1. Safe Computing on a Mac
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2. Safe Computing on a Mac
What?
Me
Worry?
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3. Safe Computing on a Mac
Visualization of the various
routes through a portion of
the Internet
Source:
WWW.Wikipedia.Com
http:WhiteHouseComputing.Blogspot.Com ”
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4. Safe Computing on a Mac
Common Computer Security Myths
Accurate information at excellent
Mac education sites like this
Can lead to mythical
attitudes like this
Click the above for their excellent video
entitled “Do you need antivirus software
on a Mac?
What? Me Worry?
I own a Mac.
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5. Safe Computing on a Mac
Types of Threats
 Annoyances
M  Spam
A  Adware
L  Dangerous
 Spyware
W  Virus – Flashback variants currently in the wild
A  Phishing
R  Scareware
 Enabler
E  Trojan
 Backdoor
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6. Safe Computing on a Mac
Common Computer Security Myths
 Myth: “There is nothing important on my
computer, so no attacker would want to access it”
 Reality:
 “Internet Background Radiation” – a techie term
that refers to the constant stream of probes and
malicious traffic on the internet.
 Probes are looking for any machine that can be
“hijacked” to make money for their hijackers.
 Spam Robots (spambot – multiple spambots under common
control form a “Botnet”)
 Zombies trained to attack web sites on demand (extortion
robots)
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7. Safe Computing on a Mac
Types of Threats - Annoyances
 Spam – AKA Unwanted, Unsolicited Junk Email
 Clogs your email inbox
 Can be dangerous
 Can lead you to dangerous websites
 Example – sites that attempt to exploit unpatched bugs in your
browser to insert “backdoor” or other malware in your system
 Adware – Software that delivers targeted
advertisements to your computer
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8. Safe Computing on a Mac
Types of Threats - Dangerous
 Spyware “is a type of malware that is installed
surreptitiously on personal computers to collect
information about users, their computer or
browsing habits without their informed
consent.” Wikipedia. (Spyware)
 Can simply record information about your browsing
habits to guide Adware in delivering ads OR
 Worst case: Keylogger – can record your keyboard
keystrokes and transmit them over the Internet
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9. Safe Computing on a Mac
Types of Threats - Dangerous
Phishing
 Phishing “is the criminally fraudulent process of
attempting to acquire sensitive information such
as usernames, passwords and credit card details
by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an
electronic communication.” Wikipedia
 Fraudulent email scares you into clicking a link in the
email taking you to a site that LOOKS like a real
bank (for example) but is not
 Fraud site asks for userid password account number etc
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10. Safe Computing on a Mac
Common Computer Security Myths
 Myth: “Paying bills online increases the risk of identity
theft”.
 Reality:
 Communication from the browser can be secure encrypted
 LOOK for the LOCK
 Either bottom right or just to the right of the address
entry window depending on browser and browser
version
 AND look for https instead of http in the address
 For example: https://WWW.Chase.Com
 However – above assumes no keylogers on
your machine
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11. Safe Computing on a Mac
Types of Threats - Dangerous
 Phishing – How to Avoid Being Fooled
 Avoid following links in emails
 If you do and the site wants info DO NOT GIVE IT
 Banks, Brokerage Houses, etc WILL NOT ASK
YOU VIA EMAIL TO VERIFY INFORMATION
 If they seem to be doing that IT IS A FRAUD
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12. Safe Computing on a Mac
Types of Threats - Dangerous
 Virus “A computer virus is a computer program that
can copy itself and infect a computer without the
permission or knowledge of the owner.” Wikipedia
 How is it spread?
 Email attachment
 Visiting a malicious website with an unpatched buggy browser
 Infected files on any portable media (thumb drives, CDs, floppys, etc)
 Over a network when file sharing is too broadly set up
 Above Threats in Windows Environment
 OS/X Environment: Threat Rising Rapidly
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13. Safe Computing on a Mac
Types of Threats - Dangerous
 OS/X Environment: VirusThreat Rising Rapidly
 Flashback
 First (2011) delivered on infected media masquerading as a Flash
player installer and so refered to as a Trojan (Horse)
 First delivery in DriveBy attacks detected April 2012
 600,000+ Macs affected, botnet formed
 Java vulnerability enabled “drive by” attacks
 Click HERE for info re detect and remove
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14. Safe Computing on a Mac
Types of Threats - Dangerous
 OS/X Environment: VirusThreat Rising Rapidly
 Apple’s Response
 Software updates correct Java vulnerabililty (Apple SLOW to do so in
Flashback case)
 Software updates can be automatic in Mountain Lion, Lion.
 Latest updates remove Java processing from OS/X based browsers
 Restrictions “fence in” Applications – Gatekeeper vs Sandboxing
 Gatekeeper
 Sandboxing
 Additional Sandboxing link
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15. Safe Computing on a Mac
Types of Threats - Dangerous
 OS/X Environment: VirusThreat Rising Rapidly
 Apple’s Response
 I believe that in the future (today being 11/2/2012), if your
“Gatekeeper” selection (on Lion, Apple Menu / System Preferences
/ Security & Privacy / General Tab) is “allow applications to be
downloaded from anywhere” Apple will force you (once you make
that selection” to click “I Accept” on a waiver form that says
something like “I acknowledge I have been told by Apple I should
not do this and hereby absolve Apple from any responsibility for the
consequences. I also agree that, from this point in time, I have
forfeited any right to service from Apple under any warranties that
might otherwise be in effect”
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16. Safe Computing on a Mac
Types of Threats - Dangerous
Four Rules
1. Apple menu – software updates – check DAILY - plug the
holes that let the gunk in.
2. Run a Firewall
3. Keep your ear to the ground. Stay in tune, read apple
blogs and info sites like http://www.Macmost.Com and
http://www.macobserver.com
4. Consider running antivirus / antispyware software as risks
multiply. When you make that decision do the necessary
research to decide which one to use.
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17. Safe Computing on a Mac
Firewalls
 Prevent unauthorized entry from outside
 Can be hardware
 Routers include a NAT firewall preventing
unauthorized entry from outside but not necessarily
reporting or preventing rogue applications inside your
computer from communicating outbound
 Can be software – Lion: Apple Menu / System Preferences /
Security & Privacy / Firewall / On
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18. Safe Computing on a Mac
Firewalls
 How Secure is Your Firewall?
 Major corporations have their firewalls intentionally
probed periodically by a security service to test them.
You can do the same thing at the “Shields Up” site
located at https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2
 NOTE the above site DOES NOT scan your machine
for malware of any sort. It provides only a test of your
firewall (or lack thereof) and its ability to block intrusion.
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19. Safe Computing on a Mac
Firewalls
 Laptops
 If you depend on a hardware firewall at home, you need to be
sure you have a software firewall running on your laptop if
you take it out of your house to connect from another
location. If you have file and printer sharing turned on (to
share files with other computers in you house) TURN IT
OFF before connecting to a public WiFi hotspot or someone
else’s hard wired LAN because you will be behind their firewall
sharing your files with them
 Lion: Apple Menu / System Preferences / Sharing / uncheck sharing
of all kinds
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20. Safe Computing on a Mac
Information Source
 WWW.OnguardOnline.Gov
 “a partnership between the FTC, other federal
agencies, and the technology industry -- offers tips to
help you be on guard against Internet fraud, secure
your computer, and protect your personal
information. “ Federal Trade Commission web site
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21. Safe Computing on a Mac
Backup
 Time Machine (Apple standard, “free”)
 Can restore any file(s) you select to any time/date
you took a backup.
 Carbon Copy Cloner from Bombich Software
 3rd party commercial software, will image (make a “carbon
copy” of your hard drive contents
 “all or nothing restore” , not file select restore
 Can boot directly from the backup if your HDD fails
 If CRITICAL keep copy off site
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22. Safe Computing on a Mac
 The End
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