Mac Trojan Alert

No more security from obscurity. Now that the Mac OS X platform has become more prevalent, malware has followed.  In the last two weeks, two new trojan horse threats to security.  The first presents itself as a PDF file, “which displays a Chinese-language document on the screen in an attempt to hide its background activity.”

The second is a bit more clever, it presents itself as a flash installer.  If a user tries to install the software, it deactivates security software on the user’s machine.

Apple has updated its anti-malware tools, so the threat is low, but the threats are increasing in number and sophistication.

Security Hole in Apple Batteries

A security hole in the firmware of Apple Mac batteries may well allow for malware to be installed on vulnerable systems… even after a complete reformatting of the hard disk and reinstall of the system.

I wouldn’t be too worried about this, as there is no evidence of this hole being exploited yet, and I would hope a fix would come along shortly, but…

(via Boing Boing)

Bi-Coastal iPhone Thieves

There is a rash of iPhone thieves on the streets (and subways) of New York City and Los Angeles.  In the WSJ NYC blog, Metropolis, there is this report on a 17.8% increase in subway larcenies due largely to iPhone thefts.

Meanwhile, the pseudonymous Bob Cringely, had his iPhone snatched from his belt while in Los Angeles.  Even though he had his Where is my iPhone? app, it was not to be found.  Cringely explains:

The moment it was grabbed from my belt the thief handed it to an accomplice. Within a minute the phone was powered-off and untraceable. They didn’t want my data, just my iPhone.

An iPhone 4 can go for $300 in China. They replace the SIM card, spoof the MAC address or sell it for use on a network that doesn’t care. The street price in L. A. for my phone is $100. An industrious criminal can grab several phones per day.

Good thing I have a Droid, I suppose.