[angelmb]

I wonder how many beginners are getting fooled or going to be fooled again by this malware.

New Mac Defender Variant, MacGuard, Doesn’t Require Password for Installation

[MacNNUK]

I use Camino, It would be nice to have the option to block downloads before they happen, where you need to say yes to any downloads.
I've noticed this malware seems to auto download in the background as I view RSS fed sources, (such as Avalanchers) non porno !
Do any browsers have the ability to block downloads before they even get started, without permission ?

[anthology123]

I had a family member get fooled by this and downloaded it. Nothing happened because she was using an iMac G4 (still running great) and MacDefender is an Intel only app.

[hart]

So that's what it was. I was trying to quiz a family member who seems to have downloaded it but the no-password thing didn't seem to fit the pattern.

I've been trying to drill into people's brains what not to click on but it doesn't seem to stick. This was a nice practical breakdown:

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If you see a warning or a scan result appear on your screen that you did not expect, as yourself the following questions:

1.

Did you install this?

Know what is on your computer, and if you did not install a scanner or a program you suspect, then close it down and check it out by searching the Web or visiting support forums like the Apple Support Communities to see whether or not others are seeing the same messages.
2.

Is it a Web page?

Close all browsers on your system to see if the scan or warning goes away. If so then you know it was a scam and should not be trusted.
3.

Do the mentioned files exists?

Many scam software attempts will claim they found infected software, or are trying to access specific files on your system and will even list those files. Perform a spotlight search to see if these files exist on your system (they likely will not). Even if a scanner appears legitimate, if you find you have to provide something to the scanner in order for it to complete its job (even an admin password), then it should not be trusted.
4.

Is it asking you for something?

The biggest way to spot a scam is to see whether or not the warning is ultimately asking you for something. Does it want you to upgrade, pay for a license, install a program, or visit a specific Web site? If so, then do not trust it and close it down.


Read more: MacDefender taking on more names of legitimate software packages | MacFixIt - CNET Reviews