woa dude, I wasn't going to say anything more, but I couldn't resist such total stupidity. Please, enlighten me; What is the difference?
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Mac user, computer compromised, has bank account cleaned out
- Thread starter Jerry Blavio
- Start date
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Nope can't say it that it is in this context. And I should know. I have done several virus related projects for the NSA and CIA, and spent 5 years working for the retired head of cryptography at the CIA. You would think I would know what your talking about, but it completely escapes me.
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I would think that someone with such impressive credentials would know the difference.
A "vulnerability" is something like a buffer overflow, which allows an attacker to potentially execute arbitrary code. It is quite a different story to actually turn that theoretical weakness into a successful attack. To date, I am unaware of any attack in the wild which exploits such a vulnerability.
Note that Trojans don't fit into this category, since they are social engineering exploits, and are not dependent on any weakness in the OS.
A "vulnerability" is something like a buffer overflow, which allows an attacker to potentially execute arbitrary code. It is quite a different story to actually turn that theoretical weakness into a successful attack. To date, I am unaware of any attack in the wild which exploits such a vulnerability.
Note that Trojans don't fit into this category, since they are social engineering exploits, and are not dependent on any weakness in the OS.
No disagreement with you on that. But the statement was
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and I don't understand how a security hole/flaw is not a vulnerability that could not be used to propagate itself. I never said one existed that had been exploited, only that IF a security hole/flaw does exist, it could be exploited. There is nothing magical about OsX/BSD/Unix that prevents security holes from being exploited, or else they wouldn't be security holes, duh.
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Greg Eddinger
Senior Member
spiked3 wrote:
I
If you were then you did a very good job of keeping the Mac, Linux community safe from the onslaught of attacks that we constantly must ward off. I feel much safer knowing that you were in our corner.
Thank you very much, we appreciate your kindness!
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Gregory Eddinger
Those that believe they can, CAN, because they BELIEVE!
I
I would bet that you weren't working on UNIX based systems were you?
If you were then you did a very good job of keeping the Mac, Linux community safe from the onslaught of attacks that we constantly must ward off. I feel much safer knowing that you were in our corner.
Thank you very much, we appreciate your kindness!
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Gregory Eddinger
Those that believe they can, CAN, because they BELIEVE!
spiked3, if you really did all these grand things for the NSA and CIA, why on earth do you need me to explain to you the difference between self-propagating code and a vulnerability?
A virus is not a vulnerability. Nor is a worm. They exploit a vulnerability. That doesn't mean all vulnerabilities/security holes make it possible for a virus or a worm to get in.
A virus is not a vulnerability. Nor is a worm. They exploit a vulnerability. That doesn't mean all vulnerabilities/security holes make it possible for a virus or a worm to get in.
Greg Eddinger
Senior Member
Just a little. You get a candy bar for good behavior. It's at the snack bar a muddy creek.
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Gregory Eddinger
Those that believe they can, CAN, because they BELIEVE!
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Gregory Eddinger
Those that believe they can, CAN, because they BELIEVE!
Scott Weierich86292
Senior Member
What I don't understand (completely at least) is why someone like this obviously VERY-over-educated spiked3 has bothered to post in the Mac forum at all? I looked at his history and for the past 1.5 years he has always posted in the PC forum and never the Mac forum. That is until 6 days ago when out of the blue he wanted to argue. Is he bored...just wanting to stir up trouble or does he have some deep seated interest in learning more about the Mac platform? Probably "fat chance" on the learning theory.
Also interesting is that 1.2 years ago he was in another argument over in the PC forum and posted his resume. I say "interesting" as he left out all the exciting details about the CIA, NSA & CTW* experiences.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1004&message=25545201
I am just surprised these details didn't come out earlier than this and then when he does crow about his accomplishments (which are obviously something he is very proud of) he does it only on the Mac forum which makes up a much smaller share of the computer market than the PC folks. What a waste. Perhaps next time this situation would be that one time where we make an exception regarding cross-posting just for his benefit? Hmm...
ps (Children's Television Workshop (CTW) is a nonprofit organization created in 1967 for the purpose of producing the educational program Sesame Street - this was meant as a joke making light of the situation)
Another note about this whole thread. The person who posted the original message, Jerry Blavio, has been a member 1 week and during this long and glorious week, we are graced with his one (and so far only) post in the Mac forum - no replies. What a positive start to his DPReview forum history. I seriously have to doubt that he even owns a MacBook. ;-)
Ain't life GRAND! At least there is little chance of anyone getting bored around here.
Scott
Also interesting is that 1.2 years ago he was in another argument over in the PC forum and posted his resume. I say "interesting" as he left out all the exciting details about the CIA, NSA & CTW* experiences.
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1004&message=25545201
I am just surprised these details didn't come out earlier than this and then when he does crow about his accomplishments (which are obviously something he is very proud of) he does it only on the Mac forum which makes up a much smaller share of the computer market than the PC folks. What a waste. Perhaps next time this situation would be that one time where we make an exception regarding cross-posting just for his benefit? Hmm...
ps (Children's Television Workshop (CTW) is a nonprofit organization created in 1967 for the purpose of producing the educational program Sesame Street - this was meant as a joke making light of the situation)
Another note about this whole thread. The person who posted the original message, Jerry Blavio, has been a member 1 week and during this long and glorious week, we are graced with his one (and so far only) post in the Mac forum - no replies. What a positive start to his DPReview forum history. I seriously have to doubt that he even owns a MacBook. ;-)
Ain't life GRAND! At least there is little chance of anyone getting bored around here.
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Scott
I am glad you found my posting so intriguing as to warrant that much research time.
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http://www.pbase.com/spiked3
if you really read through my posts you would have noticed I said I got the mac recently. Why would I post in the mac forums before then? With what would I base my experience on? That would be like a mac fanboy posting about how windows crashes all the time and is less stable than a mac, without ever really using one. Oh, never mind.
Nothing in that posts contradicts anything in this post. In fact if you look at breadth (mainframes to PCs, applications to Systems Programming), assuming you understood the acronyms, you would probably see a likelyhood that I had worked in security. Take a look at spiked_three posts on slashdot as well.
very very proud - Mainframe systems programmer while still a teenager - an accomplishment recognized by IBM at a national event in the 80s. Great career following. Very Very proud.
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That has allowed countries to be invaded by their enemies, throughout human history, 
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BRJR ....(LOL, some of us are quite satisfied as Hobbyists ..)
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BRJR ....(LOL, some of us are quite satisfied as Hobbyists ..)
[/U]
But no, he's is actually just bringing up an issue that is rightfully of concern to him and millions of other computer users, Mac users, included. How, long he has been a member or not a member, of any internet forum, is quite irrevelant,
Greg Eddinger
Senior Member
HI Scott:
Well,,,,,, not that I agree with Spiked's assessment of the what the meaning of ?
I did a little research and his name does appear at JPL. For privacy reasons I won't post his name. Unless he is pretending to be someone else, his name does appear on this list.
http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/overview/microchip/names2p5.html
I'll eat a little crow and admit he probably did do some work on Sun systems.
For that he gets a candy bar. As far as his interpretation of a vulnerability he gets a radish!
Gregory Eddinger
Those that believe they can, CAN, because they BELIEVE!
Well,,,,,, not that I agree with Spiked's assessment of the what the meaning of ?
I did a little research and his name does appear at JPL. For privacy reasons I won't post his name. Unless he is pretending to be someone else, his name does appear on this list.
http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/overview/microchip/names2p5.html
I'll eat a little crow and admit he probably did do some work on Sun systems.
For that he gets a candy bar. As far as his interpretation of a vulnerability he gets a radish!
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Gregory Eddinger
Those that believe they can, CAN, because they BELIEVE!
Nearing 10% and growing faster than the industry, even in these times. There's plenty of money in it. Think about it - you want to write application XXX and you have Windows where you are 1 of 10000. Then you do a Mac version where you are 1 of 10 or 1 of 1. You also see a growing user base (vs shrinking as in the case of Windows) and you have a good case to write Mac software.
So do you stand by the statement;
"There's a substantial difference between the security hole/flaw that Apple release updates for and the kind of vulnerability that allows your computer to be infected by a self-propagating virus." ?
and if so, please explain how a security hole that apple patches would not allow a self propagating virus to take advantage of it.
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"There's a substantial difference between the security hole/flaw that Apple release updates for and the kind of vulnerability that allows your computer to be infected by a self-propagating virus." ?
and if so, please explain how a security hole that apple patches would not allow a self propagating virus to take advantage of it.
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http://www.pbase.com/spiked3
Greg Eddinger
Senior Member
Couldn't disagree with you more on this one. Just because your an advocate for A/V on a Mac and find that you have an ally in that belief doesn't mean that Jerry is not a troll. Here is the forum definition......But no, he's is actually just bringing up an issue that is rightfully
of concern to him and millions of other computer users, Mac users,
included. How, long he has been a member or not a member, of any
internet forum, is quite irrevelant,
Trolls - Anyone deliberately antagonizing other forum users by posting 'flame bait' type messages are not welcome.
It's typical for a PC troll to post this type of frivolous nonsense and not participate.
Your justifying his post only because you agree with it. Scott correctly used common sense and logic by viewing his profile. Jerry's like a kid who wraps dog poo in a newspaper lights it on fire then rings the doorbell so he can watch someone step in the poo to put out the fire. He didn't wrap the poo in paper because "he's rightfully concerned" about the smell of poo.
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Gregory Eddinger
Those that believe they can, CAN, because they BELIEVE!
richiebee
Senior Member
You may be right, and you may be wrong in this instance, but either way, your reasoning doesn't hold up unless the posted link is proven to be inaccurate. Is that the case here?
NucleusG4 #120376
Active member
Hey Spike... I read the whole thread and am duly impressed with your credentials.
What I'm wondering is how you can have all this experience with computers and have a Mac that crashes 5 times as much as your PC. I have not had a crash in years except when doing hardcore gaming and the app froze.
Is it a kernel panic?
If so that is usually hardware related, as in peripherals, but not always.
God Luck with your Mac.
What I'm wondering is how you can have all this experience with computers and have a Mac that crashes 5 times as much as your PC. I have not had a crash in years except when doing hardcore gaming and the app froze.
Is it a kernel panic?
If so that is usually hardware related, as in peripherals, but not always.
God Luck with your Mac.
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