More info on the iPod trojan/worm scandal
Oh boy, this story has really taken off since I blogged about it over 20 hours ago:
http://msmvps.com/blogs/spywaresucks/archive/2006/10/18/184326.aspx
All in all, Apple's statement regarding the malware outbreak has turned into a real public relations nightmare. Reaction has been overwhelmingly negative.
Google blog search for iPod virus:
http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=ipod+virus&btnG=Search+Blogs
iPod virus comment:
http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=ipod+virus+comment
iPod virus trojan:
http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=ipod+virus+trojan
The site pcadvisor.co.uk has some new information on what went wrong:
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=7365
"As you're probably aware, the majority of iPod sales are made to Windows users, so we have some Windows terminals on our production line,".
"We discovered that one of these computers was propagating this virus, fortunately less than 1 percent of video iPods were exposed to this Windows virus. The problem has been corrected and all the video iPods we are now selling are free of the virus,"
"The Windows machine that did the damage is used as part of the quality control process, "a final test station".
"It appears this virus propagates to a PC when an iPod containing the virus is double-clicked in Windows Explorer. Technically it's a worm. It does not spread through a network."
Ok, so Apple have got a Windows PC on their production line which was infected with a worm/trojan for which antivirus detection has been available SINCE JUNE. I have some questions.
1) How did the malware get on to that test station in the first place?
2) How long was it there?
3) Why was there no antivirus on that test station, or if there was antivirus, why did it not pick up the malware?
4) Did Apple truly believe that they could get away with trying to shift blame away from themselves and on to Microsoft?
Microsoft have been quoted on Reuters as saying "We encourage all third party vendors to follow best practices and help protect their users regardless of platform through careful scanning of the software they ship, so that they do not expose their customers to unnecessary risk from malicious software":
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=technologyNews&storyID=2006-10-18T185436Z_01_N18356548_RTRUKOC_0_US-APPLE-IPOD.xml&WTmodLoc=Home-C5-technologyNews-3
I'm wondering how many at Apple are shocked at the backlash they are facing - they've been blowing raspberries at Microsoft for many years, and its about time they were whacked over the head with a cluestick.
I still want to know exactly how many this "1%" equates to... 100 infected iPods? 1,000? 1,000,000? Apple declined to comment. Again, Rueters notes that "An Apple spokesman declined to name the contract manufacturer or specify how many iPods were affected." Is this a situation where "no news is BAD news"?
On a personal note, its kind of kewl to once again have been ahead of so many in the pack with this story) 