Mac Malware: Slow but Steady Evolution

[anandk]

"Although security vulnerabilities are discovered in Mac OS X on a monthly basis, the operating system remains a backwater for malware hackers. "We have seen an increase in bugs, but they haven't been critical," Amol Sarwate, vulnerability research manager for Qualys, a security auditing and vulnerability management company in Redwood Shores, Calif., told MacNewsWorld.

"There aren't enough Mac OS systems being used, to be exploited publicly by viruses and worms" he added...

Though incidents are increasing, most malware targeting OS X remains one-off, proof-of-concept code. "They're things that show up once," he explained. "They serve no greater purpose other than to show that they could be done."

macnewsworld

[kirangp]

I have a feeling Microsoft would have invested millions to support this cause...just to make the users know about vulnerabilities in MAC OS...they can be exploited...hmmm

[goobimama]

Thank god the mac community is a minority. Its why I never advice my friends to buy a mac, the lesser we are the better...

[aryayush]

I have the same feeling but I don't know why I have this strange compulsion to advise everyone I know to switch to a Mac, even though I do not actually want more people to have Macs.

Maybe I am just too noble.

[Aberforth]

Originally Posted by goobimama

Thank god the mac community is a minority. Its why I never advice my friends to buy a mac, the lesser we are the better...

Thats called Elitism. Got it all over in our college and I don't really like it.

Originally Posted by aryayush

I have the same feeling but I don't know why I have this strange compulsion to advise everyone I know to switch to a Mac, even though I do not actually want more people to have Macs.

Maybe its just you have a good experience with Mac and want to share it everyone you know.

[goobimama]

Well that's a little harsh eh aber? What I don't want is the Mac platform to gain a lot of market. Its nothing about us being superior, or not letting others get the joys of using a mac, but a fear that it might become a target for hackers and viruses alike....

When someone is genuinely interested in the iMac and wants to get a Mac himself, I don't hesitate to give a nice demo, as well as send them along to my apple dealer.

What I don't do is if someone is buying a PC laptop, go ahead and pester him to go and buy a mac instead...

Might sound like elitism, but its not.

[mehulved]

Proof of concept malware exists for every OS in the world that's worth something. So, it's not much talking about.