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Mac Install-Base Shown to Be 16%
Kelly McNeill writes "MacDailyNews has an editorial which summarizes reports from various research groups that analyzed the number of computer users affected by viruses. The conclusion was that 16 percent of all computer users are not affected by viruses because they use Macs. The lack of viruses on a Mac is commonly known, but the interesting thing is the fact that the results finally provide the first set of conclusive numbers which illustrate the Macintosh's install-base. So far only "market-share" statistics are commonly published for the public and do not convey install base. (If for example 2 people are using computers and one replaces his 2x in a 3 year period and the other only does once, market-share dynamics dictate that one demographic has 75% market share while the other has only 25% -- even though install base is still 50/50.)"
This article is total bullshit. I can personally vouch for viruses on the mac. Learned that the hard way back on 7.5. Don't know about the newest OS X but I seem to remember there being one being reported on /. a year or so ago.
Linux is really boring from an os standpoint. Now Plan 9......
"Mac/Cowhand-A is a proxy Trojan for the Mac OS X platform. The Trojan may copy itself to the user's Preferences folder. In order to run itself on startup, the Trojan may add itself to the user's Startup Items. The Mac/Cowhand-A Trojan horse allows remote hackers to use an infected computer as a proxy to connect to the internet. By using the Trojan hackers can disguise their real location because the connection can only be traced back to the infected computer." Appeared in April 2005.
"AplS/Fromr-A is an OS X AppleScript Trojan that attempts to delete all files recursively in the user's home directory." Appeared in 2004.
"Dubbed MP3Concept (MP3Virus.Gen), the Trojan horse exploits a weakness in Mac OS X where applications can appear to be other types of files, according to the company. Intego told MacCentral today that the code is hidden in the ID3 tag of the MP3 file. The code will only activate when clicked, but once it is, Intego warns the Trojan horse has the potential to delete all of a user's personal files; send an e-mail message containing a copy of itself to other users; and infect other MP3, JPEG, GIF or QuickTime files." Appeared in 2004.
Note that these viruses exploit some of the same classes of vulnerabilities seen under Windows. The first one relies on a MacOS X hole that allows any unprivileged program to specify that a program should be run at startup. The second comes from implicit script execution. The third is a file type spoof. Those are all very similar to Windows attacks.
Note that these are all "Mac features", not "UNIX features". Apple put in "ease of use" features without considering security, just like Microsoft.