First major OS X virus?

Written by Philip Roy | 01 November 2004
Posted in International

UPDATE
Websites are reporting the arrival of what meany might see as the first true virus for Mac OS X. The "Opener" virus, as it is being referred to, has the potential to disable the built-in firewall, and to possibly steal information and corrupt or destroy data.

One of the sites to pick up on the issue promptly, was the Macintouch website, who now features a section dedicated to news on the problem.

To view information on the Macintouch website, go to the address...
http://www.macintouch.com/opener.html

ZDNet also has information on the (more accurately labelled) malware script and comment....

"Paul Ducklin, Sophos' head of technology in the Asia Pacific, told ZDNet Australia that the malware, which Sophos calls Renepo, is designed to infect any Mac OS X drives connected to the infected system and it leaves affected computers vulnerable to further hacker attack.

Ducklin said Opener disables Mac OS X's built in firewall, creates a back door so the malware author can control the computer remotely, locates any passwords stored on the hard drive and downloads a password cracker called JohnTheRipper.

According to Ducklin, Opener tries to spread by copying itself to any drive that is mounted to the infected computer. This could be a local drive, part of a local network or a remote computer.

Most worryingly, according to Ducklin, this could be the start of a spate of malware that uses Mac OS X's scripting features against its users."

More details and the full text of the ZDNet artcile at...
http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/0,2000061744,39164062,00.htm

[Update 1] ZDNet article comments that Apple do not see the 'Opener' as a virus
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/security/0,39020375,39172277,00.htm