Apple has released its second update in two days to the OS X implementation of Java. The first update closed a vulnerability that has led to the infection of more than 600,000 Macs via a trojan horse. The infections have received increased media attention in the past day, including a splashed headline on the Drudge Report.
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While yesterday's Java for OS X Lion 2012-001 update closed the vulnerability in Java 1.6.0_29, there's no indication what the new update -- called Java for OS X 2012-002 -- fixes. The update notes link to the same support document as update 2012-001.
Last year, Apple introduced a security update to OS X that would automatically remove malicious software from OS X installations. It isn't clear if the infected machines can be fixed via the internal OS X security mechanisms.
In OS X Mountain Lion, the next version of the OS X software that will be released this summer, Apple will include a feature called Gatekeeper. The new system relies not only on Mac App Store distribution as means of vetting apps, but also on a new "identified developer" program under which developers distributing their applications outside of the Mac App Store can register with Apple and receive a personalized certificate they can use to sign their applications. Apple can then use that system to track developers and disable their certificates if malicious activity is detected.
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By the way, laws of computing 101: The OK button agrees to something, the Cancel/close window button disagrees. If you click OK, know what you're saying OK to.
EDIT: In other words, stop using it to close windows.
To find out if you're infected, do this:
Originally Posted by Sirolway
What's the easiest way to determine if you're infected?...
In terminal run:
Quote:
defaults read /Applications/Safari.app/Contents/Info LSEnvironment
You should get this error:
Quote:
The domain/default pair of (/Applications/Safari.app/Contents/Info, LSEnvironment) does not exist
Then run:
Quote:
defaults read ~/.MacOSX/environment DYLD_INSERT_LIBRARIES
You should get this error:
Quote:
The domain/default pair of (/Users/YOURUSER/.MacOSX/environment, DYLD_INSERT_LIBRARIES) does not exist
You can copy and paste the two commands into Terminal. To open Terminal, go to Finder>Applications>Utilities>Terminal. Double click on Terminal. Hit enter after each command.
Just be careful when using Terminal. It's one of the few places where you can really mess up your computer.