“Most Mac users gaze on smugly as reports of each new Windows security crisis break. And they have good reason – research from Sophos PLC showed that 68 viruses have affected the Mac while 97,467 have affected Windows. Of those 68, most are a decade old or older and don’t directly affect OS X,” Digit Magazine reports.
“However, although it may seem that there’s no reason to worry about security on your Mac, you shouldn’t think you’re completely safe. Apple’s regular Security Update releases prove that there is cause for concern, and common sense suggests that you’re most vulnerable when you let your guard down,” Digit reports. “So how can you tell the difference between scaremongering and true dangers? We examined nine common beliefs about Mac security – and show you what you really need to worry about.”
MacDailyNews Note: We could only find six, not nine, common beliefs explored by Digit’s article:
• Mac users don’t need to worry about viruses: False
• You’re vulnerable to Windows viruses if you run emulation software: True
• Mac users don’t need to worry about spyware: True
• When I’m using a wireless network at home, I’m totally safe: False
• When I’m using a public hotspot, all of my passwords are being stolen: False
• The Mac’s default security settings are all you need to protect your computer from hacker attacks: False
The six points above are explored and explained in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Mac OS X users have 0 viruses vs. Windows 97,467 viruses. Yikes!
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Symantec details flaws in its antivirus software – March 30, 2005
Motley Fool writer: ‘I’d be surprised if Symantec ever sells a single product to a Mac user again’ – March 24, 2005
Symantec cries wolf with misplaced Mac OS X ‘security’ warning – March 23, 2005
Symantec’s Mac OS X claims dismissed as nonsense, FUD – March 22, 2005
Symantec warns about Mac OS X security threat – March 21, 2005
Apple’s Mac OS X is virus-free – March 18, 2005
68,736 Microsoft Windows viruses vs. zero for Apple Mac’s OS X – March 12, 2005
Microsoft tries to turn its own security flaw into commercial gain – February 25, 2005
Cybersecurity advisor Clarke questions why anybody would buy from Microsoft – February 18, 2005
Microsoft’s Gates espouses homogenous operating system environments for better security – February 07, 2005
Windows’ mounting security problems make some consumers eager to purchase Macs – January 03, 2005
Windows Media songs and videos found to carry Windows malware payloads – December 30, 2004
Anzae/Inzae worm affects all Windows versions after 3.1; Macintosh unaffected – December 28, 2004
Unlike Windows users, Mac OS X users surf the Internet without a care in the world – December 28, 2004
Multiple unpatched Windows holes crop up; Windows systems compromised within minutes in experiment – December 24, 2004
Windows spyware mess is out of control, get a Mac and surf with impunity – December 21, 2004
New Microsoft Internet Explorer exploit spoofs Web sites on fully patched Windows XP systems – December 17, 2004
Microsoft may charge extra for Windows spyware protection software – December 16, 2004
Detroit Free Press: Windows malware problem getting worse, it’s time to get a Mac instead – December 16, 2004
Sick of spyware, adware headaches? Get a Mac and surf the Internet freely – December 13, 2004
Mossberg: Windows PCs plagued with problems, Apple’s Mac is ‘rock solid, elegant and affordable’ – December 09, 2004
Security expert: Don’t use Microsoft Windows, Office, Outlook, Internet Explorer – December 09, 2004
Security test: Windows XP system easily compromised while Apple’s Mac OS X stands safe and secure – November 30, 2004
Sick of spyware, adware infecting your PC? Don’t fret, just get a Mac – November 01, 2004
Microsoft: The safest way to run Windows is on your Mac – October 08, 2004
Spyware plagues Windows users while Mac users surf Net with impunity – November 01, 2004
Ballmer blames Windows users for not upgrading systems as Microsoft’s biggest security problem – October 22, 2004
Windows users line up to pay for spyware removal; Mac users surf Web with impunity – October 18, 2004
Microsoft: The safest way to run Windows is on your Mac – October 08, 2004
Windows users’ security woes spark interest in Apple’s secure Mac OS X – October 06, 2004
Windows desktop monopoly threatened by secure, safe Apple Mac OS X – October 04, 2004
Even Bill Gates can’t avoid Windows malware; Mac users surf the Web freely – October 03, 2004
Cyber-security adviser uses Apple Macintosh to avoid Windows’ security woes – September 27, 2004
Information Security Investigator says switch from Windows to Mac OS X for security – September 24, 2004
Mossberg: Apple iMac G5 ‘powerful, affordable, virus-free with better, more modern OS than Windows XP’ – September 23, 2004
USA Today: people are switching from Windows to Mac because of security issues – September 21, 2004
Windows besieged by hackers; number of Windows viruses soars by more than 400% – September 20, 2004
USA Today columinst angry about Windows viruses, adware, spyware – September 15, 2004
University of Chicago recommends all students patch Windows at least once a day – September 14, 2004
Windows XP worm speaks to users as it deletes their files; Macintosh unaffected – September 13, 2004
Security is top priority in Apple’s Mac OS X – September 12, 2004
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Mossberg: Dump your Windows machine and get an Apple Macintosh to free yourself of spyware – August 25, 2004
Tired of patching patches to patch Windows patches? Writer suggests getting a Mac – August 03, 2004
Windows ‘Scob’ virus designed to steal financial data, passwords; Macintosh unaffected – June 26, 2004
Gartner: Worms jack up the total cost of Microsoft Windows – May 07, 2004
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SmartMoney: Long-suffering Windows users can only dare to dream of Mac’s ease-of-use – February 12, 2004
Mac OS X has no viruses; what’s wrong with Windows? – February 11, 2004
Gates: Windows ‘by far the most secure’ system; tries to use ‘Mac OS X secure through obscurity’ myth – January 27, 2004
Columnist tries the ‘security through obscurity’ myth to defend Windows vs. Macs on virus front – October 1, 2003
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Wall Street Journal’s Mossberg on making the switch from Windows to Mac – September 18, 2003
Fortune columnist: ‘get a Mac’ to thwart viruses; right answer for the wrong reasons – September 02, 2003
Shattering the Mac OS X ‘security through obscurity’ myth – August 28, 2003
Is Mac OS X really inherently more secure than Windows? – August 26, 2003
Chicago Sun-Times columnist: Windows ‘many holes in its security’ but ‘none of my Macs have ever been affected – August 26, 2003
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I do own a Mac as well…
Saying that saying that there are firewalls and anti-virus software for PC’s is akin to arguing that you shouldn’t be a safe driver because you have insurance…
Just be a safe driver… and choose a safer car.
Not the swiss cheese that calls itself Windows.
MDN didn’t report “97,467 Microsoft Windows viruses vs. zero for Apple Mac’s OS X.” Digit Magazine did. I thought that fact was pretty obvious before I read some of the reader feedbacks.
[Tell people why to own a mac, not why they shouldn´t own a pc.]
Maybe MDN can enact this progressive policy by following the lead by ‘journalists’ that remind their readers to buy only WinPCs because:
– Macs have no software.
– Macs are too expensive.
– Macs have NO games like the ‘real business computers’ do.
– Macs suck.
– Macs are ONLY good for graphics. (But, not games) !?
– Macs aren’t available anywhere.
– Macs only use one-button mice. (Please don’t start)
– Macs can’t DO the internet.
– Macs don’t use Windows.
– Macs aren’t free.
Any other reasons are welcome.
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Tom said: “Would I have any luck offering a service offering to protect computers from aliens? I suppose, probably a lot greater once my neighbor’s machine gets screwed up by one.”
Given the current attitude in the USA where people would rather believe than think, you probably would. You might even advertise it in an end times scenario. That ought to draw the suckers in like flies to honey.
Here’s the problem with people saying “i have a PC with 0 viruses, therefore, nobody else with a PC has viruses either”, is that the people with 0 PC viruses are probably very aware of what the threats are, what conditions make them vulnerable to them, and how to stop them before they manifest on their systems. MEANWHILE, everyone else out of the 95+% Windows-using marketshare probably have no clue, or feel they’re safe because of reasons such as, their ISP making claims that they will offer antivirus (for email coming in through their servers only), or because they don’t visit websites that are seedy (which very often auto-download spyware, or dialers. yes, i’ve seen it happen on my mac, but they do nothing, and a quick drag ‘n’ drop to the trash and none’s the wiser), or because they trust email that comes from any source with files attached. and those are just a few.
I’ve even once watched while a former employer (an ‘experienced’ PC user), reply to spam, asking them to not send him anymore. I just kept my mouth shut. Arguing with the boss about such issues, and making him feel a little dimmer (j/k, he was a nice guy) probably wouldn’t have worked out in my favor.
the problem here is that while FUD is routinely spread through the mac-using community, it probably isn’t spred nearly fraction of a percent as much for the majority of PC users. which is a shame, because they’re usually the ones who could benefit most from being FUD’d into buying antivirus software, using firewalls, etc.
That, or maybe the problem is just that on the whole, there are so much fewer viruses for our platform because the majority of us mac users, while imperfect, love the mac and the macOS enough to so rarely engage in such utterly inane, and ultimately self-destructive practice of creating softare which only serves to destroy our operating system of choice. Why do they do that? the world will never know…
wow, that was long. sorry for rambling on like that
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I have Windows XP and have had nothing but problems with it. Viruses + adware = XP slowing to a crawl.
I’ll be getting the Mac Mini when Tiger’s available.
Let me tell Mac Addicts something:
Until last month I had no idea that Macs didn’t have viruses.
I also thought Macs had spyware and adware, just like I have to deal with now.
I think most Windows users assume, like I did, that you have antivirus software.
Apple should start advertising its superior security. To me its number one selling point.
As a reviewer of the Mac Mini on Amazon said – Security is Priceless.
Let me start by claiming that the Miss Troll’s entry (and a couple of similar ones expressed above) must have been typed by a young lady, unquestionably lacking all sensibility in their judgement.
The poor little thing and her undercompetent like attack OS X, the most superior Operating System extant and ever existed, not a single one of their premises bears a hint of soundness. Apple is referred to as ‘crApple’, and it is claimed that OS X’s virus resistance is nothing more than a result of its, what in modern terms is referred to as ‘limited consumer base’.
Thanks, of course that Apple still manages to retain the exclusivity of its products (with the exception of iPod, iTunes and QT, of course).
Most of fervent fans – they, myself included, have the best premises for being fervent fans (and so we weren’t, when confined to sitting behind a Windows tank) of OS X/ Apple are people who have at one point in their lives, generally, prior to shifting to Apple, used that perfect rubbish, called Windows. I had one, two years ago, before quite briskly dispatching it to the street, through the window, to make a hopeless junkie or two happy upon stumbling the rubbish in question in their daily search for junk.
The point with Microsoft is that Ballmer – you might well go for this man, fortune hunting – he must beat Alain Delon in terms appearance, Peter Bashevis Singer in terms of wisdom, and Steven Jobs, Johann Sebastian Bach and Leonardo da Vinci in terms of ingenuity… for a young oversexed – obvious in your little post – maid like you with insatiable hunkering for Windows…
For me the perfectly hideous graphical interface of Windows (Vista doing better, provided its being so blatantly copied from OS X here) is enough to hold anyone preposterous ad infinitum for merely bothering to compare these two.
Yes, I digress… my conclusion will be ad rem: there is undeniable evidence that OS X (and, indeed, much of UNIX, except, undestandably enough, for Lindows) is quite virus-resistant. OS X certainly is, and I hope it stays so.
Quite silly, isn’t it, to think that OS X (or other UNIX-based OSes) won’t be infected with a virus, simply because it is less popular than Windows. Quite an interesting perspective, I must admit: is it more than 100.000 times less popular than Windows? If so, then there might be truth in your notion.
As to thinking that MS is more hated than Apple, let me refer you to your very self and humbly whisper that there are millions who share your passion against Apple.
Now, please, acquire some common sense prior to posting a thing on Apple, will you?
With the best regards, and hoping to have you manage to hook the incredible Mr. Ballmer, the living embodyment of MicroSoft.
Art Khachatrian