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Apple Barred From Assisting Customers With Malware?

Started by fauxpaxfauxreal, May 24, 2011, 10:52:56 AM

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fauxpaxfauxreal

http://www.macrumors.com/2011/05/19/apple-investigating-macdefender-malware-support-staff-barred-from-assisting-customers/


Earlier this month, a new malware threat known as "MACDefender" popped up, targeting Mac OS X users with requests to install an application claiming to be an antivirus program. The malware has continued to be a problem for many users, showing up with regularity under several different variants.

ZDNet's Ed Bott has been looking into the issue, and while some may dismiss his claims due to his position covering Microsoft for the publication, he has uncovered some interesting information in speaking with an anonymous AppleCare representative about the situation. According to the representative, Apple has been dealing with significant call volumes about the issue, claiming that over 50% of calls last week were about the malware.
There's usually about 600 or so of us spread around 14 centers for CPU support. Before this started happening, we had 7-12 minutes between calls generally. Now we're lucky to have any time between calls.

We started getting a trickle of calls a couple weeks ago. However, this last week over 50% of our calls have been about it. In two days last week I personally took 60 calls that referred to Mac Defender.
The representative noted that AppleCare's official policies prevent them from assisting customers with malware issues, as the company does not wish to set expectations that they will be able to do so consistently going forward, instead recommending that customers look into antivirus software. Some representatives have, however, reportedly been quietly helping out customers as their superiors look the other way.

In a follow-up article responding to claims that his initial report was fabricated and the issue overblown, Bott documents his examination of Apple's support forums, where he found over 200 threads from users trying to remove the malware from their systems, far higher than any previous incident. And while the malware requires that users grant explicit authorization for the software to be installed, Bott argues that there are clearly significant numbers of relatively less savvy users who are taking the bait.

Finally, Bott today published the actual AppleCare internal support document about MACDefender, where it is revealed that the issue has been categorized as "Issue/Investigation In Progress" and outlining the procedures to be used by support representatives when dealing with customers calling in about the issue. Essentially, users who have not yet installed the malware are instructed to quit the installer and delete the download, while those who have installed the software should be directed to Apple resources to learn more about malware and left to find their own antivirus solution.

thatfargone

I read this a week ago. Makes me laugh my ass off!!

People who download and install virus protection made for macs totally deserve for it to f up their computer with no help from anyone. Idiots.  :frustrated:
Quote from: McGrupp on November 17, 2010, 02:27:48 PM

Don't FUCK with the dead. Bobby will kick your ass. You remember this, thatfargone. Dead is SER BIZ.

mattstick


AppleCare is hardware support.

I'm sure if you had a MalWare question the guys/girls at the Genius Bar would be willing to help.

Hicks

Quote from: Trey Anastasio
But, I don't think our fans do happily lap it up, I think they go online and talk about how it was a bad show.

rowjimmy

Anyone who is sucker enough to authorize the installation of a virus on their mac (read: they typed in their password!) is a joke to me.

thatfargone

Quote from: Hicks on May 24, 2011, 11:36:22 AM
BUT MACS DON'T GET VIRUSES!

Yeah, but the hard part is not downloading and installing them yourself. :roll:
Quote from: McGrupp on November 17, 2010, 02:27:48 PM

Don't FUCK with the dead. Bobby will kick your ass. You remember this, thatfargone. Dead is SER BIZ.

ph92

Quote from: thatfargone on May 24, 2011, 12:17:09 PM
Quote from: Hicks on May 24, 2011, 11:36:22 AM
BUT MACS DON'T GET VIRUSES!

Yeah, but the hard part is not downloading and installing them yourself. :roll:
And this is why no system is entirely safe ever.

Cause there are stupid people...


Customer:"I was going through my folders and I deleted 'system32' cause I never use it...."

These are the people that will always have chronic computer problems because they dont know what they are doing at all.\


I still think this is fucking gold though because that is so many peoples argument against windows...
Quote from: Hicks on May 24, 2011, 11:36:22 AM
BUT MACS DON'T GET VIRUSES!
Make America Melt Again!

Quote from: runawayjimbo on July 25, 2017, 11:10:15 PM
FUCK YEAH TREY. FUCK YEAH

fauxpaxfauxreal


qop24

Quote from: Hicks on May 24, 2011, 11:36:22 AM
BUT MACS DON'T GET VIRUSES!

:hereitisyousentimentalbastard


yeah I love how everyone seems to forget that no one bothered to make viruses for macs because no one really used them for a while. mac's are popular and very widely used now so guess what, people are going to make them now.

I'm sure that apple will have better customer service after this though, it's just something they haven't dealt with much yet but it will only become a bigger issue
Quote from: Gumbo72203 on June 14, 2011, 11:26:55 PM
Trey actually is totally inspired with ideas up the ass

Quote from: kellerb on July 06, 2011, 07:16:17 PM
When you're on droogz you don't remember which eye's supposed to be lazy

fauxpaxfauxreal

This isn't true, before Apple locked down their OS, macs were frequently the targets of viruses.

A common misconception is that macs don't get viruses because of their low market share...as RJ pointed out already, people had to type in their password in order for the malware to be installed.

I don't think that Viruses are the problem really that will be appearing with more frequencey, I think the problem here is the refusal of Apple Care to allow their techs to tell people how to alleviate the problem.

mattstick


That would be like calling Dell because your MS Office had a problem.  There are other outlets for MacOS support, namely the Genius Bar.

sls.stormyrider

every internet browser should come with a message - do not download and install something unsolicited
"toss away stuff you don't need in the end
but keep what's important, and know who's your friend"
"It's a 106 miles to Chicago. We got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and we're wearing sunglasses."

fauxpaxfauxreal

Quote from: mattstick on May 24, 2011, 12:59:31 PM

That would be like calling Dell because your MS Office had a problem.  There are other outlets for MacOS support, namely the Genius Bar.

When you need to uninstall malware for a PC, you do call dell.  Microsoft won't help you.

I'm not sure where you are going with this...

thatfargone

Well since there seem to be a bunch of idiot pc converts that search and hunt for needless virus protection software, Apple should sell a apple care package that cost a shit ton for these very stupid consumers and pass the savings off on a cheaper os lion version for us.
Quote from: McGrupp on November 17, 2010, 02:27:48 PM

Don't FUCK with the dead. Bobby will kick your ass. You remember this, thatfargone. Dead is SER BIZ.

qop24

Quote from: fauxpaxfauxreal on May 24, 2011, 01:04:22 PM
Quote from: mattstick on May 24, 2011, 12:59:31 PM

That would be like calling Dell because your MS Office had a problem.  There are other outlets for MacOS support, namely the Genius Bar.

When you need to uninstall malware for a PC, you do call dell.  Microsoft won't help you.

I'm not sure where you are going with this...

Yeah sounded like a false comparison, AppleCare is run by Apple isn't it? (I may be entirely wrong that's why I'm asking)
Quote from: Gumbo72203 on June 14, 2011, 11:26:55 PM
Trey actually is totally inspired with ideas up the ass

Quote from: kellerb on July 06, 2011, 07:16:17 PM
When you're on droogz you don't remember which eye's supposed to be lazy