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Apple removes antivirus-related KB page
According to Macworld, Apple removed a Knowledge Base article about antivirus software compatible with Mac OS X. The article received "a lot of attention" because it seemingly contradicted Apple's marketing messages about malware for Mac. Our own Michael Rose tried to take the kettle off the stove, noting that the article had been around for years before the Washington Post noticed it this week. Macworld's Jim Dalrymple spoke with Apple spokesman Bill Evans, who said "We have removed the Knowledge Base article because it was old and inaccurate. The Mac is designed with built-in technologies that provide protection against malicious software and security threats right out of the box." Even so, Evans admitted, "Since no system can be 100% immune from every threat, running anti-virus software may offer additional protection." Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
Apple updates antivirus version numbers, security savants lose grip on reality
Update: The KB article referenced is now offline. You can see the archived version here. Update 2: On Tuesday evening, Apple told Macworld that the KB article was removed because it was outdated and inaccurate; Mac OS X includes adequate security protection out of the box. The BBC has also rolled back the story, and has a more detailed post on the issue. Not sure I'm completely in agreement with this approach from Apple.... --MR When the concepts of "antivirus" and "Mac OS X" approach each other in the blogosphere, the usual outcome is more heat than light. The current example of keyboards outpacing brainwaves has emerged from a storm of posts on various sites, mostly tracing back to security analyst/Washington Post writer Brian Krebs and AppleInsider's Aidan Malley. Both pointed to a "recently published" Apple KB article that listed a trio of AV applications available for Mac OS X. More shocking to this pair of pundits: the KB article actually went so far as to encourage Mac users to buy, install and use antivirus software -- even "multiple antivirus utilities" to prevent the spread of malware, which was trumpeted by a ZDnet headline. What now? Is Apple's security story on the marketing front now undermined by the quiet truthtelling of the support site? Should Justin Long apologize to John Hodgman? Are cats and dogs now living together? Is the BBC picking up the story (yes, unfortunately, it is)? The relevant quote from the shiny new KB article that has caused such commotion: Apple encourages the widespread use of multiple antivirus utilities so that virus programmers have more than one program to circumvent, thus making the whole virus writing process more difficult. Let's be fair: Apple's prose isn't helping matters, because while we all know that "widespread use of multiple antivirus utilities" doesn't mean you should be installing multiple AV tools on your one, single Mac -- the point is that the ecosystem should have variation, making it harder for malware writers to attack the entire population with one well-crafted exploit -- that fine distinction appears to have been lost on some of those who encountered this "new" KB article. This, of course, brings us to point #2: a careful reading (or really, any reading at all) of the KB item shows the "Old article: 4454" legend at the top right. Yes, Apple does sometimes update KB articles, and in this case the same exact "multiple utilities" copy has been on the support site for a while -- the article was originally publishedpresent on Apple's site in June of 2007, and was updated simply to reflect current versioning on the Intego and Symantec AV products. [Correspondents have pointed out that the sequence number of the KB article places the original version of it back in 1992. That version clearly dealt with Mac OS Classic antivirus apps, and isn't really on the same narrative track as the once-but-current Mac OS X incarnation -- but it's a valid point that Apple has had a public notice of available security tools for many years (who remembers Disinfectant and Vaccine?). Records of the KB4454 URL on archive.org indicate that there was something at that address as far back as September 2001, but cached copies are not available.] So, to sum up, Apple's recommendations have changed not a whit in 18 months. Everyone who is decrying the sad state of security on the Mac -- or, conversely, crediting Apple for waking up and smelling the coffee -- is chasing his or her cybertail with a great deal of enthusiasm. Malware on the Mac, such as there is, is still almost exclusively delivered via social engineering, so please don't install random video codecs downloaded from porn sites. That said, the commercial and free AV options for the Mac are pretty stable, and they're certainly worth exploring if you want to be a good computing citizen who doesn't relay Windows malware from friend to friend unknowingly. Read on for my top five tips when/if installing AV tools on your Mac. Hat tip to MacDailyNews for linking the original KB article from the Internet Archive.
Better late than never: Apple details late-Sept. MobileMe updates
Yesterday, Apple released a support document detailing changes that were made to the MobileMe web services to improve stability and browser compatibility. The article noted that since "server-side updates are a bit more innocuous than a standard software update to Mac OS X or Microsoft Windows, it's easy not to notice that updates are occurring. Usually the only hint of these updates is that things just 'work better.'" Several improvements to Mail, Account services, Calendar, Contacts and Gallery are mentioned in the document, including better support for Internet Explorer 7 and Firefox 3. What's interesting is the timing of the document: The support article was posted nearly a month after the improvements apparently took place. Apple's culture of "reluctant transparency" could be coming into play here, with information about MobileMe updates arriving several weeks after implementation. Alternatively, Apple could be getting itself in the routine of releasing information about MobileMe updates on the 29th of the month. The question then becomes: Why isn't the information timely? The only other example we have is information about an update during the middle of September was posted on the 29th of that month. I suppose we'll find out in November: two is a coincidence, three is a trend. [Via MacRumors.]
Newer MBPs may contain faulty NVIDIA chips
Not a surprise for those who have suffered from the issue, but a welcome admission nonetheless: Apple has now acknowledged that some recent MacBook Pro models contain faulty GeForce 8600M GT chips that cause video display problems. Dell and HP have already told customers similar stories. In a support document posted yesterday, Apple testily admitted that while NVIDIA assured Apple that Mac computers were not affected, an internal investigation revealed three models of MacBook Pro indeed had problems. Our own Cory Bohon wrote about his experience with (what he now believes to be) the same issue back in August. The models affected were all manufactured between May 2007 and September 2008: MacBook Pro (17-Inch, 2.4GHz) MacBook Pro (15-Inch, 2.4/2.2GHz) MacBook Pro (Early 2008) If your MacBook Pro is displaying distorted or scrambled video on the screen, or no video at all, you can take your computer to an Apple Authorized Service provider to have it repaired, free of charge. If you've already had your computer serviced for this issue, Apple may issue you a refund for the cost of the service. Free service is available to owners who bought their computer less than two years ago, even if the computer is out of warranty. The problem is likely to cost NVIDIA up to $200 million to fix; this does not include the likely fallout from shareholder lawsuits alleging that the video-card manufacturer deliberately withheld information on the scope of the chip flaws. [Via AppleInsider.]
MacBook Air Leopard disk only works with MacBook Air
As we speak many, many people are anxiously awaiting the arrival of their MacBook Air. When you open up the MacBook Air you'll see that it includes a Leopard installation disk, as every other Mac does. This Apple KB article supplies us with an interesting fact: the Leopard disk will only work with a MacBook Air. The Installer checks to see if it is running on an Air, and if it isn't refuses to install Leopard.Clearly, with support for multi-touch gestures and Remote Disc, the MacBook Air is likely running a slightly custom install of OS X, so it makes sense that Apple would limit it to installing on the Air. In the same vein Apple warns you not to try and install a non-MacBook Air version of Leopard onto the Air. Something to keep in mind.Update: This is why you shouldn't blog before having your morning caffeine, folks. As many people in the comments pointed out this isn't new to the MacBook Air, most restore disks only work the with model of Mac that they came with. It is still interesting to note, though, for people new to the Mac (right? Any body?).
The hunt for a KB Toys is on
It's quite possible that you live near a KB Toys store; they must still exist or there wouldn't be anybody to announce these promotions. In our personal experience, however, we haven't seen one in years. Every store near the last, say, three or four places we lived has gone away, taking their giant bins of 3/$10 action figures with them. If, unlike us, you're lucky enough to have access to a KB Toys, you can stock up on DS and GBA games this month. From now until the 30th, you can buy one DS or GBA game and get the second for half-price. And if that's not enough to send you to the mall, the same deal applies to Play-Doh.[Via Joystiq; yes, that is a real product]
