Apple Hackers Encounter a Poetic Warning

QUOTE:
"he maker of
Macintosh computers had anticipated that hackers would try to crack its new
OS X operating system built to work on Intel Corp.'s chips and run pirated versions on non-Apple computers. So, Apple developers embedded a warning deep in the software — in the form of a poem.

Indeed, a hacker encountered the poem recently, and a copy of it has been circulating on Mac-user Web sites this week.

Apple confirmed Thursday it has included such a warning in its Intel-based computers since it started selling them in January.

The embedded poem reads: "Your karma check for today: There once was a user that whined/his existing OS was so blind/he'd do better to pirate/an OS that ran great/but found his hardware declined./Please don't steal Mac OS!/Really, that's way uncool./(C) Apple Computer, Inc."

Apple also put in a separate hidden message, "Don't Steal Mac OS X.kext," in another spot for would-be hackers.

"We can confirm that this text is built into our products," Apple issued in a statement. "Hopefully it, and many other legal warnings, will remind people that they should not steal Mac OS X."

The hacking endeavors are, for now, relegated to a small, technically savvy set, but it underscores a risk Apple faces if a pirated, functional version eventually becomes as accessible and straightforward as installing other software on a computer.

It's a risk that became apparent after Apple decided to make a historic transition to Intel-based chips, the same type that its rivals use in predominant Windows-based PCs. Apple previously relied on Power PC chips from IBM Corp. and Freescale Semiconductor Inc., but this year began switching its computers to the Intel platform.

Various analysts have since hypothesized a worst-case situation in which Apple would lose control of its proprietary Macintosh environment: how its reputedly easy-to-use and elegant operating system would no longer be locked to its computers, a critical revenue pipeline for Apple.

Such scenarios have raised a debate among Apple observers about whether the company should just license its operating system to run on other machines, similar to Microsoft Corp.

But Apple has repeatedly said it will not do that.

Meanwhile, security experts on Thursday identified a new computer worm that specifically targets Mac computers running OS X — a rarity since most worms target the broader base of PCs with Microsoft's Windows. Experts, however, consider the threat low."
QUOTE

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060217/ap_on_hi_te/apple_hacker_warning

 

my take....hmph..this:

Quote:
Virus attacking Apple Macintosh PCs found-experts

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A malicious computer worm has been found that targets Apple Computer Inc.'s Mac OS X operating system, believed to be the first such virus aimed specifically at the Mac platform.

The worm is called OSX/Leap-A, according to a posting on the Web site of antivirus software company Sophos, which said the worm is spread via instant messaging programs.

The worm attempts to spread via Apple's iChat instant messaging program, which is compatible with America Online's popular AIM instant messaging program, according to the Sophos Web site."

macs about to get some bitchin attacks n its about time!ha!

 

now they should start working on a linux one...haa..but it will be so complicated that you'll need to write specific drivers that users need to install on their machines then the users would have to write a script for it...u can see where i'm going with this....haaaa...

 

i got no prob with linux...love the features that come with the os...web/file server etc...just so damn a pain in the ass!

 

indeed it is/..now we wait for the attacks on u apple using bastards....

 

right on..n interesting title..u appear to be a super moderator..how very interesting....

 

hold it down mod.