Selling anti-virus software to someone running Unix (aka OS X, Linux, etc) is like selling a shark repellant to someone who lives in the desert!

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Guest wrote:
Selling anti-virus software to someone running Unix (aka OS X, Linux, etc) is like selling a shark repellant to someone who lives in the desert!

Despite what hoople heads say it isn't so much the low market share that protects as much as it is the superior OS when compared to Windows. As secure as our swimming waters are, sooner or later there is going to be a MacShark attack.

Headline: First Trojan for MacOS X
Subtitle: First piece of malware which is not free; requires purchase

Only $78.71 from Office Nation. Buy today and save! Be the first on your block with a Trojan for MacOS X. Supplies are limited.

But i thought malware was supposed to be a free download? Now you have to buy it?

Guess they need to drop the “Anti” from Norton Anti-Virus and just call it Norton Virus Works for MacOS X

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Al Swearengen wrote:
Despite what hoople heads say it isn't so much the low market share that protects as much as it is the superior OS when compared to Windows.

Don’t equivocate: It’s nothing about market share and is all about software design (or lack thereof, in the case of Windoze).

Instead of getting into a tizzy and flinging more rotten fruit at Zymantec, why not just turn off Compressed File scanning in Norton AntiVirus 9/10?

I have not read anywhere that this potential vulnerability has been proven to allow remote control of a computer running Mac OS X.

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Rainy Day wrote:

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Al Swearengen wrote:
Despite what hoople heads say it isn't so much the low market share that protects as much as it is the superior OS when compared to Windows.

Don’t equivocate: It’s nothing about market share and is all about software design (or lack thereof, in the case of Windoze).

Sorry, but I can't help but to equivocate, it was part of my training. I wanted to be a politician until the opposition started dragging the skeletons out of my closet. Now I am not just currying political favor when I agree with you. A lot of hackers would like to see us get our comeuppance for gloating over our lack of malware and virus so I am sure that there have been attempts.

"Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game, and dumb enough to think it's important."

Eugene McCarthy

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Al Swearengen wrote:
Sorry, but I can't help but to equivocate, it was part of my training.

Well, okay then… but don’t let it happen again!

Hahahah. That's brilliant. Symantec's been warning for years of an imaginary threat looming on the horizon that only their anti-virus software can protect against, but it turns out the only serious security threat is posed by THEIR OWN ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE. Irony doesn't get more poetic than that.

Given that we've seen attacks on Bluetooth phones, and attacks on specific software running on specific versions of Unix, it's quite clear hackers will attack anything they can.

The most likely vector is a Trojan, as that relies on the weak link in the chain - the user - to compromise security, and the more mainstream the platform gets, the more likely it is to happen. (Not just down to number, but because at the moment I think Mac users are actually still more security aware on average, because many of them are long term Unix users).

Nice to see a well written article that outlines the multiple reasons for Mac security.