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Transmission BitTorrent app contained malware

forum.transmissionbt.com

121–130 of 355 posts

Re: Transmission BitTorrent app contained malware

#121
post #119

It's not. Condoms aren't used against a hostile opponent. If your partner is intent on exposing you, a condom won't provide any protection.

I can't think of a more hostile opponent than an HIV virus. And we're still not sure if Transmission was spreading the virii intentionally, making the condom analogy even more fitting.

HIV is not a threat crafted by an active adversary, it's a product of evolution.

Re: Transmission BitTorrent app contained malware

#123
post #72
post #61

While we're here, can anyone recommend a good antivirus for OSX? I've just been looking at BitDefender, which looks promising, but would rather get this right than faff around with potentially crappy AV tools.

> can anyone recommend a good antivirus for OSX? Common Sense 2016, see https://github.com/drduh/OS-X-Security-and-Privacy-Guide

Ironically this recommends Transmission as a BT client.

Re: Transmission BitTorrent app contained malware

#124
post #2

Along with the recent Linux Mint hijack, this really illustrates the need for people to verify programs they download. Though I think most people can't be bothered to verify the checksum on a file every time they download it. On the other hand, the Windows and OS X App Stores are awful. Linux package managers are looking like one of the only straightforward ways to distribute applications securely.

The app made it onto the OSX App Store and the author's certs were revoked. This isn't a case of verify source, verify application. This is a case of anything can be infected and it's damn near impossible to check everything.

Transmission wasn't on the Mac App Store, though the app was signed. Apple offers developers the ability to sign their apps distributed outside the Mac App Store to certify them as an Apple-identified developer https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/IDEs/C...

As such, checking the source is still very much relevant here since this wasn't a compromised app in the Mac App Store, it's an app distributed outside it.

Re: Transmission BitTorrent app contained malware

#126
post #2

Along with the recent Linux Mint hijack, this really illustrates the need for people to verify programs they download. Though I think most people can't be bothered to verify the checksum on a file every time they download it. On the other hand, the Windows and OS X App Stores are awful. Linux package managers are looking like one of the only straightforward ways to distribute applications securely.

The app made it onto the OSX App Store and the author's certs were revoked. This isn't a case of verify source, verify application. This is a case of anything can be infected and it's damn near impossible to check everything.

It was signed, but wasn't in the Mac App Store.

Re: Transmission BitTorrent app contained malware

#127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anyone can sign up for the Apple Developer Program to become an "identified developer", so there's nothing that stops an attacker from signing their malware.

And according to the analysis [0], this is exactly what they did. They used a different cert to sign their malware. I have to admit that Windows' UAC is better in that regard, as it shows the signees name. But of course this is only useful if you know the "right" name. [0] http://researchcenter.paloaltonetworks.com/2016/03/new-os-x-...

Yeah, I think this is a major issue on OS X. For the average user it is impossible to tell who signed an app, if it is sandboxed, and what permissions it has. Hell, using the codesign command to extract entitlements from all binaries in a package is hard even for advanced users...

(There is third party tool named RB App Checker which does make these tasks a bit easier, though)

Re: Transmission BitTorrent app contained malware

#128
post #119

It's not. Condoms aren't used against a hostile opponent. If your partner is intent on exposing you, a condom won't provide any protection.

I can't think of a more hostile opponent than an HIV virus. And we're still not sure if Transmission was spreading the virii intentionally, making the condom analogy even more fitting.

Perhaps a person who wants you to contract the said virus?

Re: Transmission BitTorrent app contained malware

#129
post #78
post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Noted: I've gone with BitDefender from the Map App Store. Will report back results. EDIT: welp, BitDefender found nothing, all clear.

(reply to noondip): if anyones got a better suggestion I'd love to hear it :)

Back when Apple still made Mac OS X Server as a separate operating system, they included ClamAV¹ to scan for malware in mail. They don’t include it anymore, but ClamXav² (been around since 2004³) is a nice GUI for ClamAV that I’ve been using for a while now.

――――――

¹ — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clam_AntiVirus#Mac_OS_X

² — http://clamxav.com/index.html

³ — http://clamxav.com/birthday.html

Re: Transmission BitTorrent app contained malware

#130

It's not. Condoms aren't used against a hostile opponent. If your partner is intent on exposing you, a condom won't provide any protection.

Running software in VMs to stay safe is not a new idea. So is it effective in this case?

Just because attackers can break out of VMs, doesn't mean that they always do. I wager most malware out there isn't set up to do that.

Locking your car door won't keep a dedicated attacker out of your car. Simple ceramic shards from a sparkplug will get them through the window with barely any effort at all. Nevertheless, locking your car doors is an effective way to reduce your risk, as it dissuades more opportunistic attackers.

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