MacBook Phishing virus

[swannymere]

Just to let anybody out there with an Apple MacBook that there's a phishing virus out there as of 3 weeks a which managed to get onto my MacBook and give out details of my mobile and banking accounts, they then ordered a new SIM card for my phone and when they received that they went about trying to get cash from my current account.

When the transaction raised a query with my bank, they tried to phone me but got through to the scammers who tried to authorise the transaction but couldn't answer the security question (i deliberately choose a different one for each account with financial issues) and my bank shut down my access to the funds.

Unfortunately i was on holiday in Australia at the time and it made life a bit of a pain in the ****, i phoned my bank after being refused access to my online banking which was straightforward, but they insisted i contact my phone provider to sort out the problem at that end before allowing me access to my accounts (annoying but fair enough).

This is where all the problems started, the phone numbers on the website wouldn't work from abroad and despite digging around the net i couldn't find an alternative number that would help. I then emailed them which took 2/3 days to get a response which asked me to ring the number on the website (despite me telling them in the email i couldn't get through) and then to use the virtual help systems on their website (oh, because i hadn't tried that!) In the end i posted on a forum and somebody found me a number which worked and the problem was sorted very quickly.

So, if you're using an Apple product then check it now, and if going abroad check the numbers for your banking and phone help actually work.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Any idea how it got there?

 

[swannymere]

Absolutely none, the laptop isn't taken anywhere to be 'jacked' and i never open anything i don't recognise. I don't remember visiting any new websites either.

Oh and the reason i've put this up is that some think Apple products can't/don't get hacked, phished or get viruses and it might be best to get some upto date anti-viral software.

 

[removed]

Unlikely to be an actual virus, most probably a 'clever' bit of social engineering / phishing as you said... There are a few fake 'anti-virus' programs for OSX, so if you've had a misfortune to download and install one, you'll get the results you've described, I'm afraid. Also, I'd check to see if you have Java enabled in Safari preferences, if so, might be a good idea to disable it.
As for the real app, I can recommend MacScan. It will detect and clean any fake software, tracking cookies, spyware etc.
You're quite right to point out, that even though there are no 'proper', in Windows sense, viruses [in the wild] for OSX, there are a number of ways a Unix/Linux/BSD system can be compromised, the easiest being is to get a user/admin to allow a rogue piece of software to run, by masquerading as something else...

 

[Sp!ke]

There's no such thing as a phishing virus.

You likely fell for a scam email.

 

[swannymere]

I'm not that computer savvy so i've put this up to alert other Apple users to the problem in a helpful way, not trying to slate Apple products, this is the response from an Administrator on another forum i use;

"Saying the macbook was at fault is a little like saying your car which should never crash, did, because you were stupid enough to drive it the wrong way down a one way street at 50mph.

Even the title of this thread contains 3 unrelated words. You were phished, therefore the Macbook part is irrelevant and so is the Virus part."

Makes me wonder why i bother.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

I'm not that computer savvy so i've put this up to alert other Apple users to the problem in a helpful way, not trying to slate Apple products, this is the response from an Administrator on another forum i use;

"Saying the macbook was at fault is a little like saying your car which should never crash, did, because you were stupid enough to drive it the wrong way down a one way street at 50mph.

Even the title of this thread contains 3 unrelated words. You were phished, therefore the Macbook part is irrelevant and so is the Virus part."

Makes me wonder why i bother.

Not being in IT or even vaguely interested in it, I would never see this attitude in my day to day life but I've heard of these crazy Apple defenders that see Jobs as a god.

I've got an iPhone and I do think it's a really good device, but the lengths some people go to is quite hilarious at times.

 

[Sp!ke]

Apple is the new devil.

Fwiw, mac viruses have been around for a decade or more,(not that this sounds like a virus)

 

[swannymere]

I'm sure that phishing, virus etc. are all completely different but i just want a computer to go on the web, store music, photos and films and have no interest in the mechanics at all.
Maybe i've been naive in not getting more informed but i was just trying to help the other people like myself to help themselves and to learn from my possible mistake, not getting into a slating Apple or otherwise dialogue. Luckily this forum is a little more mature and understanding than others i visit.

 

[John]

I'm not that computer savvy so i've put this up to alert other Apple users to the problem in a helpful way, not trying to slate Apple products, this is the response from an Administrator on another forum i use;

"Saying the macbook was at fault is a little like saying your car which should never crash, did, because you were stupid enough to drive it the wrong way down a one way street at 50mph.

Even the title of this thread contains 3 unrelated words. You were phished, therefore the Macbook part is irrelevant and so is the Virus part."

Makes me wonder why i bother.

Lol, what a bunch of coffee-shakers.

They probably never see daylight...

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Lol, what a bunch of coffee-shakers.

They probably never see daylight...

I hope Gareth Hunt isn't a member here. That statement could be really hurtful if he reads it!!

 

[removed]

I'm sure that phishing, virus etc. are all completely different but i just want a computer to go on the web, store music, photos and films and have no interest in the mechanics at all.
Maybe i've been naive in not getting more informed but i was just trying to help the other people like myself to help themselves and to learn from my possible mistake, not getting into a slating Apple or otherwise dialogue. Luckily this forum is a little more mature and understanding than others i visit.

Perfectly reasonable position! I happened to know a fair bit about computers, and Unix-based operating systems in particular, but I would never dream of belittling someone who doesn't, instead of providing a, hopefully, helpful advice. After all, I drive a car and, for the most part, have no idea how it works, or even what a particular piece of metal is called Doesn't mean I do not enjoy it, or shouldn't be allowed to drive (well, the latter is debatable )

 

[removed]

Not being in IT or even vaguely interested in it, I would never see this attitude in my day to day life but I've heard of these crazy Apple defenders that see Jobs as a god.

I've got an iPhone and I do think it's a really good device, but the lengths some people go to is quite hilarious at times.

Even though I think at the moment Apple's hardware is the best of commercially available, and OSX is one of the best operating systems, those who go into a frenzy every time someone uses "Apple" or 'Mac' in a sentence without being sufficiently in awe, make me laugh. It's just a computer, albeit a very well engineered one :bannana:

 

[This is Pete]

The only reason that Macs have less viruses than Windows is down to market share. Hackers will go for max gain/minimum effort, so Windows gets the lions share.

There is nothing more inherently secure about Apple software.

There's really nothing to stop developers from creating malicious software and crafting websites to convince people that the software is worth installing. From memory, pretty much all software on Apples requires the users password in order to get installed. Once they're "on the inside", the world is their Apple (excuse the pun).

Basic social engineering.

 

[Benzster]

I have to agree that this is a major aspect.

 

[Dryce]

The only reason that Macs have less viruses than Windows is down to market share. Hackers will go for max gain/minimum effort, so Windows gets the lions share.

There is a bit of truth to this.

There is nothing more inherently secure about Apple software.

There isn't much truth to this.

From memory, pretty much all software on Apples requires the users password in order to get installed. Once they're "on the inside", the world is their Apple (excuse the pun).

Reality check is in order here.

Windows is a bit of a mess. Not bad OS kernel underneath the hood but the pimped bodywork configuration rather lets it down.

It's been hard for MS to lock down. Many users run with Administrator privileges (Mega mega "Doh!"). They're just one click away from disaster - not a whole password. Worse the UAE mechanism that Microsoft lashed up and sellotaped on to Windows isn't quite as rigorous as Apple's mechanism (or that of Linux or any other sensible OS setup) because it's a lash up. So they may not even be one click away.

Apple, Linux, and just about everybody else with a decent OS other than MS does things properly.

 

[neilz]

Ok, ok, enough fanboys and Windows-bashers here. Gone completely OT!

 

[Dryce]

Ok, ok, enough fanboys and Windows-bashers here. Gone completely OT!

Look out - it's the thread police.

 

[This is Pete]

<shrugs> Regardless of the semantics, the vast majority of phishing/malware happens because the user allows them access to their system/information.

The "dressing" around these infiltrations are becoming more sophisticated all the time and it takes experience and a certain about of paranoia/suspicion to counter them.

Having said that, the "opneness" of the digital world we live in means that it's possible for the best of us to fall foul of our own complacency.