“Here’s a piece of news you may not know: There are currently no viruses or malware that specifically target Mac OS X lurking ‘in the wild,’ ready to infect your Macintosh. What? You don’t have a Macintosh? Maybe that’s just as well. After all, if lots of people did have Macs, the platform would be much more attractive to the evildoers of the world,” David Coursey writes for eWEEK. “People in the Macintosh community know they are virus-free, but don’t make a big deal about it, lest they attract unwanted attention. So let’s just make this our secret. And the evil-doers who read my columns must likewise promise not to create something new just to prove me wrong. Bad guys: Please follow your existing development roadmap and forget this column exists.”
“How do I know there are no Mac OS X viruses and malware out there? Because the Mac product manager of one of the major security software companies told me so. And when people tell me I don’t need their product, I usually take them at their word,” Coursey writes.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Coursey explains that Apple doesn’t advertise the Mac platform’s current immunity to viruses “for obvious reasons.” And that Mac OS X is essentially virus-free because “Mac OS X doesn’t generate the tremendous hatred that in some circles surrounds anything Microsoft-related,” because Mac OS X requires that users enter an administrator’s password every time they install software, and because “Mac OS X users are a statistical rounding error” in the grand scheme of things (a touch of the “Security Via Obscurity” myth, but helpful protection nonetheless). Coursey also warns that Mac OS X users should employ virus protection software to avoid passing viruses along to Windows users, joking that sending viruses to Windows users “is not the point of owning a Mac.”
Related MacDailyNews articles:
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
Millions of Windows PC’s hijacked by hackers, turned into zombies; Macintosh unaffected – September 08, 2004
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
Spyware, adware plague Windows users online; Mac OS X users surf freely – April 19, 2004
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
New York Times: Mac OS X ‘much more secure than Windows XP’ – September 18, 2003
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
Sick of worms and viruses? ‘Move to Mac OS X’ suggests Chicago Tribune columnist – August 25, 2003
Virus and worm problems not just due to market share; Windows inherently insecure vs. Mac OS X – August 24, 2003
*grin* That’s all I have… it’s Friday and I’m napping at my desk and listening to Randi Rhodes on Air America Radio.
MacOS 10.3.8
That’s wrong, I can install not all, but any softwares without typing my administrator’s password.
I think what is typically referred to as ‘installing software’ – actually means installing any software that will put items in any folder other than the Apps folder.
MDN must be showing off.
I’ve never seen a list of related articles that long on MDN.
Why should we be nice to PC users?? Would they provide Mac people with the same courtesy of not passing on viruses if the shoe was on the other foot? Past history suggests not.
I mean, we support their fscking file formats, yet have to jump thru hoops ourselves if we want to plug a Mac disk into a PC. Or is this Apple’s doing? I don’t know. All I know is it’s a huge pain in the arse.
I’ll purchase a virus checker when a real OS X vires gets out there. If I happen to pass on a virus to a PC in the meantime, too bad… they should already have anti-virus software themselves.
It was so cool when David Coursey drank the kool-aid. “I’ll just try a Mac for a month to see what all the fuss is about.”
audioboy – I’m listening to Randi Rhodes too! Streaming Air America on my Mac and not worrying about getting any viruses!
It’s so nice to have the “Goddess of Radio” back!
Randi Rhodes is a tramp.
Randy Rhodes was the guitar player for Ozzie’s Band!
Rock and Roll Baby!!!!!!!!
Here’s my question (just curiousity): How come Apple tries to sell you Virex when you purchas a Mac???
purchasE
Apple’s deal McAfee for Virex assures that there is ongoing development of an anti-virus tool for the platform. It is also a selling point for commercial and institutional sales.
IT managers want malware and viruses stopped at the client or server it entered at. Macs can pass on a Windows or LINUX virus even though the Mac is unaffected. The anti-virus files on Virex are largely Windows targeted and Virex can clean or quarantine the file before it is passed on to oher computers through e-mail, etc.
BOTTOM LINE- No AV- NO SALE in many markets.
P.S. Should a Mac Virus appear, the software is already developed and the definition can be added to the library. Apple is smart in doing this and you should be as well.
It seems to be the same story, many, everytime times, ha ha ha !
So long as Windows is THE preferred platform for all kinds of trivial non-productive software it will also be the natural home of virus writers.
I can’t foresee mindless virus writers being attracted to the Macintosh platform. Why?
1. Its going to be too much hard work for them: it is far more secure.
2. They have too much knowledge invested in Windows.
3. It won’t be such fun making problems for Apple when they really hate MS.
4. Their best target market will be where there is the greatest ignorance about computing which is neither Mac nor Linux; it’s Windows – with 99% monopoly!
These reasons also apply to IT managers who will try to stick with Windows for as long as they can get away with it. Lazy bastards!
OS X users should employ virus protection software to avoid passing viruses along to Windows users Why would OS X users want to do that?
I got rid of Virex a couple of years ago after a couple of years of finding nothing to deal with.
NoPCZone: “P.S. Should a Mac Virus appear, the software is already developed and the definition can be added to the library. Apple is smart in doing this and you should be as well.”
I totally disagree with this concept. Sure, Apple does so rightfully for business reasons, and yes, by not passing malware on to PC idiots we Mac users will receive less infectious waste (attempts at infection from zombied PCs).
But the idea that installing anti-virus software is going to somehow put you one step ahead of some future potential virus isn’t very solid.
Since a definition would have to be downloaded and installed for the virus to even be detected by the anti-virus software, there really is no need to install it as the database is currently at 0 records…and has been from the beginning of time with OS X.
*IF* a virus comes out for OS X, and *IF* that becomes a credible threat, then make the decision to buy and install anti-virus software…though be aware that *IF* that even happens, there may be freeware that offers protection, or even a patch delivered automatically for free via Software Update.
I think it’s said that since 2000, some Mac users have paid for, downloaded, installed, upgraded software as well as dealing with it running and consuming time and resources, not to help the spread to PC idiots, but thinking it’s offering them some sort of protection.
OSX or UNIX?