“Apple has plugged around 100 vulnerabilities in OS X so far this year, but the malware threat to Mac customers is insignificant compared to users of Microsoft Windows,” Munir Kotadia, Master of the Obvious, reports for ZDNet Australia.
“Despite all these vulnerabilities, the Mac’s resilient platform, its advanced automatic software update tools and the apparent lack of attention from malware authors means Apple users are far safer from attack than users of Windows,” Kotadia reports.
MacDailyNews Take: Lack of attention? Like when they held a $10,000 contest at a major hacker convention (see related CanSecWest articles below) to attack Mac OS X and the best they could come up after relaxing the barriers was a Java-based flaw in QuickTime (since fixed by Apple)? Mac OS X is inherently more secure than Windows. Period.
Kotadia continues his mission, whatever that may be, reporting, “‘There are no viruses really for OS X — there have been a few — but, from that point of view, the likelihood of you getting hit on an Apple is insignificant compared to PCs,’ said Patrik Runald, senior security specialist at antivirus firm F-Secure.”
MacDailyNews Take: A couple proof-of-concept “viruses” in a lab do not equal real viruses unleashed in the wild that affect actual end users. We guess that’s how Runald can state there can be “a few viruses” while asserting that “there are no viruses really for OS X.”
Kotadia drones on, quoting antivirus vendors that want to try to scare Mac users into wasting money and processor cycles, and then tries to scare up security concerns about iPhone, which is also OS X-based, hence secure.
Full article, Think Before You Click™, here.
MacDailyNews Take: A typical piece of nothingness from Kotadia (see related articles below), who must dream 24/7 of a real virus attack on Mac OS X. And yet, 6+ years later, nothing to fulfill Kotadia’s dreams. Kotadia would do better trying to prove the existence of the Loch Ness Monster than wasting years trying to drum up security fears for Mac OS X and/or sell Mac AV apps and/or trying to apologize for Microsoft’s massive failures by pretending “Security via Obscurity” isn’t a myth.
As we’ve said repeatedly: There are zero-percent (0%) of viruses for the Mac OS X platform that should, logically, have some 10-16% of the world’s viruses if platforms’ install bases dictate the numbers of viruses. The fact that Mac OS X has zero (0) viruses totally discounts “security via obscurity.” 23+ million Mac OS X installs is not “obscure” at all, but 6+ years of Mac OS X users surfing unimpeded certainly is “secure.” There should be at least some Mac OS X viruses. There are none. The reason for this fact is not attributable solely to ‘obscurity,’ it’s attributable to superior security design.
really?
Wait a minute…There are viruses for Windows?!?!?
Just my “Blonde-Moment” $0.02
Booyakasha! want hits………mention security via obscurity……Windoze anti-virus mongers begin droolling with anticipation of incoming sales…….Stand clear please….Move along now….nothing here of interest.
It’s been said over and over again now for the last 6+ years…let us know when there is an actual OS X virus out in the wild ok? Then we’ll talk. Thanks.
I had a virus in my Windows.
Once.
LMAO I KNOW THIS IS WAY OFF TOPIC BUT TAKE A LOOK AT HOW MANY STEPS IT TAKES TO DELETE A SHORTCUT OFF THE DESKTOP OF WINDOWS VISTA WITH USER ANNOYANCE CONTROL ON! lmaoo windows has more problemss….. =P
http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=151250154&size=o
Ahh. It’s like making sweet love to a beautiful young virgin vs. fooling around with a dirty crackwhore.
hilarious, microsoft touts “Seeing Windows Vista for the first time may leave you searching for words. Many people just say “Wow.” Here are 100 reasons why.”
lol 100 reasons why everyone is so ‘speechless’ is becuase since its been in development for what 4 years, they shit up Bug Riddled, Bloated OS. the ‘wow this sh*t sucks’ starts now guys
oh yeah this is the link from microsh*t with its erm.. 100… things
Think Before You Clik (this is a windows site for god sakes): http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/100reasons.mspx
oops sorry, shit = ship, didnt mean to curse =P
This type of article is VERY effective.
Almost every one of my Windows-using friends is curious to try a Mac (“next time”), but invariably in any discussion, the friend says “But didn’t they just announce a Mac virus?” These sorts of articles maintain a psychology of “Yeah, Macs have been pretty secure, but NOW the Mac viruses are starting to show up”.
These writers are not stupid or ignorant. They know exactly the intended effect they’re having.
” . . . vs. fooling around with a dirty crackwhore.”
I thought that was open sores?
Chef, haven’t you cleaned your wife up yet?
Dave
Geez Twisted!
You made me spit Dr. Pepper on my keyboard! Fortunately, I was working on the PeeCee at the time. If I break it…Meh!
Jeez, why can’t these journalists stop referring to Macintosh computers as an “Apple”. The Apple line went away in the early 1990’s.
They sound like my clueless parents.
Jeez Mr. MDN; for SHAME. The text you quoted from Kotadia’s article seemed fair and balanced. Why nuke the guy with your “Think before you click™” hex? Kotadia cited the following as reasons for the security of the Mac:
1) The “Mac’s resilient platform” (true); and
2) “its advanced automatic software update tools” (also true).
Then he mentions “the apparent lack of attention from malware authors”. I’m sure this is also true. Instead of attacking Kotadia for stating the obvious, you should turn these statements around to your (the Mac community’s) advantage. I believe the hacker community considers it “unsportsman-like” to attack the Mac and OS X because Apple plays fair. Conversely, Mafiasoft and Windows are considered fair game because of the dirty rotten programming tricks Gates and his programmers pulled on companies like Digital Research (with their GEM interface), Sun (with Java), and Apple (nearly everything).
Lighten up.
@Twisted: Man, did you used to write for the Muppet Show? Your puns are definitely high caliber stuff.
On topic, every time MDN reports one of these articles, they should immediately send readers back to <a >Daring Fireball’s</a> fantastic essay about why Mac OSX, based on Unix, is so solid compared to Windows.
Oops. My link didn’t work. Been off work for four weeks and already can’t remember my html properly.
There is an enormous amount of complacency in the Macintosh community about security.
“Proof of concept” threats need only time and effort to evolve into real attacks.
I may be in a minority, but I guess I’m a half-full kind of guy. While this article isn’t perfect by any stretch, I read it as largely a vindication of the reality that Macs are safer than Windows computers “by far”.
It’s hard for me to get too upset about an article with a quote like this in it: ” … the Mac’s resilient platform, its advanced automatic software update tools and the apparent lack of attention from malware authors means Apple users are far safer from attack than users of Windows.”
Or this (indicated in the article as a callout quote): “The likelihood of you getting hit on Apple is insignificant compared with PCs.”
The article even calls into question the credibility of one of its FUD purveyors by including a counter-quote from someone else working for the same company!
The headline is crap, but usually it’s not the writers that do the headlines.
Sure, there’s some “security by obscurity” BS, but all in all, I’d have no hesitation giving this to a friend considering a Mac as substantiation that it is a vastly safer platform.
is it just me or is the second MacDailyNews Take on this story illogical -> lambasting a person who is stating what you want people to hear. So you effectively undermine what he has to say by criticizing him? Odd…
But then this posting will be ‘edited’ away as my last one was…eh?
More people should run OS X, then we wouldn’t have so many zombie computer botnets sending spam into everyone’s inboxes.
Securitas – Waddaya reckon another 6 years?
Calpundit & PT – He shows his idiocy by using the phrase
“There are no viruses really for OS X — there have been a few…”
There have been none, zilch, zippo, he is another ignorant and lazy journalist.
(Proof of concepts do not viruses (virii) make)
Sorry, it must be my day to rant on bad journalism.
“@Twisted: Man, did you used to write for the Muppet Show?”
I wish. I miss the two old guys in the balcony. And Kit-N, I believe you owe the good doctor an apology. (Just kidding but couldn’t resist.)
Nope, not just you. – Greg L
The introduction of the iPhone will dramatically increase the market share of OS X and finally put to rest the “Security by Obscurity” myth.
Hackers are working overtime on the iPhone, which is placing a ton of attention on OS X. I am sure someone is trying to get Malware to run on it.
I just wonder, what will they say in place of Security by Obscurity, when there is no malware for the iPhone either?