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[unity]

"Some day, somebody will say 'I am going to create a headline and write a virus for Mac."

You just proved my point... someday. But someday is NOT today. I never said they were immune, I said no viruses/spyware exist.

And lets not forget, the article is one person's opinion from 2005. Its 2008, three years later, which in the computing world is a long time, nothing has come out yet Apple is selling more Macs than ever.

[eileen]

well that isn't totally true either , there have been viruses, trojans and many vulnerabilities for macs. they just don't get as much press. ;) now with the iphone you'll start seeing more attention and issues since they are so popular.

[eileen]

More viruses targeting Mac users, says Sophos
By Lawrence Casiraya
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:36:00 01/24/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- Apple fanatics are no longer shielded from viruses, according to a report by UK-based antivirus firm Sophos.
In its 2008 Security Threat Report, Sophos warns that Mac users are now likewise being targeted by viruses that aim to steal sensitive data, for example.
“In 2007, organized criminal gangs for the first time arrived at Apple’s doorstep with the intention of stealing money,” Sophos noted in its report.
Late last year, Sophos started detecting viruses for Macs that go beyond simply proving that Apple’s fabled computer is as vulnerable as Microsoft’s Windows operating system.
Sophos has also detected websites that carry viruses like the RSPlug Trojan horse, first seen in November last year, designed to infect Mac users for purposes of phishing and identity theft.
Sophos said it has been detecting more than 6,000 virus-laden webpages everyday, or one infected page for every 14 seconds. More than 80 percent of these webpages actually belong to companies and individuals, unaware that their sites have been hacked.
The report noted: “Websites of all types, from antique dealers to ice cream manufacturers to wedding photographers have hosted malware on behalf of virus writers.”
Moreover, wifi-capable mobile devices like iPhones and ultra-mobile computers are not safe anymore from viruses, Sophos added.

SOURCE: http://technology.inquirer.net/infot...rs-says-Sophos

[eileen]

BTW I use ichat with an isight camera... i think leapa virus was out and about but i wasn't really worried i don't have anything real important on my mac. hehe

[unity]

Its a well known that Sophos likes to scare the Mac users. Why? Because they sell anti-virus software for the mac!

And a Mac virus WOULD get much press. Why? Because it would be a first and rare. Sure, there have been viruses. Back in System 6 & 7. HFS+ eradicated those, and they were REAL viruses, not this stuff that is made.

People seem to forget that, a real virus is accidental or self-generated. The definition has been twisted into something made by malicious people because thats what most are now. Its sad really.

Show me a virus, a real one, not a "proof of concept".

[eileen]

well i pointed out leapa in the previous msg. :)

Method of propagation:
• Messenger


Aliases:
• Symantec: OSX.Leap.A
• Mcafee: OSX/Leap
• Kaspersky: IM-Worm.MSIL.Ltp.a
• Sophos: OSX/Leap-A
• Panda: Trj/Oomp.A!CME-4


Platform / OS:
• Mac


Side effects:
• Drops files
• Drops a malicious file

[unity]

Ya, but thats not an internet virus its a Trojan Horse. Second, it can only spread over a LAN and someone needs access to a computer on that LAN to implant it, that person also has to have admin access/password for installation.

And since Leopard, the so called Trojan is mute.

There is a big difference between a Trojan Horse and a virus. Heck, I could make a Trojan for someone to install.

[unity]

Even more info pointing out that is does very little:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap_virus

It does not even infect Cocoa Apps!

"Leap does not delete data, spy on the system, or take control of it, but it does have one harmful effect: due to a bug in the virus itself, an infected application will not launch. This is helpful in that it prevents people from continuing to launch the infected program unawares."

[eileen]

the bottom line is viruses are no reason to pick a mac over a pc :)
the two best virus software programs for pc's are free for personal use.
try paying for support for a mac, now that is a real issue.

granted there are a few other reasons you might rather have a mac.

[unity]

The lack of viruses are the main reason many do switch though including my brother, mother, boss, several tanning salon clients, etc.

Paying for support? How is the support pay-per-incident any different than Dell or MS. Plus Apple has the highested rated support staff and support is cheaper, especially when you by the AppleCare plan.

There is no reason to go with a trouble prone platform unless you have proprietary software, like Helios, that only works on windows. However, that will not stop me from getting Macs in here to run Helios this summer via Parallels.

So the bottom line is there are plenty of reason to pic a Mac over a PC. Cost of operating is lower, life enxpectancy of the hardware is greater and they are not prone to virus attacks.

I guess if I had the choice of going to Italy or a country with an Ebola outbreak, I would go to Italy even though there may be ways to "protect" me from the virus, why risk it?