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Is using Flashbackcheck.com safe?

I went to the website(www.flashbackcheck.com) and received this message, "We have checked the version of Java installed on your computer and discovered that you are running a vulnerable version. You should update as soon as possible.

We suggest that you use the Mac OS X automatic software update feature."

Should I follow this instruction? I included my UUID for a diagnosis, is my computer safe?

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Apr 14, 2012 3:53 PM

Reply
17 replies

Apr 14, 2012 6:55 PM in response to John Galt

John Galt wrote:


The "flashback" site referenced is either malicious or simply incorrect.

That may very well be true; but what's wrong with the instruction, "We suggest that you use the Mac OS X automatic software update feature"? I don't see why the OP should not follow it. It may not help, if the OP is really running Leopard, but it certainly can't hurt.

Kaspersky AV is junk.

It appears that your opinion is not shared by all.


<http://www.macworld.co.uk/macsoftware/reviews/?reviewid=3257120>

Apr 14, 2012 7:43 PM in response to marycc

www.flashbackcheck.com checker is safe as far as I can tell


However it's not accurate as it only reports the UUID's it saw on the sinkhole server they set up.


I've ran someone's UUID through that they did have the malware (confirmed) and the flashbackchecker site was incorrect.


Run Apple's Software Update, if you have it, it will remove it AND it will hobble Java some too



Some more "hardening" steps one can take are here


https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3291

Apr 15, 2012 3:27 AM in response to marycc

@marycc


To answer the subject of this thread, If you feel a need to use such a site then this is a better choice would be https://www.drweb.com/flashback/ since it uses a secure connection when entering your information. The database they are using is reportedly the same one. I would feel slightly better about it if they included a Privacy Statement telling me what they were going to do with the information provided, but all reports are that they are a reputable firm in the anti-virus business for 20 years, so it's probably OK.


As others have said, updating your software is not an option for you since OS X 10.5 is not going to be updated beyond what is available to you today. If at all possible you should upgrade your Mac to at least 10.6.8 which will get you greatly increased security as well as continued support for a few more months.

Apr 15, 2012 4:02 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Roger Wilmut1 wrote:


The best tool is probably F-Secure's Flashback Removal Tool, but their site doesn't say whether it will run on Leopard - it's basically an AppleScript so probably it will.

Agree that it's the best tool currently available. I was able to run both the AppleScript and the embedded shell script on my Leopard iMac G5 by extracting the scripts from the intel only app.

Apr 15, 2012 5:14 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

The F-Secure removal tool page contains the following:

-----------------

If you run an older version of Mac OS X, update to a current version. Or disable Java in your browser. Or uninstall Java. And run our free tool. And yes, we have a full-blown F-Secure Antivirus for Mac available as well.

--------------------------


So it seems very likely that the tool will run directly on Intel Leopard systems. I don't have such a system to test it on.

Apr 15, 2012 5:36 AM in response to MadMacs0

With some trepidation, I had earlier sent my UUID to the DrWeb site to see if it was in their sinkhole database (it wasn't). I also had and still have some "privacy concerns", but in thinking about the UUID specifically, what use could it be to anyone?

On these boards, a participant is sometimes asked to post the hardware info from System Profiler to help solve a problem. If the Serial Number is posted, the hosts will edit it out, but they don't edit the UUID if someone posts it. I assume this is because they don't think it can be used for a bad purpose.

Apr 15, 2012 5:47 AM in response to jsd2

jsd2 wrote:


in thinking about the UUID specifically, what use could it be to anyone?

I agree. I've been trying to come up with what anyone could do with it. Yes, it could be used for tracking but I suspect that's going on anyway with some applications, and even that doesn't bother me. And of what use do they think a serial number is?

Is using Flashbackcheck.com safe?

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