- Circus Ponies
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We're at Macworld Expo 2009 in San Francisco with the latest news about the show. Check back often this week for updates!
- Phil Schiller Delivers Lackluster Keynote
- iPhoto '09 Adds Faces and Places
- iMovie '09 Seems to Fix Everything from iMovie '08
- GarageBand '09 Adds Music Lessons
- iWork Turns '09
- Apple Moves to Unprotected Music, Tiered Prices
- Apple Pioneers New Battery Tech with 17-inch MacBook Pro
- Jobs Clears the Air on Health Issue
- Welcome to Macintosh Movie to Screen at Macworld Expo
- MacHEADS Movie to Premiere at Macworld Expo
- TidBITS Events at Macworld SF 2009
Stylin' a Word Comment Balloon
If you work with Word's Comment feature, you may find that the comment-balloon text is too small to work with, or you may just want some variety. To modify the style, choose Format > Style. From the List pop-up menu, choose All Styles. Select Balloon Text from the Style list. Modify the style as you like, and then click Apply. I like Arial Narrow, 12 point.
Written by Tonya Engst
Recent TidBITS Talk Discussions
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Published in TidBITS 903. Subscribe today to receive TidBITS in email every Monday.
- Apple Releases Minor MacBook and MacBook Pro Upgrades
- iTunes 7.5 and QuickTime 7.3 Released
- Install Applications with iPhone 1.1.1 Software
- O2 Clarifies UK iPhone Data Limits
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- DealBITS Drawing: Win a Copy of TextExpander 2
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- GrandPerspective and WhatSize Identify Disk Pigs
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- Leopard Firewall Takes One Step Forward, Three Steps Back
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OSX.RSPlug.A Trojan Horse Targets Mac OS X
by Jeff Carlson 
Security software firm Intego is warning Mac OS X users about a Trojan horse that targets the Mac. OSX.RSPlug.A is showing up on pornography sites disguised as a video plug-in. When someone clicks the link to watch certain video clips, a Web page states that a new QuickTime codec must be installed. Opening the disk image that downloads results in the installer asking for an administrator password (which is the first serious sign of trouble); if the option to Open "Safe" Files After Downloading is enabled in Safari, the disk image opens automatically (you should disable that feature in Safari; see "Significant Safari Exploit Discovered," 2007-09-07).
Once given root access, the Trojan horse changes the computer's DNS settings to point to phishing sites or ads for other pornography sites. Even if the DNS is reset manually, a background task added by the Trojan horse changes the DNS again automatically.
Rob Griffiths at Macworld has written up instructions for removing OSX.RSPlug.A manually; Intego's VirusBarrier X4 with updated virus definitions for 31-Oct-07 also identifies and removes the Trojan horse. Griffith writes: "This is really bad. Really. And even though it's targeted at porn surfers today, the malware could easily be associated with anything else, like a new viral video site, or a site that purports to show commercials from the upcoming Super Bowl."
As always, the best defense against such attacks is to avoid installing third-party software with which you're unfamiliar, especially any that requires an administrator password. Although the Mac has proven remarkably resilient to the threat of viruses and other malware, it's not immune.
MARK/SPACE, INC: If you have a smartphone, we can sync it!Sync your address book, calendar, notes, music, pictures, and
more from your BlackBerry, Windows Mobile or Palm OS mobile
phone to your Mac. <http://www.markspace.com/bits>