Ready For the Big Mac Virus?

An anonymous reader writes "The IT security manager of the University of Otago, New Zealand, has been educating his OS X users in security best-practices. According to Mark Borrie, many Mac users believe they were immune to security problems -- a trap many Mac fans seem to have fallen into. He said around 40 percent of the computers at the uni are Macs. "On the security side of things I reckon the Mac community has yet to wake up to security. They think they are immune and typically have this idea that they can do whatever they want on their Macintosh and run what they like," said Borrie. "If I can get our Mac users up to speed and say 'you are not immune' -- so when [the malware] hits, hopefully we will be pretty safe," he said. "We want to be ready for the first big Macintosh virus -- because it will come. Some day, somebody will say 'I am going to create a headline and write a virus for Mac'," said Borrie."

Comments

Re:Are you ready?

[borawjm]

Well, my question then is... if Macs are so good, and OS X is so stable. Why does Windows XP still dominate the OS market?

Mwahaha

[eexlebots]

I am going to create a headline and write a virus for Mac!

Mac users would be the easiest target

[mc900ftjesus]

Yes, Mac fanboys, the almighty Apple is invulnerable to security flaws. Completely impervious, it is perfect. No one will ever find a security exploit for the Mac. This is what the computing world is like with your head up your ass. Thinking is this manner is why people get spyware/viruses in the Win32 world.

Try this: remove head from ass. Now that you're in the real world, there will be a Mac exploit and it will probably spread from Mac users thinking they're above computer security.

You're all missing the point

[fmwap]

The point here is, Mac users are stupid.

Re:You're all missing the point

[iamflame]

The point here is, Mac users are stupid.

Fucking Mac zealots, read the goddamn article you fucks! It's common sense, when you get an OS that is made to be simple, and promoted as 'Free from viruses!', of course the majority of users are not going to have any doubts when they execute something. Thusly, Mac users are fucking stupid.

Why won't you guys just go back to your graphics design bullshit and shut the hell up.

Re:Whos' the troll there trolly McTroll

[AKAImBatman]

So which is it.

As I said, "according to some numbers." Marketshare is a difficult computation, because there's a lot of factors that can play into it. So depending on how you run the numbers, you're going to get different results. It's a bit like trying to determine which web browser is the most popular. Numbers tend to vary wildly. However, they do point to indications of increasing or decreasing.

So there's nothing I said that's incorrect. Only your attempts to twist what I said are incorrect. If you read the articles, the differences in methodology are apparent.

Lets do the numbers and say 1000 computers total (just for ease of math)

Nice sleight of hand there. A lot like the missing dollar paradox. But just like the paradox, we have absolute numbers that do work out in the end. According to the first link, Apple has shipped nearly 50 million computers last quarter. The article gives exact figures for the growth, so pulling that "BSD is dying" math doesn't hold water. (The amazing Kreskin predicted it!)

I think your best bet here is to try and convince other people I am a troll or to say you were trolling me to save face.

I'll never understand why you trolls think that garbage works. Claiming you're not a troll in an obvious troll is the surest sign that you *are* a troll. So have fun trolling, Mr. Troll.

(tips hat) Good day.

still waiting

[wardk]

this is getting boring. when does the fun start?