The INQUIRER: Misinforming people for years
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Apple Macs are vulnerable, but still safer than Windows PCs
MAC OS X is still more secure than Windows, but Apple has had to keep on its toes to keep it that way, according to a report from Intego.
The Mac insecurity firm said that in 2010 the firm needed to issue a total of 38 security updates for Mac OS X as well as Apple software and hardware. Many of the patches were rather big, showing that cult of Mac members should not be completely ignorant of security, which is often the case.
Intego, which of course has a vested interest in calling attention to Apple security flaws, also highlighted several updates of the Mac OS X web browser Safari due to vulnerabilities. But that's no surprise, considering that Mac malware is now more common than it ever has been previously.
Apple users also have to keep in mind that many problems weren't due to Mac OS X software, but rather third-party software like Adobe Flash Player. It was probably no coincidence that Apple dropped Flash Player from its list of supported applications in October.
Intego's report also highlighted increasing numbers of IOS security issues, mainly due to dodgy apps and jailbreaking. 2010 showed that Apple fanbois can still lord it over their Windows counterparts when it comes to security, but nobody is invulnerable. µ
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it's to do with the fact that virus makers and hackers would rather destroy a majority crowd than a minor apple based groupie.
"I have never had an anti-virus program running on all my mac's I've ever had, and have never had a virus."
PC-users: say that sentence again, and replace "mac's" with "windows computers". And don't blush!
Well I know, it's a little bit arrogant. Sorry about that.
Mac users should be smug and also arrogant.
The flaccid masses of Windows users need a rise. And who else is best suited to doing that but the handy dandy Mac-elite?
There's no point in Apple making a WGA system because they simply assume that if you are running OSX *at all,* you bought an Apple computer. I'm sure if Apple did, they'd require something even more intrusive like a dongle. Still, not all would be lost for Apple users: they'd jazz the dongle up and make the it into a status symbol.
IN 82 "15-year-old student Rich Skrenta wrote the Elk Cloner virus, capable of infecting the boot sector of Apple II computers, predating viruses for IBM PCs by some years."
Then of course you as a mac user don't just have to worry about mac viruses, you also have to worry about about windows viruses.
Oh no......
why would mac users use windows?
oh yeah cause the only way mac will ever grow is if it becomes another pc clone. Sorry mac users, you guys have bought what you dreaded the most.
Another PC CLONE.
Here's the OS X vulnerability list.
http://www.iantivirus.com/threats/
I've been using Macs since 1986 and have never seen an OSX virus in the wild.
since when are no viruses for os x?
"Apple Macs are vulnerable, but still safer than Windows PCs"
With Windows viruses totalling in the hundreds of thousands, and Mac OS X (which has been in existence for 10 years) with a grand total of ZERO (0) viruses... Yes, I think that we can safely say that Macs are less vulnerable than Windows PCs.
Intego does have a vested interest in "scaring up" as much business selling Mac AV software as they can.
Personally, I do use the free ClamXav software (http://www.clamxav.com/) to check my Macs from time to time, but have never found any malware on them. ClamXav is better than other commercial AV software because: a) it is open source (they are not trying to sell you anything), and b) it only runs scans when you want to do it (you don't need to have some software running in the background using processor and RAM needlessly).
I think parenting styles might be an interesting comparison; choosing an OS is a matter of making certain compromises among the conscientious users; not everyone sends their kids to Eton or Yale, and they still turn out quite okay. If you neglect them, it wouldn't be a surprised if they pick up bad habits and doing bad things.
as long as it's based on Unix. At least Mac users don't have to make sure they get some ridiculous piece of software like "Windows Genuine Advantage" before Apple allows them to download security updates. I'd conjecture that most of the PCs that are infected out there are compromised because they didn't get WGA first that then allowed them to update Windows. Microsoft's greed has made Windows less secure. That, and shitty design.
It should be:
"OSx PCs are vulnerable, but still safer than Windows PCs"
Regards,
m.