Apple Quietly Recommends Antivirus Software For Macs

Barence writes "After years of boasting about the Mac's near invincibility, Apple is now advising its customers to install security software on their computers. Apple — which has continually played on Windows' vulnerability to viruses in its advertising campaigns — issued the advice in a low-key message on its support forums. 'Apple encourages the widespread use of multiple antivirus utilities so that virus programmers have more than one application to circumvent, thus making the whole virus writing process more difficult.' It goes on to recommend a handful of products." Reader wild_berry points out the BBC's story on the unexpected recommendation.

Comments

Not suprised

[SchizoStatic]

Well what do they expect they start to get a larger market share they start to be the target of more blackhats.

I don't need a virus to affect my system

[Shivetya]

I have Quicktime.

a necessity

[Anonymous Coward]

Well, duh... With the Apple CEO engaging in the unhygienic practice of peeing on all the hardware before it ships, no wonder users are being advised to get some sort of protection against pathogens.

Or was that the Mapple CEO... meh, they probably all do it.

If you listen carefully...

[scubamage]

...you can hear the heads of a million fanboys going poof!

Re:a way to make money

[Anivair]

You're wrong. Market share has everything to do with how easy it is to break into a computer. They are, in fact, directly proportional. the easier it is to break in, the bigger your market share. Just ask Debian.

Re:Multiple antivirus products?

[somersault]

you wouldn't expect one user to run all of the anti virus products on one machine.

It seems you've never had to do IT support for any rich old clueless porn addicts. Lucky you.

Re:Um huh? Apple has always recommended protection

[Golias]

Hell they even gave it away with old .mac accounts. And apple support always had lines saying to use protection. How is it all of a sudden new? They have been saying to use protection for YEARS now.

Very true.

And I've been ignoring the recommendation for years now. Guess which AV app I'm going to install today.

That's right. None. Running an AV program on a Mac makes about as much sense as using a rope to tie down your car every time you park it in your garage.