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Report warns on OS X vulnerability
Ben Furfie March 7, 11:22am
Comments (3)
Security experts warns hackers are increasingly turning their attention to Apple's operating system
Mac security experts Mac Forensics Lab has published a whitepaper detailing the threat currently posed by malware, viruses, worms and Trojans to OS X.
It warns that the current perception among Mac users that their machines are invulnerable is extremely dangerous; especially as criminals beginning to take note of Apple's growing market share.
It highlights evidence that hackers are already testing the strength of OS X.
It comes after many years of analysts warning that the only reason Windows is seen as vulnerable as it is because of the sheer resources targeted at 'breaking' it, and that as Apple's market share rose, some of those resources would inevitably turn to its 'invunerable' operating system.
It's a point echoed by many security experts in this PC Retail's security feature, out this month and now available on the site.
"There are still those who claim that Mac users are smarter than Windows users and won't be fooled by social engineering tactics, like those seen frequently with Storm Worm outbreaks," argues ESET's managing director Brook.
"Mac users who believe that their systems are so intrinsically secure out of the box that they don't need to know or to do anything about security are THE most at risk of malware and viruses."
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Comments
“Mac Virus”
Posted by: Adam Davis - March 7, 12:16pm
I was under the impression Macs were never afflicted with viruses – its that the chief benefit of an Apple system? If that's gone...
“Re: Mac Virus”
Posted by: John - March 7, 2:22pm
More a PR piece to sell Mac anti virus s/w. If mac users follow good basic security routines and don't go visiting dodgy web sites the likelyhood of a virus problem is small. It will increase and if macs are used in a mixed platform environement or if intel based macs are used in a dual boot Windows set up then of course make sure you've got the right anto virus s/w. I've used macs for 15 years and been online with macs since 1997 and never had a virus.
“Re: Mac Virus”
Posted by: Allan - 9 hours 42 minutes ago
Complacency and the Mac has gone hand in hand for an incredible amount of time and that is the biggest security concern for the Mac. Nothing is secure, it’s that simple. Be it Windows, the Mac or anything else. If there is a big enough incentive to break in, they will find a way somehow.
Much of the attacks on Windows is a numbers game, it’s simply a bigger target. Arrogance doesn’t make a system secure, and attacks on everything occur. It’s just time for everyone to be more careful. No matter how, or what they use.