by , 11:35 AM EDT, July 5th, 2006

The security firm Sophos says that PC users concerned about computer security should consider purchasing a Mac. Of the ten most common malicious applications, all are targeted at Windows PC, and none at the Mac. The number of viruses, worms and trojan horses that attack Windows is on the rise, too.

Microsoft is well known for security and virus vulnerabilities in its Windows operating system. The company says, however, that the next version of Windows, Vista, will fix many of those issues when it is released some time in 2007.

In comments to the BBC, a Microsoft spokesperson stated "Windows Vista contains a number of new safety features that, taken together, are designed to make Windows PCs more secure and online experiences safer."

Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos, doesn't agree. He says "It seems likely that Macs will continue to be the safer place for computer users for some time to come."

While new threats for Windows appear on a regular basis, only a few proof of concept vulnerabilities for the Mac have been discovered, and none have circulated through the Internet.