| Cult of Mac

Kaspersky CEO: Apple Is “10 Years Behind Microsoft In Terms Of Security”

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Kaspersky believes Apple needs to invest more into Mac OS X security as more and more malware infections appear.
Kaspersky believes Apple needs to invest more into Mac OS X security as more and more malware infections appear.

One of the main reasons many of us turned to Apple’s machines and its OS X operating system is the belief that the company’s software is more secure than Windows, its biggest rival. However, Eugene Kaspersky, CEO and co-founder of Kaspersky, one of the industry’s leading security specialists, believes that Apple is “10 years behind Microsoft in terms of security,” and that Apple need to invest more into security audits for its software.

“Wake Up, Mac Users!” One In Five Macs Carry Malware

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Kaspersky is helping Apple identify vulnerabilities in Mac OS X.
Mac users are being urged to "wake up" and realize that malware is a growing problem for Mac OS X.

Think your Mac’s safe now that you’ve removed that Flashback infection? Think again. New research conducted by security specialists Sophos has revealed a “disturbingly high level” of Macs are currently carrying malware, though much of it is designed to attack Windows machines.

Of the 100,000 Macs that Sophos analyzed, one in five was found to be carrying Windows malware, while one in 36 was carrying malware designed for and dangerous to Mac OS X.

Flashback Trojan Discoverer Reveals That 650,000 Macs Are Still Infected

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Flashback is still far from dead.
Flashback is still far from dead.

The Flashback saga has yet to reach its end, as a recent report debunks earlier claims that the number of infected Macs had fallen from 600,000 to 140,000 over a matter of a few days. Apple released a security tool to combat Flashback last week, and Norton Symantec reported that the number of infected machines had fallen to 140,000 shortly after. That number has been proven to be inaccurate.

In an interesting turn of events, the original Flashback whistleblower, Russian security firm Dr. Web, has revealed that around 650,000 Macs are still infected with the notorious trojan. Not only are there many Macs connected to the botnet that were previously unaccounted for, but more OS X computers are added every day.

Protect And Speed Up Your Mac With The Mac VirusBarrier Bundle [Deals]

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CoM - Computer Virus

If you don’t think that your Mac is susceptible to a virus, then you couldn’t be more wrong. With the popularity of the Mac growing every day, they are becoming more of a target. If you want to protect your computer – and speed it up at the same time, the latest Cult of Mac Deals offer is just for you!

With this killer bundle you’ll get 1 year of ultimate protection against all known malware and viruses, like the one that recently made the news: Flashback. With VirusBarrier X6 you’ll be able to protect your Mac from network threats, viruses, trojan horses and all other malware. Washing Machine 2 enables you to clean up web files that compromise your privacy and slow down your Mac in the process.

And this deal is only $36 for a limited time. When you think about it, the only thing you have to lose by not taking advantage of this Cult of Mac Deals bundle is your Mac. Don’t let that happen.

Five Major Lessons IT Needs To Learn From The Flashback Fiasco

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Flashback threat may be fading, but companies shouldn't get complacent about Mac malware
Flashback threat may be fading, but companies shouldn't get complacent about Mac malware

With the number of Flashback-infected Macs dwindling more each day and Apple’s release of software updates that can both clean an infected Mac and prevent infection or reinfection, it’s easy for IT departments and individual Mac users to think that the crisis has passed. That doesn’t mean that it’s time to forget about the issue of malware targeting Macs, however. In fact, the entire event has been a wakeup call to IT and security professionals as well as to the wider Mac community – Macs are not invincible.

When reflecting on the Flashback events of the past couple of weeks, there are five major themes or lessons for businesses and IT department to consider when it comes to supporting Macs going forward.

Apple Suffers More Vulnerabilities Than Google, Microsoft, Adobe In Last Quarter

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This Apple's software is free from vulnerabilities? You couldn't be more wrong.
Think Apple's software is free from vulnerabilities? You couldn't be more wrong.

Apple’s operating systems and its software are generally believed to be the best available in terms of security and stability, but a new report from Trend Micro reveals that’s a huge misconception… at least in recent months. In fact, the Cupertino company suffered more vulnerabilities during the last quarter than rivals like Oracle, Google, Adobe, and even Microsoft.

Macs Infected With Flashback Drop To 140,000 After Apple Releases Removal Tool [Report]

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Apple has crippled Flashback significantly, and the number of infected users is dropping rapidly.
Apple has crippled Flashback significantly, but many Mac users have not yet taken action to remove the trojan.

The notorious Flashback trojan infected 600,000 Macs over the last year. We’ve been following Flashback closely, and Apple started waging its war on the botnet earlier this month. After releasing two security updates and one final tool to remove Flashback from infected Macs, Apple has nearly killed Flashback once and for all.

According to new research from Norton Symantec research, Flashback now infects around 140,000 Macs. That’s a significant drop considering Apple’s removal tool was only released 4 days ago.

Why Intel Says Your Next Macbook Pro May Have A Retina Display [CultCast Discussion]

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cultcast-macbook.jpg

Episode 8 of The CultCast is in iTunes now, and if you’re itching for a new Macbook Pro, you’re not going to want to miss it.

Join us and special guest, Ars Technica Writer Chris Foresman, as we reveal the secrets of the rumored new Air-like Macbook Pro, and explain why Intel says it could pack a Retina Display; and Facebook just bought Instagram, is now the time to jump ship?

All that and lots more on this week’s CultCast — subscribe now on iTunes!

Apple Releases New Flashback Trojan Removal Tool For Lion Users Without Java

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Apple's newest tool nukes Flashback on your Java-less Mac.
Apple's newest tool nukes Flashback on your Java-less Mac.

Following two independent Java security updates and one last patch to detect and remove the Flashback trojan, Apple has released another software tool for getting rid of Flashback on a Mac running OS X Lion without Java installed.

Flashback is the name of a virus that was able to infect a Mac and link it up to a botnet of around 600,000 other Macs. If you’ve updated your Mac with the latest Java patch, you should be fine, but Apple has provided this new tool for safe measure to Mac users running Lion without Java already installed.