Re: Security Update 2006-002 Released

Tim McNamara wrote:
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...

Hostile? Not quite, I just don't have much tolerance for clueless smugness, especially with Mac users historically bagging on Windows users for following the same poor practice. 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.


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.

And that's my point.


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.

And as several people have pointed out running as non-admin doesn't have any additional hassles. I do all day long with no hassle.

Greg
--
"All my time I spent in heaven
Revelries of dance and wine
Waking to the sound of laughter
Up I'd rise and kiss the sky" - The Mekons
.

Relevant Pages

  • 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)
  • 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: Tech In Education
    ... >>> The fact that the admin gave out the admin password makes the Macs ... >That has nothing to do with the security of the platform. ... >interesting that hackers are breaking into Windows boxes by the millions ...
    (comp.sys.mac.advocacy)
  • Re: Security Update 2006-002 Released
    ... I need to do admin tasks often too, and nearly all of them can be ... And you think malware is always going to pop up an authentication ... have always been that way throughout the 20 years I've been using Macs. ... The root account is disabled by default. ...
    (comp.sys.mac.system)