“Over the weekend I found myself stuck in a local mall with hordes of bargain-hunting shoppers, and noticed for the first time a truly massive new Apple store where an old clothier used to be,” Brian Krebs writes for The Washington Post. “There were so many people in that place that I thought the dozens of Mac machines whirring atop gleaming white towers throughout the store were going to melt or burst into flames — the temperature in that place was easily 10 to 15 degrees warmer than any other store I’d been in. There could not have been enough machines in the stockroom to satisfy all the customers jostling for a chance to play with the computers.”
“Fact: Macs are coming down in price. Fact: More people are fed up with the incessant viruses, spyware etc. on Windows that switching to a Mac is more appealing than ever. My hunch: 2006 may turn out to be the year we start seeing a significant growth in the Mac user base, and with it, if not Mac viruses or worms, then at least some automated tools for attacking various Mac vulnerabilities,” Krebs writes. “I’m willing to bet that there are plenty of Mac users still running older or at least unpatched — and unfirewalled — versions of OS X (10.3.x). Take a growing user base and combine that with the complacency that comes with not having to fend off constant attacks, and it seems to me you have a fertile stomping ground for attackers.”
Full article here.
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MacDailyNews Take: No operating system is invulnerable, but users of Mac OS X are so much safer than users of Windows, it’s impossible to overstate the discrepancy. Some basic common sense advice: Don’t run Mac OS X as root and don’t authorize applications that you don’t understand or from sources you don’t trust. Use Software Update to keep your Mac up to date. Update to the latest version of Mac OS X. Use your built-in Mac OS X Firewall (System Preferences>Sharing>Firewall) if it makes sense for your setup. Run AntiVirus apps to screen out Windows viruses, so you don’t pass them on to Windows sufferers, if you’re feeling like a magnanimous network citizen. Don’t be complacent, but don’t get too worried, either.
Related MacDailyNews articles:
Apple releases Security Update 2005-009 for Mac OS X – November 29, 2005
SANS Institute lists Apple’s Mac OS X as ‘major security threat’ – November 29, 2005
Computer columnist: anti-virus software purely optional for Apple Macs, not so for Windows – November 01, 2005
Microsoft apologists and why Apple’s Mac OS X has zero viruses – October 24, 2005
$500 bounty offered for proof of first Apple Mac OS X virus – September 27, 2005
How to avoid viruses and malware? Dump your Windows PC and get an Apple Macintosh – August 22, 2005
Do Apple Mac OS X users need antivirus software? – August 22, 2005
ZDNet: How many Mac OS X users affected by the last 100 viruses? None, zero, not one, not ever – August 18, 2005
16-percent of computer users are unaffected by viruses, malware because they use Apple Macs – June 15, 2005
Intel CEO Otellini: If you want security now, buy a Macintosh instead of a Wintel PC – May 25, 2005
There are no viruses for Apple’s Mac OS X – May 13, 2005
Apple touts Mac OS X security advantages over Windows – April 13, 2005
97,467 Microsoft Windows viruses vs. zero for Apple Mac’s OS X – April 05, 2005
Apple’s Mac OS X is virus-free – March 18, 2005
Cybersecurity advisor Clarke questions why anybody would buy from Microsoft – February 18, 2005
Security test: Windows XP system easily compromised while Apple’s Mac OS X stands safe and secure – November 30, 2004
Microsoft: The safest way to run Windows is on your Mac – October 08, 2004
Information Security Investigator says switch from Windows to Mac OS X for security – September 24, 2004
New York Times: Mac OS X ‘much more secure than Windows XP’ – September 18, 2003
Well if attacks increase, lo, if they begin, it will be all to no avail. Mac OS is all but bullet proof. Don’t believe me? Well just try to get into my network. I double dog dare ya! Ha ha! Hazzah!
MDNW :give as in “Give me a break!”
FLASH: “As Kraft Jell-O® gains popularity, Jell-O® wars may increase.”
WARN YOUR CHILDREN!! KEEP THEM HOME FROM SCHOOL!!
The hallways and cafeterias of your child’s school MAY become . . .
[music] dunn, dunn, dunnnnnnnn[/music]
UNSAFE!!!!!!
Increased attacks? Likely.
Any successes? That remains to be seen.
Unix is a much tougher nut to crack than MS Wimpoes.
We are recent converts to Macs from PCs. What AV apps would more experienced Mac useres recommend?
bla bla bla dickhead.
This article is correct. After all, in the real world the only place to go from next to zero is up. And OS X is far more secure by design than windows will ever be, but that shouldn’t mean that apple users should be complacent. How many users turn their firewall on vs how many enable iTunes sharing over networks? How many users download from bittorrent? How many users log in without password?
None of these practices are recommended but I know they happen. Every one is an invitation to hack, just as switching to Intel is an invitation to hack.
The only solution is vigilance. Face it, security is a way of life. 🙁
me too give it your best shot…lol! He said double dog dare you. I triple dog dare you!
MNDW: “wall” as in you will hit a brick …
*News Flash*
As time goes by the end of the world is closer.
The terrorists have already won!
Run for cover.
MW: “report” I’m just reporting
Gene, to answer your question you don’t need any! Now if you are passing files to your Windows buddies, perhaps you do need to get something to clean those files so your computer won’t be a carrier so to speak.
Also if you are running Windows via an emulation program (Virtual PC, et al) you need to have protection on the Windows OS and files.
As for the Mac OS… I’ve never had any AV software and I have never had any problems in 21 years. EVER.
Welcome to the Mac club, Gene!
Gene:
I’ve used Intego Virus Barrier X4 in the past. Seems good, and a new version is either out or will be soon. I never was notified of a virus(and I can’t stress enough, it would have been a Windows virus ONLY!! if I ever had been notified). At the moment, I’m not running one at all, but as I have very little contact with Windows users’ e-mail, with the corresponding minimal chance of forwarding a WINDOWS virus to them, I don’t see it as a problem. Got to stay vigilent though.
Ha ha! I laugh at your feeble attempts at humor…and cracking!
The sad part is, that once an actual (not proof of concept) Mac virus is discovered, it will be huge news, and everyone will say the sky is falling and Windows drones will point and laugh in an attempt to make themselves feel better about their platform choice. And if it is as lame as the last major Mac virus, the AutoStart worm in 1997, it will easily be circumvented or sidestepped by users.
Of course no one will make a comment about how amazing it is that a 5 year old OS has just at that moment gotten its first virus.
In the words of Presdient Bush, “Bring ’em on.”
Gene,
I agree with the Mac Doctor. I run no anti-virus protection on my machine. I keep up with the latest security updates from Apple via the Software Update. I have been on a Mac since OS 4 back in 1984. The last virus I had was prior to switching over to System 7. Keep up with your OS updates, follow the MDN advice above, and you should not have any problems.
And again.. no antivirus software needed on OSX. Why burden your computer with 2nd and 3rd level software applicationsd when that is what the OS should do?
That’s unless you are silly enough to run Windows of course.
I always find it amusing that Apple releases security patches with seldom hearing about a vulnerability or exploit in the wild.
It’s like Fort Knox. No one has ever broken in, but they continue to add more guards, more surveillance, and slabs of granite to the facade.
In other words, GO APPLE!
Gene…
I run windows in a shell on my mac, so I also have Norton Utilities on my computer. Only for the reason I get email attachments with windows viruses on them from vendors and don’t want to pass them along.
I agree with the assesment of MDN and their advice, do what they reccomend and you won’t really have to worry. But just for keeping your computer from spreading windows viruses, you might want to get an AV prog. Norton is fine, if a bit buggy, but it works ok. I’ve had 6 windows viruses in the past year, it works in the background and notifys me when they arrive.
As far as worrying about your computer being affected, just follow MDNs advice and you’ll be fine.
This column speaks the truth. After using my Mac for hours, I feel the sudden urge to head to McDonalds!
Oh, wait, I thought it said “Big Mac attacks”. Never mind!
I had a homeless person try to attack my iBook.
Someone please help me understand how I can pass along a windows virus if I don’t have an AV program on my Mac? The only way I can imagine doing so is if I forward one of those stupid emails that has an attachment. Any other way I can end up sending out windows viruses from my Mac?
Gene,
Ha Ha, I thought you were asking about audio visual programs. Shows a reep-rooted difference in something so basic as Mac vs. PC vocabulary!!
With diversity comes a safer internet for everyone, including WIndows machines. Let’s *imagine* there are two equally secure OSes – each has flaws, but different flaws. When someone goes out to write a virus, they will have to choose which one to go after. And, once written, it will only impact half the machines. So, each time it tries to attack a machine, it only have a 50/50 chance as opposed to a 85% chance now. Both OSes would be more secure simply because there is less of a chance that each one would be hit.
Back to reality – some OSes are inherently more secure. People using this OS should not have to worry as much, but still should as their market share rises. Being overconvident could be bad when/if that first virus gets written. If it hits many people, then all the Windows people will say: “See, it’s no more secure….”
iSteve: Remember Windows can be infected by jpg files even. I see many of my emails to corporates blocking my corporate png image logo.
Windows users are meant to operate in a darkened room.
iSteve
Thats exactly right. You can forward a Windows virus via an attachment through your email. The virus doesnt INFECT your system and propogate itself via your address book, like it does on Windows systems, it’s just an attachement, a dumb file, until it hits a soft host (aka Windows)
i Steve –
If you use MS Office, you may pass along a macro virus. Writing a macro virus that cause havoc on MacOS may be difficult, but a clever programmer could detect MacOS, skip the Windows specific codes which may cause a macro error and instruct the virus to infect other office documents, which you may mail to Windows users.
JPEG virus is another possiblity. If you don’t realize a JPEG file you received from a friend is infected, then you may pass it along to Windows userx. I believe similar problem exists for GIF and ZIP files.
More Mac users the better. Still waiting for those attacks.
Ok, the above answers help. I don’t forward emails from others — with or without attachments. Any JPEG files I send out are pictures that I have taken and organized through iPhoto. I do use Word & excel but if I send out any flies in those formats they are files that I created. Most files I send out are in PDF format. Do I still need to worry about this?
The one thing that these people aren’t discussing are the skills required to write a virus for OS X. Consider that the majority of the self-proclaimed “hackers” are nothing more than script kiddies using someone else’s tools. Most new viruses are really old viruses that have been tweaked to change the signature. It’s really just a bunch of unskilled boobs causing the majority of the trouble. Furthermore, the Mac community culture isn’t really comparable to the PC community culture, probably because we are few in comparison. We tend to take care of one another (though we may bicker) and the first sign of trouble is going to get squashed in a hurry. Don’t be lax but don’t sweat the small shit either. If you get an email with an attachment that you’re not expecting – don’t open it or pass it along. My antivirus is called common sense.
Maybe he should be worrying about the viruses left on the mice by people’s nasty hands. E. coli anyone?
Attempts? Of course there will be attempts of all sorts. But it’s kinda like the Big Bad Wolf trying to huff and puff at the brick house. Hopefully he’ll get tired after a while – but then again, it would probably be pretty easy to find lots of new, freshly ambitious wolves out there, so the threat won’t ever go away.
Actually seeing or experiencing a successful propagation of something malicious affecting the Mac OS? Seems highly unlikely at this point, especially if following MDN’s suggestions to keep that brick house strong and secure.
Gene, you don’t need anti virus software for your Mac.
Gene,
To show what a rediculous question that is (please, don’t be offended), I didn’t even REALIZE that you meant (A)nti (V)irus when you asked about AV software. I thought you meant (A)udio (V)isual software. I had already started a mental list of the software that I use when iPhoto, iMovie, iTunes, etc. just don’t do what I need them to do.
Anti Virus software on my Mac? I stay away from it like the plague. I would especially hate to have every CD I put in the machine scanned for viruses that don’t exist. What a Colossal Waste of Time™
once upon a time someone convinced me to load Norton. UGH! it was a year before I got all vestiges of that piece of crap out of my system.
Gene,
Check out ClamXav. Free. Free virus updates.
http://www.clamxav.com/
My hunch: 2007 may turn out to be the year we start seeing a significant growth in Vista viruses and worms. There’s a precedent for it; there’s none for OS X.
E. coli is a bacteria strain, not a virus.
Gene. I too thought you were looking for Audio-Visual apps.
AV does not mean Anti-virus to a Mac user.
Matt: as I haven’t heard of any security update progressively slowing down a Mac, I think your analogy should be *better* guards, *better* surveillance, and titanium sheeting.
Granite slabs and rent-a-cops are a Windows analogy.
if majority of the Mac users do not use AV the very first Mac virus, which comes up, may be a disaster as the virus will be spreading very fast; should not we make preparatory steps now and and start using AV?
Evgeny – sure. you go first. let us know how it works out.
WindozeKiller, you write like Andy Inahtko (sp). The trademark gives it away.
There probably will only ever be 1 virus for OSX. the result will be such devistation and apocolypse that the entire world will shut down and the polar caps will melt, and as the human race blinks out of existance, our in-house MSCE will be doing the monkey-boy dance in the IT room chanting “it’s all Apples fault”.
but i could be wrong on all of the above.
Gene,
For AV software, there’s iMovie HD, iDVD, iTunes, Image Capture and GarageBand to get you started. Then there’s Motion, Final Cut Pro HD and Aperture if you’re into higher end stuff.
I don’t know why all these other cats were talking about virus software in response to your question. There really isn’t any for Mac, and all those that do exist only check for Windoze viruses (like how useful is that?) Maybe this is why it doesn’t sell very well!
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RainyDay,
I like it!
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Keep up the good work.
To Webmaster’s Apprentice:
I can tell you right now how it gonna be working out- just like it is now [we all know how the uninfected Mac does work]; but if any virus comes up i would like YOU to tell me what is it like to be infected!