Apple Asks Kaspersky for Security Help

Update: We’ve published a follow up story about Kaspersky “clarifying” that Apple didn’t actually ask for help from the research firm. - Editor]

The security research company Kaspersky claims Apple has asked it for help with analyzing and identifying potential security flaws in OS X. News that Kaspersky has been tasked to help harden OS X comes on the heels of criticism that Apple doesn’t take OS security seriously enough.

“Mac OS is really vulnerable, and Apple recently invited us to improve its security,” Kapersky CTO Nikolai Grebennikov told Computing News. “We’ve begun an analysis of its vulnerabilities, and the malware targeting it.”

According to Mr. Grebennikov, Kaspersky’s initial findings indicate Apple doesn’t watch security-related issues closely. He cited the recent Java security update Apple released that followed a similar patch from Oracle by about three months.

CEO Eugene Kaspersky recently said Apple needs to step up its security efforts and said that the Mac maker is about ten years behind Microsoft in its philosophy.

“Cyber criminals have now recognized that Mac is an interesting area. Now we have more, it’s not just Flashback or Flashfake,” he said. “Welcome to Microsoft’s world, Mac. It’s full of malware.”

Kaspersky researchers expect Apple will have to deal with its first full-on malware attack on OS X within about a year.

Apple has not commented on Kaspersky’s involvement in Mac security.