Kibbles & Bytes Blog

I get a lot of customers who are still using functioning iBook G4s. These are awesome laptops and it’s great to see an Apple product that can last and function for well over seven years!

I am often asked how to speed up the machine. There are a few things you can do: First, you will want to make sure that the RAM is maxed out. Early models could run 1.25GB of RAM, while later units support 1.5GB. If you bring your iBook into the store, this is something that we can look up for you. Upgrading the RAM can make a huge difference with everyday applications such as web browsing and word processing.

If you are running OS X 10.4 (Tiger), you may run into problems with websites that no longer support your version of Safari, and you’re not able to download a newer version without upgrading to 10.5, Leopard. There is a special build of Firefox called “*TenFourFox*”:http://www.floodgap.com/software/tenfourfox/ that is built for the G4 processor. Using this web browser will allow you to use modern websites, and will make surfing the web a bit faster due to Firefox’s native JavaScript acceleration. TenFourFox supports HTML5 and CSS 3, and will also automatically block Flash, which tends to slow down the G4 when web surfing.

I would also recommend a clean install of the operating system. If this has never been done, there there could be applications and data that are taking up space and slowing down the machine. The earliest model of the iBook G4 (from 2003) supports up to 10.4, while models that came out after 2004 can be upgraded to OS X 10.5 (10.6 Snow Leopard requires an Intel-based processor, and will not run on an iBook).

With a few of these steps, you should be able to get that G4 running a little faster. If not, it might just be time to upgrade!

Last year, we started seeing new threats in the wild that targeted the Mac. As recent as last week, new publicity about the Flashback Trojan initiated a new wave of concern. It was reported widely in online media that a large number of machines (estimated at around 600,000) have been infected.

Apple, knowing the importance of resolving the Flashback issue, has offered two Java updates in the past week, plus a Flashback Removal Tool.

Now there is a new threat for the Mac. The new Mac Trojan is simply referred to by Kaspersky as “Backdoor.OSX.SabPub.a” or “Sophos as OSX/Sabpab-A.” Like Flashback, it is primarily an exploit of the Java operating environment. Unlike Flashback, the new Trojan requires no user interaction to install. The Trojan uses a documented exploit in Java, Exp/20120507-A6, to execute arbitrary code for the sake of command and control of the Mac, using the infected machine in a bot-net and sending information back to the command and control center.

What is the Java exploit? In Java, the AtomicReferenceArray is a way of allowing many different files in a database of sorts to be accessed by many functions and update in real time. It is used to protect the files instead of locking the whole database when one client is modifying information in the database. The exploit is not built on what this does but where.

In most operating systems and browsers, the Java functions are sandboxed, running in an environment with no access to the main operating system. The AtomicReferenceArray is not sandboxed adequately and has system level access on the machine. Due to this level of access outside of the sandbox environment, the malicious code can gain access to the system and thus the ability to write data to the system and create its own directories (the Malware).

As these threats have reared their head on the Apple platform, who’s ultimately responsible for the security of the operating environment in the future? Apple has slowly been removing Java from newer versions of the OS. In October of 2010, Apple released a note to the developer community discussing how they had deprecated the version used and that a Java environment may not be supplied with the OS in the future (true, Lion does not come with Java, but can be installed if necessary).

As Java is phased out, it will become less and less of a likely vector for infections of Trojans and malware on the Mac, but for now, it is still part of many users’ systems.

Hey everyone!

Looks like spring is finally coming back. After a short hiatus, the warm, sunny days are returning, with temperatures in the 70s and 80s here in New Hampshire. In addition to about a dozen motorcycles and a handful of bicycles, this morning on my ride to work I saw several people towing boats. Time to drag out the summer toys! In preparation for the hot days to come, I bought a small wading pool so I can soak in my back yard while writing blog articles.

The past two weeks have been abuzz with news about two new Trojans that are specifically aimed at Macs. Flashback pretends to be an update to Adobe Flash Player. Sabpab uses a known exploit in Microsoft Word documents to infect your Mac with a backdoor. Sadly, it looks like the walls on our little corner of Utopia are coming down, and we’re all going to have to be a bit smarter when we surf.

This week, we feature an article about why these new Trojans are able to infect your Mac, as well as some information on new life for your old G4, and an editorial about the latest Flashback hype. A little something to read when you get tired of being outside.

Thanks for reading!

Glenn
“*glenn@smalldog.com*”:mailto:glenn@smalldog.com