Malware Security: Combating Viruses, Worms, and Root Kits

Abstract

In this chapter, we will discuss protecting your Mac from malware. But first, what do we mean by malware? Malware is a term used by security professionals to reference any software that is designed to infiltrate or damage computer systems without the owner’s informed consent. “Informed” is the key word here. A user might consent by clicking an Accept dialog box to allow a software package to install, but might not be fully informed of the vulnerabilities that can potentially be exploited by that software package. Beta versions of new software can sometimes have potentially damaging effects on an operating system, but would not be considered malware because they generally don’t intend to harm the operating system (intend the operative word here). What we will explore in this chapter are the ill effects that can arise from unintentionally installed software on a Mac, and how to safeguard your machine from them.