Placid Casual · Apr 12, 2003, 01:57 PM

Originally posted by ckohler:
Does Adobe Photoshop 7 have "spyware" in the sense that it sends packets to it's home servers with your IP information to track registration usage? While not spyware in the normal sense, it supposidly sends this info to adobe.com in the background without your knowledge. At least, that's what I read online once.

There was joke 'news flash' about it on a graphic design board I go to about a year ago... In the end it was decided that it didn't happen, but a few hearts were racing for a while...

I'm not so sure it is fiction

Marc

foobars · Apr 12, 2003, 02:15 PM

Originally posted by Marc2211:
There was joke 'news flash' about it on a graphic design board I go to about a year ago... In the end it was decided that it didn't happen, but a few hearts were racing for a while...

I'm not so sure it is fiction

Marc

When you first start Photoshop it asks you if you want to register online, you can decline.

Also, you filled out all the info to be sent, it doesn't send a reg # as far as I know.

Also, what about software that checks for updates? This is often picked up by spyware monitors.

workerbee · Apr 12, 2003, 03:00 PM

Originally posted by Millennium:
At the moment, no spyware is known to exist for Mac OS X.

It's not spyware, but I read the other day that the first Dialer software for OSX has been detected (it takes over your modem or ISDN settings and opens a line on a hugely expensive special number when you open a PPP connection to the internet).

brachiator · Apr 12, 2003, 04:18 PM

Originally posted by angelmb:
Maybe all you need is use NetBarrier and say it to not let go some info out the Mac, your credit card number, your legal serials and so.

Not to mention your less-than-legal serials... Unless, I mean, you were talking about weekly installments of Grisham stories.

Adam Betts · Apr 12, 2003, 04:44 PM

-Proteus Software

TheMosco · Apr 12, 2003, 05:27 PM

Originally posted by foobars:
When you first start Photoshop it asks you if you want to register online, you can decline.

Also, you filled out all the info to be sent, it doesn't send a reg # as far as I know.

Also, what about software that checks for updates? This is often picked up by spyware monitors.

Thats not what he is talking about. I think i read an interview once about this subject with someone at Adobe. He said your ip is only sent when you click the eye at the top of the toolbar that takes you to adobe's website. I think thats what i read atleast, maybe i was mistaken.

stew · Apr 12, 2003, 07:16 PM

Originally posted by Jasoco:
Spyware doesn't survive on OS X like it does on Windows. It's not hard to track it down in X.

How come? "netstat" is quite the same on OS X and Windows.

Tyler McAdams · Apr 12, 2003, 08:45 PM

I've been told that Limewire has spyware in it... the new versions at least... perhaps just for the pc side... but I'm not too sure of any file sharing app... be careful! Has anybody heard anyhting about spyware and aquasition?

King Bob On The Cob · Apr 12, 2003, 08:53 PM

Originally posted by Tyler McAdams:
I've been told that Limewire has spyware in it... the new versions at least... perhaps just for the pc side... but I'm not too sure of any file sharing app... be careful! Has anybody heard anyhting about spyware and aquasition?

Acquisition has no spyware. LimeWire even removed it's AdWare. Just watch out for the official Hotline client... There are many bad things that can come from that.

rw · Apr 12, 2003, 11:27 PM

Originally posted by Marc2211:
Anyway when I get an email it has a Yahoo advert attached to it... Wonder why it needs to contact Yahoo once it is read?

Yahoo probably gets paid according to the number of ads that get read.

klinux · Apr 12, 2003, 11:50 PM

Originally posted by Millennium:
At the moment, no spyware is known to exist for Mac OS X. Mind you, this isn't so much because of any innate "spyware-resistance" of the OS, as because of the fact that no one has cared enough to write any.

Exactly Millenium. It is not as if spyware cannot survive in OS X or if OS X is immune from it. It is just the spyware/adware makers do not think writing a software that targets 3% of the market is worth it. That is foolish on their part since Mac users tend be more affluent and better educated than PC users (on an aggregate leevel) but this is good for us. On the other hand, let's just hope that 3% is not going any lower. Or put it another way, not that we would not know this via other means, but if there are more virus and more adware/spyware written for OS X - it probably means out the Apple market share is growing!

Xeo · Apr 13, 2003, 12:43 AM

Originally posted by Marc2211:
I subscribe to a Yahoo email board about a Guitarist (Stevie Ray Vaughan) and people email tech questions back and forth. Anyway when I get an email it has a Yahoo advert attached to it... Wonder why it needs to contact Yahoo once it is read?

I don't know for certain, but my guess would be that the advert isn't an attachment in the e-mail but rather a link to an image on Yahoo!'s servers. So when it connects to Yahoo!'s servers it's just downloading the image. Of course, they can track how many downloads it gets to make sure people are viewing the images.

Personally, I have automatic download off in Mail.app so I don't have that problem.

Xeo · Apr 13, 2003, 12:46 AM

Originally posted by Jasoco:
I know, it's horrible! My brother's XP PC has, well, had a whole boatload. But I killed some. but he uses Kazaa so it's like.. ick.

Switch him to Kazaa lite. It's the adware-less version and comes with nifty add-ons which make downloading easier. I run Ad-Aware 6 every so often and when I switched to Kazaa lite from Kazaa Media Desktop, most of the spyware stopped showing up on the scans.

dogzilla · Apr 13, 2003, 01:10 AM

Originally posted by Marc2211:
...about a Guitarist (Stevie Ray Vaughan)...

Hm. I think you mean "about THE guitarist"

Tyler McAdams · Apr 13, 2003, 02:04 AM

I think the most scary idea is the possibility that somebody has made spyware for the mac and since nobody really does this... it goes unnoticed... in other words, nobody even thinks to look... everyone just automatically says to themselves "Hey, I'm on a mac... therefore I'm bulletproof!" LV426 all over again...

The Placid Casual · Apr 13, 2003, 04:49 AM

Originally posted by Xeo:
I don't know for certain, but my guess would be that the advert isn't an attachment in the e-mail but rather a link to an image on Yahoo!'s servers. So when it connects to Yahoo!'s servers it's just downloading the image. Of course, they can track how many downloads it gets to make sure people are viewing the images.

Personally, I have automatic download off in Mail.app so I don't have that problem.

Cheers for the info... I kind of guessed this was the case. Guess I'm just a bit paranoid!

The Placid Casual · Apr 13, 2003, 04:52 AM

Originally posted by dogzilla:
Hm. I think you mean "about THE guitarist"

Jens Peter · Apr 13, 2003, 06:24 AM

Originally posted by Adam Betts:
-Proteus Software

Are there spyware in Proteus ??

Jens Peter

car1son · Apr 13, 2003, 09:15 AM

Originally posted by Marc2211:
I just downloaded Little Snitch... Interesting. I have got a few alerts that were unexpected...

I subscribe to a Yahoo email board .... When I get an email it has a Yahoo advert attached to it... Wonder why it needs to contact Yahoo once it is read?

As stated, the eMail contains a link to an image, so whenever you read/display the eMail, unless the image is still in your local cache from the last time you looked at the eMail, your mail client will fetch it from the designated server. (Apple's Newsletters use links to images rather than mailing you the image as well.) This is pretty common.

A lot of eMail client programs have options NOT to read images from servers by default. (E.g., Entourage, Mail Preferences, Read tab, "Allow network access when displaying HTML.)

Many spammers (and others) use these image references as "bugs". Each email gets a unique image to load, based on the email address it was sent to. If their server gets a request for that image, they know you read their message, the eMail address is valid, and they should send you more spam. (e.g., send "joe@aol.com" a message containing an image src="http://spammer.server.com/joe_at_aol_com.jpg". If anyone tries to read file joe_aol_com.jpg from the server, joe@aol.com is a "hot" address.

You can also use it as a "receipt" (which is what you call a "bug" when _you_ do it.). E.g., include an image link in your eMail's HTML and use your web server's statistics to see if the image is accessed, meaning the recipient read your message.

OwlBoy · Apr 13, 2003, 10:29 AM

Originally posted by Jens Peter:
Are there spyware in Proteus ??

Jens Peter

What? Bullshit!

-Owl

TheMosco · Apr 13, 2003, 10:37 AM

i don't think it was proteus software, it was proteron or something like that.

-Q- · Apr 13, 2003, 12:09 PM

Originally posted by TheMosco:
i don't think it was proteus software, it was proteron or something like that.

That's correct. I think it was MaxMenus that has the spyware in it.

The Placid Casual · Apr 13, 2003, 12:48 PM

Originally posted by car1son:
As stated, the eMail contains a link to an image, so whenever you read/display the eMail, unless the image is still in your local cache from the last time you looked at the eMail, your mail client will fetch it from the designated server. (Apple's Newsletters use links to images rather than mailing you the image as well.) This is pretty common.

A lot of eMail client programs have options NOT to read images from servers by default. (E.g., Entourage, Mail Preferences, Read tab, "Allow network access when displaying HTML.)

Many spammers (and others) use these image references as "bugs". Each email gets a unique image to load, based on the email address it was sent to. If their server gets a request for that image, they know you read their message, the eMail address is valid, and they should send you more spam. (e.g., send "joe@aol.com" a message containing an image src="http://spammer.server.com/joe_at_aol_com.jpg". If anyone tries to read file joe_aol_com.jpg from the server, joe@aol.com is a "hot" address.

You can also use it as a "receipt" (which is what you call a "bug" when _you_ do it.). E.g., include an image link in your eMail's HTML and use your web server's statistics to see if the image is accessed, meaning the recipient read your message.

Thanks for the explanation!

allap · Apr 13, 2003, 12:58 PM

Originally posted by Jasoco:
I know, it's horrible! My brother's XP PC has, well, had a whole boatload. But I killed some. but he uses Kazaa so it's like.. ick.

Just download Kazaa Lite. Same great taste, 100% spyware free!

[EDIT] : just noticed Xeo already mentioned kazaa lite, whoops

Nothing to see here folks, move along.

Jasoco · Apr 13, 2003, 02:28 PM

I'm trying out Little Snitch right now. I didn't know RealPlayer send data to their server after playing a video.

Wish I could view what it was.

The problem is I denied the sending and closed the window but RealPlayer stays open not letting you open another until you Quit RP.

Originally posted by stew:
How come? "netstat" is quite the same on OS X and Windows.

We have Virex too. What does it do? Almost nothing.

No Spyware, No Viruses. I love OS X.

gururafiki · Apr 13, 2003, 02:47 PM

Originally posted by King Bob On The Cob:
Acquisition has no spyware. LimeWire even removed it's AdWare. Just watch out for the official Hotline client... There are many bad things that can come from that.

Why then does it say that limewire pro does not have spyware, as opposed to the free version which does not say that.

http://www.limewire.com/index.jsp/download

macvillage.net · Apr 13, 2003, 05:06 PM

For you PC users:
http://security.kolla.de/news.php?lang=en

Update and run once weekly.... use imunizations.

For prevention of spyware:
http://www.wilderssecurity.net/spywareblaster.html
Update weekly

Do this, and have a pretty clean PC... It helped make my XP laptop reasonable... haven't had anything in months...

Still not OS X, but it's a lot better.