“According to one security vendor, Mac users are at a crossroads this year: if they prove to be as gullible as PC users, they will invite more attention by malware distributors,” Liam Tung blogs for ZDNet.
“At a time when spiraling malware threats have bombarded PC users, Mac users have been able to kick back and relax. 2007 saw 5.5 million viruses — including variants — on the hunt for vulnerable PCs, meanwhile threats to Mac users remained minuscule by comparison: two,” Tung writes.
“So far, threats to Mac users have suffered from having convoluted delivery mechanisms, which require a person to take big and careless steps to become infected — not only accepting candy from strangers but then inviting them home for a nightcap,” Tung writes.
“The DNS changing Mac trojan, while dangerous if installed, was one example of a virus undermined by a convoluted delivery mechanism. Unlike threats to PCs, which are increasingly transmitted via stealthily injected code from seemingly innocuous Web sites, this Mac danger relied on temptation, trickery and end-user permission… The other notable Mac scam was the scareware discovered last week — Macsweeper — which attempts to cajole a would-be victim into paying for software that guarantees to find a flaw on the Mac, but otherwise does nothing. Again, a little disconcerting, but I wonder how many Mac users, let alone daft PC users, would have fallen for this one,” Tung writes.
MacDailyNews Note: Those are not viruses. Computer viruses are computer programs that can replicate themselves and infect computers without permission or knowledge of the user. You know, like with Windows. A trojan is simply an application that tricks users into installing it by promising something other than what it actually does when executed.
Tung continues, “Then again, what constitutes a Mac user — thanks to the iPhone and iTouch — is changing… So maybe, just maybe, if Mac users fail the security test this year, it won’t prove that they are more gullible than PC users, but that the new recruits have diluted the security IQ of the Mac community, as a result of the mass immigration from PC world to Mac world.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: While some might fix our headline to read “growing lesions,” we think that those Windows PC sufferers who have already or will soon be making the switch are the cream of the crop (characterize the overall quality of that crop as you wish).
Of course, as the years go by, we’ll get more and more of the “everyone’s buying Macs now, so I will, too” types who will download malware, authorize its install, and run it. There is no way to protect a computer from an ignorant user. So, yes, our collective IQ will suffer someday (the price of success), but, on the bright side, the Mac community will continue to have the brightest and most creative users, as always.
As we often advise Mac users (and this goes for Windows PC sufferers, too): Do not install anything from unknown and/or untrusted sources.
Doh, I feel so stupid.
ZT: good post, some people just don’t get it.
I got a virus from a windoze computer because another guy at work must’ve drooled all over the keyboard.
only ~ at home
On behalf of all switchers worldwide.. The question is insulting and doesn’t even deserve a response…
Next question please…
I think this just barely qualifies as FUD (Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt). Again and again these scare tactics crawl out of the woodwork. They’ve been a total bust throughout the current Mac security FUD campaign Symantec nearly two and a half years ago. Despite what this guy says about Macsweeper, it’s not malware. Call it scamware. I don’t care. But the Mac continues to have one, and only one, piece of malware in the wild, period. And probably about 99.9% of the people dopey enough to install the thing will NOT be running a DNS server. Big frickin’ yawner.
;-D
Bring me more slaves! We need more retards! One day even my ‘elites’ will bow before me!
-Thebiggestwasteof iLife
Apples were created so stupid people could use computers too. Just be thankful you have Apple to protect you from command prompts and other scary UNIX things.
Linux user sez: “Apples were created so stupid people could use computers too. Just be thankful you have Apple to protect you from command prompts and other scary UNIX things.”
Actually, Macs (the computers, versus Apple the company) were created to drive the future of computing past the current Stone Age. I am indeed thankful that the average human, who find CLIs to be the clunky, harsh, annoying interfaces that they are, has the Mac to turn to.
In your ignorance ‘Linux user’, (and I be no means believe you represent general Linux users), you have missed the point that Mac OS X *IS* UNIX. If you want to play with the CLI, you have it. We on the Mac can do every single little thing YOU can do, and then some. Mac OS X literally runs rings around every available flavor of Linux. A couple little jabs to make you comprehend: Look up X11, which is Mac’s compatibility interface with all things X Windows. Look up MacPorts, which is yet another way to access Open Source UNIX apps. If you think Linux is the only way to do Open Source, you are remarkably ignorant.
In fact, I would go so far as to call you a modern day Luddite with your disrespect for computer progress beyond the dark age of the CLI. It is dopes like you who continue to make computing a great big PITA for everyone else with your high and might exclusionary attitude of ‘look, I can still use an ox to pull a milk cart, and you can’t’. I bet you don’t even comprehend my point. That’s a pity. With time the anti-user-friendly dolts like you will be left to play in the corner with your antiquated little line interfaces while the populace are actually getting work done with humane interfaces.
Meanwhile, if you’ve ever programmed, you’ll know that it too remains in a rather dark age where all the power of modern programming language commands can’t prevent people from making mistakes. Example: buffer overruns still remain the bane of even the best of programmers. But if you, ‘Linux user’, want to put your affection for typing code to work, then do something to make coding more reliable. Just don’t do any GUI work. You’ll suck at it. Folks like me will do that for you. We actually like people and want them to succeed in their endeavors with the minimum possible pain. We don’t put any value in making decent average people suffer with command prompts.
Here comes the improved future. Stop whining about it and enjoy it.
:-Derek
@Derek
“We on the Mac can do every single little thing YOU can do”
Now that’s untrue, most Mac users have no idea how their computers work so are unlikely to even be able to find a terminal.
“buffer overruns still remain the bane of even the best of programmers.”
Do you really know what causes a buffer overrun Derek? I’d try to explain it but you’d probably think the heap and the stack were fancy GUI elements in Leopard.
Don’t get upset. Face the fact that people get Windows and Mac machines because they don’t want to know how their machines work, which is fine. Just don’t pretend that Mac users are so much more knowledgeable than Windows users because you’re both the same.
I’ll see yer PC user and raise you one Ampar and LorD1776.
Linux user quotes me: “We on the Mac can do every single little thing YOU can do”
Linux user sez: “Now that’s untrue, most Mac users have no idea how their computers work so are unlikely to even be able to find a terminal.”
Non sequitur. That has nothing at all to do with my statement. The working word in my sentence is ‘C A N’ do….
If you want to talk about clueless users, I will most definitely agree that you MUST know what you are doing in order to use Linux effectively. It forces you to, since it is a very user-hostile OS, despite its competing GUIs. I should also point out that the percentage of CLI clueless Windows users at least as high as the number of CLI clueless as Mac users.
Linux user acts all uppity like he knows how to program and I don’t. <<Swish swish>>: “Do you really know what causes a buffer overrun Derek? I’d try to explain it but you’d probably think the heap and the stack were fancy GUI elements in Leopard.”
Big yawn. Save our insults for yourself.
Linux user bores us further: “Face the fact that people get Windows and Mac machines because they don’t want to know how their machines work, which is fine.”
Computers are tools for getting work done. Thus it has always been. If the interface of your computer GETS IN THE WAY, then you most definitely, if you have a brain, want to get rid of that interface and find one that HELPS YOU GET WORK DONE. Thus the GUI. The rest of what you say is nonsense that only serves to feed your need for elitism (translation: 31337-ism).
Linux user concludes our flame war with: “Just don’t pretend that Mac users are so much more knowledgeable than Windows users because you’re both the same.”
As opposed to you, the less productive, more inefficient CLI user on Linux. If you don’t have to do CLIs I can’t imagine why you would. Maybe its masochism? And maybe you are a sadomasochist? Therefore this somewhat incoherent flame war on your part, partially motivated by the need to justify your masochism while exercising your sadism in the form of making other feel inferior? I think a shrink is in order.
Meanwhile, I definitely grant that by sheer numbers, there are a lot more CLI savvy people on the Windows side. But your insulting attitude toward Mac users is utterly ignorant and childish, as if you are waving your CLI in front of us and going ‘Nah, nah!’… Stoopid. I’ve been doing CLI crap since 1974. Pity me. I learned MS DOS before I learned anything on the Mac. The fact is that CLIs are a great big PITA if you are trying to get work done. Thank goodness we don’t have to put up with them and 31337ists like you any more. So there.
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;-Derek
Only those truly smart enough to switch, do. So the answer is no.
Wow Derek you’ve really put me in my place with your knowledge of ms-dos and all. I’ll leave you to your puffs of smoke, bouncing icons and all the other Mac GUI fluff that makes you so productive.
Careful, there, Linux user. If you irritate the Apple fanbois here too much they will hijack yer name. A typical childish ploy of Apple fanboies when reason and intelligence escape them. They think that by blocking someone threading under an alias that they can kill an idea. Stupid fanbois.
Linux user hurled forth: “Wow Derek you’ve really put me in my place with your knowledge of ms-dos and all. I’ll leave you to your puffs of smoke, bouncing icons and all the other Mac GUI fluff that makes you so productive.”
And I’ll leave you to the whips and chains of having to type code exactly correctly using arcane, unintuitive gibberish to get your work done. My comments to you now end. You are not going to get the clue.
Meanwhile: I entirely, whole-heartedly support Linux. I hope it thrives. No way would I ever want any company, including Apple, to run the computer business. Microsoft has been doing it for years and you can see the resulting mess. The dark age continues. If Linux can pull us out, absolutely great. But let’s face it. The part of Linux that is not CLI is derived from Apple’s work. Yeah, it sure looks like Windows! But guess where Windows came from.
Next troll please!
;-D
You fanbois in general are propably the most concentrated, least knowlegable of the real world workings around. Congrats you are finally #1 in something.
As far as most of these comments in this thread hang your heads, you just crossed the line on a new low threshold of demented thinking. Shame on you for your own self centeredness. Get over yourselves and come into the daylight that is the real world.
Some Old Mac Man sez: “Meta Data file Exploit still is in the wild. Of course nobody wants to talk about that. BlahBlahBlah It’s rated critical and Apple hasn’t done squat about it for years now.
Derek sez: I follow every single vulnerability in Mac OS X. I even follow the security newsletters from the anti-Mac security bigots in the industry because even they have a point to make. And I can tell you quite categorically that:
You are outrageously ignorant Old Man. Do your homework and review the security updates Apple has been providing over the last two years. You’ll die of embarrassment.
Clue for trolls: Know what you are talking about or expect facts to rip off the mask to reveal the fool.
:-Derek
“The part of Linux that is not CLI is derived from Apple’s work. “
Give it a break Derek. The only reason you can program on a Mac is because they use open source compilers/virtual machines (gcc, gfortran and Java).
Do you forget that Apple abandoned writing their own operating systems (that OS9 monstrosity). All they do now is tack on eye candy to a UNIX distribution.
Linux user is so stoopid. He clearly does not know Macs. But I like baiting and clobbering trolls. If that bores you, then please move along, with my apologies. For everyone else, here we go:
Linux user quotes me: “The part of Linux that is not CLI is derived from Apple’s work. “
DUH. So in response, we get this non sequitur response, like we haven’t seen him do that before:
“The only reason you can program on a Mac is because they use open source compilers/virtual machines (gcc, gfortran and Java).”
You’ve never programmed for Mac, have you LU. Your ignorance is showing. You can certainly make basic mickey mouse programs using gcc and Java for Mac. I wouldn’t bother with Fortran. There’s and antique. But Apple provide much more with Xcode. And if you think all of Mac OS X is Open Source, you make me laugh and laugh.
More nausea from LULU: “Do you forget that Apple abandoned writing their own operating systems (that OS9 monstrosity). All they do now is tack on eye candy to a UNIX distribution.”
Mac OS 9 (only a monstrosity in the imagination of a troll such as yourself) was the end of the road because the staff at Apple, at that time, failed to make good on Copland and Gershwin. (Look them up). So they bought NeXT. What was NeXTStep/OpenStep: UNIX with a great new kernel called Mach, and a uniquely friendly graphical user interface. But it wasn’t friendly enough for Mac users who are the most demanding in the biz. Thus Mac OS X was created, which is in reality the Mac OS 9 GUI plus a pile of further innovations tossed on top of the NeXTStep/OpenStep core, which itself took several leaps forward while at Apple.
Result: The single best distribution of UNIX ever created.
And you are envious. It’s showing.
I have no criticisms of Linux. But dopes like you are easy pickin’s. I mean, could I have been more obvious?! What did I just say?
“Clue for trolls: Know what you are talking about or expect facts to rip off the mask to reveal the fool.”
You can do better. We are all ignorant, all the time. But the folks who are worthy of respect are the ones who try to do better. Give it a try.
“But Apple provide much more with Xcode.”
Xcode is an IDE not a compiler you fool. You don’t write a program in Xcode you write a program in Java,gcc or gfortran using Xcode.
I assume this will be the last time I talk with you so I’d like to thank you for reinforcing my belief that the vast majority of Apple users don’t know anything about their computers.
Linux User continued his moronic flame war with another moronic comment: “Xcode is an IDE not a compiler you fool. You don’t write a program in Xcode you write a program in Java,gcc or gfortran using Xcode.”
BWAHAHAHAHA!
And LU sez: “I assume this will be the last time I talk with you so I’d like to thank you for reinforcing my belief that the vast majority of Apple users don’t know anything about their computers.”
How to learn what an IDE is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_development_environment
How to learn what a Mac is:
http://www.apple.com/mac/
Where to learn to code for a Mac:
http://www.apple.com/developer/
Where to sign up as a Mac developer for free and obtain your free copy of XCode:
https://connect.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MemberSite.woa/200/wo/It5JqbQPkdJV3P9Zsyv4nh8P6NT/0.0.17.2.1.3.0.3
Where to get started learning how to use XCode to write a program, including a GUI, for Mac:
http://developer.apple.com/codingheadstarts/index.html
Now get busy doing your homework Linux Luzer and know what you are talking about next time you troll a Mac site. You might also pick on people smaller than you so you don’t get splattered every time you make an ignorant comment.
Share and Enjoy,
:-Derek
Are you saying that Xcode isn’t an IDE? Apple seem to think it is, maybe you should correct them.
That’s ok Derek, you don’t know the difference between an IDE and a compiler, many Windows users don’t know the difference between the big blue e and the internet either.