Recent Mac system updates cause problems
“Insufficient Beta Testing!” I have rarely had to accuse Apple of this, but this week we have two widely distributed updates that were clearly not sufficiently tested before release.
At this writing, do NOT install Security Update 2012-001 on any system — but especially on Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard. It will break things. Wait for a subsequent update please.
Also, at this writing do NOT install Mac OS 10.7 Lion update 10.7.3; it can cause serious issues with graphics and USB devices.
Apple knows better than this: software must be rigorously tested before being released; both of these issues are sufficiently widespread that an adequate testing regimen would have uncovered the problem prior to release.
As I say, there are a few companies out there who have become notorious for buggy initial releases, and buggy patches; it used to be with Apple I would tell people to apply the security patches when the weekly Software Update reminder comes along. In this case. please do NOT do so. Henceforth, I will be telling people to hold off on Apple’s updates for at least a week, and if you have any questions about a particular update, feel free to drop me an eMail.
- David Farrow, Creative Goose
Filed under Uncategorized | Comment (0)On losing a personal hero
It’s difficult to describe the rainbow of emotion that comes up at a time like this.
The news talking heads, the preponderance of Apple centric sites, the Internet in general is awash in send ups to Steve Jobs, who left this life yesterday. Many are poignant, touching, thoughtful. The aggregate information rush is — and will be for some time — overwhelming.
For me, Steve’s story — and the story of Steve’s Apple — are close to home. I never met the man personally, but his legendary vision, and the way he passionately believed in the work that he was doing, in what Apple was doing, that is to say, a belief that one could do amazing positive things that change the world — and be successful doing it — have been a model of how to approach work.
It was a couple of years after Steve came back to Apple, that I took the measured but daring step of quitting my full-time support job to go out on my own as a freelance Apple consultant — to embrace as my primary professional pursuit the notion of helping individuals and small businesses use this amazing technology. I was in my home office when I digested the news about the original iMac introduction, the original iPod introduction, and other cornerstone Steve Jobs moments. Creative Goose evolved not so much on the coat tails of Jobs, but as a water carrier on the ground for Steve’s visions of how technology can be harnessed.
I will, along with much of the tech world, miss Steve Jobs. His legacy of a thriving Apple Inc., his example on how to lead, his validation of “the crazy ones,” his embodiment of the “think different” principle, will live on. Through the Creative Goose consultancy, and through my own life choices in matters of work and technology, I will continue to carry Jobs’ water, his message, his vision, as best I can.
Mac Malware Threat: May 18 update
Some of you will have been aware that there is a significant Mac “Malware” — that is to say, Malicious Software — on the loose. It has been most widely distributed by Google Images searches, which may have simmered down by now as I believe Google has taken appropriate steps, but it can attack from just about any web site that has been hacked to host the infection, and reports of infections are still widespread.
This article quotes an Apple support employee who offers some very significant insights. That being said, in my opinion the reporting here is horribly flawed: the author made no attempt to cross-reference the information obtained, did no research beyond a single-source interview, and on top of that the interview is anonymized (to protect the Apple employee). Together, these factors would have yielded a failing grade for the article in my junior college journalism class of yesteryear; the craft of journalism has suffered since then. Be that as it may, Mac users would do well to be aware of this threat.
The takeaways are these:
1) do NOT believe any WEB BASED alert that indicates that you have a virus or other infection. The ONLY alert you should believe to this effect is one from a real anti-virus program that you intentionally installed, and is maintained.
2) Mac Defender is BOGUS. ”Apple Security” is BOGUS. If you get solicited on the Internet for either of these, they can be VERY persistent, downloading even if you hit “Cancel.” In some cases, attempting to get away from the bogus infected site can cause “unsavory images” (I think they mean porn) to appear on your screen, as supposed evidence of the infection.
If you get hit with such a site, force-quit the browser (Safari or FireFox) by choosing “Force Quit…” under the Apple menu. This will get you away from the malware, and any naughty pictures it might load.
3) If the software is downloaded, it may (depending on your system settings) attempt an auto-install. If it does, just quit the installer (and throw the download away out of your downloads folder). If you click through the installer it will ask for your Admin password. DON’T GIVE IT THE PASSWORD and it cannot do any harm.
4) Some versions of this thing (there are quite a few already, all based on the same scheme) attempt to extract your credit card info by having you attempt to “purchase” the software. Apparently, after you put in your card information, the server will “decline” the card and encourage you to try another — a clever way to steal multiple credit cards from you. IF THIS HAPPENED TO YOU, ASSUME YOU HAVE BEEN ROBBED and IMMEDIATELY call your bank(s) and alert them. Like, right now.
5) If you installed any version of this thing, please call me for assistance in removing it. Because there are many versions of it out there, there is some possibility that other harm could come of such an infection. Please minimize your use of the computer, and call me right away at 415 479 2931. I’ll take care of you. If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, start with this article for info on how to remove it. Please understand that this is not a complete solution, however.
Finally, if anyone reading this can point me to a reproducible way to encounter this Malware, I’d be appreciative as I haven’t been able to play with it myself yet.
Filed under Creative Goose News, Uncategorized | Comments (2)