Re: Security Update 2006-002 Released

In article <121fgd0ojed916d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"G.T." <getnews1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Babaganoosh wrote:
On 2006-03-14 18:50:48 -0600, me@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Király) said:

Adrian <nonesuch@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

There are often occasions when I need to run as Admin, and it
would be a pain in the arse to have switch back and forth. Bring
on the malicious attacks!

I need to do admin tasks often too, and nearly all of them can be
done from a non-admin account. A non-admin user simply gets
prompted for an administrator's username and password when doing
something that needs admin rights.

An admin user gets the same prompts...

And you think malware is always going to pop up an authentication
prompt? You all keep running as admin but I hope you lose your
smugness when your Mac is riddled with malware.

I always wonder why someone manifestly hostile to Macs and Mac users
(and uses OpenBSD not OS X per his own report) reads this newsgroup...

That said, Mac users *are* smug about the virus and malware issue and
have always been that way throughout the 20 years I've been using Macs.
Macs are NOT immune, there are just currently no OS X species of malware
in circulation at this time. I have no doubt that this WILL change. It
could change today.

The root account is disabled by default. At least one admin account is
required and that is normally the account that users use. Macs were
"accountless" for what, 15 years until the introduction of OS X? The
mindset of users has not caught up with the issues of accounts and
privileges and might never do so. At this point in time, the hassles of
working in a non-admin account outweigh the benefits.
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: help me understand how a Mac is virtually immune to viruses?
    ... I am a user of multple single-user single account Macs. ... >When you set up a new Mac, you set up a default admin account. ...
    (sci.astro.amateur)
  • Re: I turned off UAC
    ... I would rather have it enabled so that I am not on the Internet with full admin rights, like the previous versions of the NT based O/Swhich are open by default O/Sand wide-open to attack/compromise by default. ... The out of the box admin account on Vista that is given to a user or any subsequent admin account that is created on Vista with UAC enabled is NOT a full-rights-admin account. ... what if there's some malware. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.vista.general)
  • Re: Security Update 2006-002 Released
    ... I need to do admin tasks often too, and nearly all of them can be done from a non-admin account. ... A non-admin user simply gets prompted for an administrator's username and password when doing something that needs admin rights. ... For the record I use and support Macs all day long at work, and at home when I'm not using this OpenBSD laptop for email and web access I'm using my Mac primarily for Photoshop, Google Earth, digitizing vinyl, and iTunes. ... the hassles of working in a non-admin account outweigh the benefits. ...
    (comp.sys.mac.system)
  • Re: I need help with a master password in MacBook Pro????
    ... admin  when I try to install an application - be it a freeware, ... You have to create a user account as part of ... Apple-supplied refurbished Macs are the same as new Macs in this area. ... I'm giving Apple Computer the full low-down on Gain Saver and their ...
    (comp.sys.mac.system)
  • Re: I need help with a master password in MacBook Pro????
    ... I try to enter a master password to match the user name of ... admin when I try to install an application - be it a freeware, ... You have to create a user account as part of ... Apple-supplied refurbished Macs are the same as new Macs in this area. ...
    (comp.sys.mac.system)