Q: My iMac keeps trying to download something, what is it?
-
Aug 22, 2013 12:00 PMby Linc Davis,First, your "anti-virus" software is completely worthless and you should remove it according to the developer's instructions.
I don't know what "X Resource Graph" is, but if the network activity stops when it's not running, then refer to the developer for more information. Otherwise see below.
Most often BitTorrent, iCloud or some other cloud-data application is involved in cases of mysterious bandwidth use by a Mac. If you use iCloud, uncheck at least Photo Stream and Documents & Data in its preference pane and see whether there's any change. If you use third-party network backup software, disable that. If you use a torrent client, remove it.
Otherwise, there's no easy way to monitor network usage per process using built-in tools. If you're an advanced user and you want to try, see the manual page for the nettop(1) shell command. It may or may not provide the information you're looking for.
The third-party products Rubbernet and Little Snitch are supposed to record network usage by processes. I can't vouch for them. Both were available as free trials, the last time I checked. I suggest you uninstall either one when the question has been answered.
-
Aug 22, 2013 12:10 PMby Brockolio,Linc is correct. Those applications you are using for safety cause more problems than prevent. Just remove them, and research something better if your'e worried. I would suggest Avast. Secondly, boot into safe mode, and see if it is still happening (hold shift on boot up). It's not likely an update, as OS X will tell you it is updating something, and also asks first, and needs your administrator password. Hence OS X being a closed source operating system. I am also not sure of the legitimacy of X Resource Graph, try running a speed test on maybe speedtest.net, or speedof.me, then remove the program, restart the computer, and run another speed test, did it change?
-
Aug 22, 2013 4:35 PMby rrd3,Thanks for your replies.
I don't use iCloud or any other off-site storage. I use Time Machine to back up onto an external drive.
What exactly is wrong with the anti-virus software I'm using? Are you opposed to all anti-virus software, or just this one?
Oh BTW, ever since I got Mountain Lion, Safari disconnects itself from the internet whenever I'm not actively using the computer. I'm not sure why this is, but it's annoying to have to wait for a connection everytime I get back on the computer. Is there any way to fix this?
-
Aug 22, 2013 5:40 PMby C F McBlob,rrd3 wrote:
What exactly is wrong with the anti-virus software I'm using? Are you opposed to all anti-virus software, or just this one?
I got my first Mac in 2003 and since then, with the exception of a 45 day test I did for McAfee, for which I was paid quite well by my former employer, I've NEVER run ANY antivirus software on any of eight Macs I've owned, and I've never seen a virus on ANY Mac I've owned or ANY that anyone I know has ever owned.
In my experience, you have to look really hard, and really really try to get a virus on a Mac. Most Antivirus for Macs goes unused (it never finds any real viruses) or creates more "firewalling" problems than it will ever solve. -
Aug 22, 2013 6:19 PMby Linc Davis,1. This comment applies to malicious software ("malware") that's installed unwittingly by the victim of a network attack. It does not apply to software, such as keystroke loggers, that may be installed deliberately by an intruder who has hands-on access to the victim's computer. That threat is in a different category, and there's no easy way to defend against it. If you have reason to suspect that you're the target of such an attack, you need expert help.If you find this comment too long or too technical, read only sections 5, 6, and 10.OS X now implements three layers of built-in protection specifically against malware, not counting runtime protections such as execute disable, sandboxing, system library randomization, and address space layout randomization that may also guard against other kinds of exploits.
2. All versions of OS X since 10.6.7 have been able to detect known Mac malware in downloaded files, and to block insecure web plugins. This feature is transparent to the user, but internally Apple calls it "XProtect." The malware recognition database is automatically checked for updates once a day; however, you shouldn't rely on it, because the attackers are always at least a day ahead of the defenders.The following caveats apply to XProtect:- It can be bypassed by some third-party networking software, such as BitTorrent clients and Java applets.
- It only applies to software downloaded from the network. Software installed from a CD or other media is not checked.
Gatekeeper doesn't depend on a database of known malware. It has, however, the same limitations as XProtect, and in addition the following:- It can easily be disabled or overridden by the user.
- A malware attacker could get control of a code-signing certificate under false pretenses, or could simply ignore the consequences of distributing codesigned malware.
- An App Store developer could find a way to bypass Apple's oversight, or the oversight could fail due to human error.
For the reasons given above, App Store products, and other applications recognized by Gatekeeper as signed, are safer than others, but they can't be considered absolutely safe. "Sandboxed" applications may prompt for access to private data, such as your contacts, or for access to the network. Think before granting that access. OS X security is based on user input. Never click through any request for authorization without thinking.4. Starting with OS X 10.8.3, a third layer of protection has been added: a "Malware Removal Tool" (MRT). MRT runs automatically in the background when you update the OS. It checks for, and removes, malware that may have evaded the other protections via a Java exploit (see below.) MRT also runs when you install or update the Apple-supplied Java runtime (but not the Oracle runtime.) Like XProtect, MRT is presumably effective against known attacks, but maybe not against unknown attacks. It notifies you if it finds malware, but otherwise there's no user interface to MRT.5. XProtect, Gatekeeper, and MRT reduce the risk of malware attack, but they're not absolute protection. The first and best line of defense is always your own intelligence. With the possible exception of Java exploits, all known malware circulating on the Internet that affects a fully-updated installation of OS X 10.6 or later takes the form of so-called "trojan horses," which can only have an effect if the victim is duped into running them. The threat therefore amounts to a battle of wits between you and the malware attacker. If you're smarter than he thinks you are, you'll win.That means, in practice, that you never use software that comes from an untrustworthy source, or that does something inherently untrustworthy. How do you know what is trustworthy?- Any website that prompts you to install a “codec,” “plug-in,” "player," "extractor," or “certificate” that comes from that same site, or an unknown one, is untrustworthy.
- A web operator who tells you that you have a “virus,” or that anything else is wrong with your computer, or that you have won a prize in a contest you never entered, is trying to commit a crime with you as the victim. (Some reputable websites did legitimately warn visitors who were infected with the "DNSChanger" malware. That exception to this rule no longer applies.)
- Pirated copies or "cracks" of commercial software, no matter where they come from, are unsafe.
- Software of any kind downloaded from a BitTorrent or from a Usenet binary newsgroup is unsafe.
- Software that purports to help you do something that's illegal or that infringes copyright, such as saving streamed audio or video for reuse without permission, is unsafe. All YouTube "downloaders" are in this category, though not all are necessarily harmful.
- Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, must be downloaded directly from the developer’s website. If it comes from any other source, it's unsafe.
- Even signed applications, no matter what the source, should not be trusted if they do something unexpected, such as asking for permission to access your contacts, your location, or the Internet for no obvious reason.
Fortunately, client-side Java on the Web is obsolete and mostly extinct. Only a few outmoded sites still use it. Try to hasten the process of extinction by avoiding those sites, if you have a choice. Forget about playing games or other non-essential uses of Java.Java is not included in OS X 10.7 and later. Discrete Java installers are distributed by Apple and by Oracle (the developer of Java.) Don't use either one unless you need it. Most people don't. If Java is installed, disable it — not JavaScript — in your browsers.Regardless of version, experience has shown that Java on the Web can't be trusted. If you must use a Java applet for a task on a specific site, enable Java only for that site in Safari. Never enable Java for a public website that carries third-party advertising. Use it only on well-known, login-protected, secure websites without ads. In Safari 6 or later, you'll see a lock icon in the address bar with the abbreviation "https" when visiting a secure site.
Follow the above guidelines, and you’ll be as safe from malware as you can practically be. The rest of this comment concerns what you should not do to protect yourself from malware.
7. Never install any commercial "anti-virus" or "Internet security" products for the Mac, as they all do more harm than good, if they do any good at all. Any database of known threats is always going to be out of date. Most of the danger is from unknown threats. If you need to be able to detect Windows malware in your files, use one of the free anti-virus products in the Mac App Store — nothing else.Why shouldn't you use commercial "anti-virus" products?- Their design is predicated on the nonexistent threat that malware may be injected at any time, anywhere in the file system. Malware is downloaded from the network; it doesn't materialize from nowhere.
- In order to meet that nonexistent threat, the software modifies or duplicates low-level functions of the operating system, which is a waste of resources and a common cause of instability, bugs, and poor performance.
- By modifying the operating system, the software itself may create weaknesses that could be exploited by malware attackers.
8. An anti-malware product from the App Store, such as "ClamXav," doesn't have these drawbacks. That doesn't mean it's entirely safe. It may report email messages that have "phishing" links in the body, or Windows malware in attachments, as infected files, and offer to delete or move them. Doing so will corrupt the Mail database. The messages should be deleted from within the Mail application.An anti-virus app is not needed, and should not be relied upon, for protection against OS X malware. It's useful only for detecting Windows malware. Windows malware can't harm you directly (unless, of course, you use Windows.) Just don't pass it on to anyone else.A Windows malware attachment in email is usually easy to recognize. The file name will often be targeted at people who aren't very bright; for example:♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥!!!!!!!H0TBABEZ4U!!!!!!!.AVI♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.exeAnti-virus software may be able to tell you which particular virus or trojan it is, but do you care? In practice, there's seldom a reason to use the software unless a network administrator requires you to do it.The ClamXav developer won't try to "upsell" you to a paid version of the product. Other developers may do that. Don't be upsold. For one thing, you should not pay to protect Windows users from the consequences of their choice of computing platform. For another, a paid upgrade from a free app will probably have the disadvantages mentioned in section 7.9. It seems to be a common belief that the built-in Application Firewall acts as a barrier to infection, or prevents malware from functioning. It does neither. It blocks inbound connections to certain network services you're running, such as file sharing. It's disabled by default and you should leave it that way if you're behind a router on a private home or office network. Activate it only when you're on an untrusted network, for instance a public Wi-Fi hotspot, where you don't want to provide services. Disable any services you don't use in the Sharing preference pane. All are disabled by default.10. As a Mac user you don't have to live in fear that your computer is going to be infected every time you install an application, read email, or visit a web page. But neither should you have the false idea that you will always be safe, no matter what you do. The greatest harm done by security software is precisely its selling point: it makes people feel safe. They may then feel safe enough to take risks from which the software doesn't protect them. Nothing can lessen the need for safe computing practices.
