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Apple Says Macs Are Safe, No Antivirus Needed
lobridge writes "Over the last two days multiple news feeds (and Slashdot) have been reporting that Apple has been quietly recommending antivirus software for their machines. It appears now that Apple has deleted an entry on their forums that suggested this and are saying that Mac computers are 'safe out of the box.'"
Safe out of the box... that is until a user starts clicking on things.
First, that article had been there for quite some time (but was just updated in the last week of November, when the IT press noticed it), and was just a generic recommendation for antivirus software on Mac OS X, and pointed at some third parties who provide such software. Second, the representative did NOT say "No Antivirus Needed"; on the contrary, the representative said antivirus software offers additional protection.
Antivirus software has always been recommended in our environment on all systems, including Mac OS X. But the very real fact is that -- for whatever reasons, many of which can be argued to no end -- Macs have far less problems with malware and serious security vulnerabilities that have a real impact on users.
As Macs are increasingly used in mixed environments, antivirus software is always prudent, as Mac antivirus software also recognizes and captures Windows viruses in addition to Mac, stopping inadvertent spread. For example, Symantec's full array of virus definitions for Windows and Mac OS are included in the definitions on both platforms.
Malware exists for Mac OS X (and Mac OS before), and always has in various forms. Nearly all of them -- even the recent highly publicized cases -- are trojans requiring deliberate user interaction, and have no mechanism for mass-propagation. The proliferation of hardware- and software-based firewalls and other changes have helped the situation on all platforms.
Porn video codec trojans requiring user interaction -- even as their prevalence increases as Mac marketshare grows -- do not rise to the level of vulnerabilities potentially allowing remote administrative control of all versions of Windows without any user interaction or knowledge, nor the massive worms of old costing untold manhours and untold billions in recovery and lost productivity.
Macs have very real security problems, and Macs have malware specifically targeted at the platform. But for a variety of reasons, Mac OS X is, in a very real sense, a more secure computing platform with respect to malware. This does not mean there are not legitimate concerns and gripes, does not mean Apple has made some poor decisions with respect to security, and does not excuse gloating fanboys.
But frankly, Mac users always should have been running some kind of antivirus software, even if only to prevent unknowing propagation of Windows malware, and institutions such as ours have recommended this as policy for years. But since Apple updated a knowledgebase article, and since the trend has been to give an inordinate level of coverage to any Mac security issue, however minor, I'm sure this will continue to be melodramatically blown out of proportion.
Macs have far less problems with "malware" and related issues than Windows. Not all of this is only due to marketshare. Some is due to changing strategies of malware writers, new attacks on browsers and other cross-platform applications, increased attention to network security, better user education, and number of other factors. But even as Mac marketshare grows and the platform is increasingly targeted, there still have not been any high-impact massive issues with malware and/or severe security vulnerabilities as there have been on Windows.
Apple has come a long way on security response from its attitudes even a couple of years ago, and still has a long way to go. But if a benign recommendation for AV software get blown up into a huge issue with media extrapolating that this must mean Apple is under heavy attack, and indeed, Apple may even be aware of an impending flood of malware, I'm not surprised Apple responded by simply pulling the article altogether. The perception in the marketplace is that Macs have a lot less problems with malware. That's completely accurate. Why would Apple want that correct perception tarnished by a bunch of sensationalism?
If you're on the internet, you're vulnerable. Period.
I am Jack's complete lack of surprise.
The whole story about Apple encouraging anti-virus software was severely over-hyped anyway. There are malicious bits out there that will damage your system if you do something stupid, like install a Trojan or run an untrusted Office macro. OS X is still quite secure out-of-the-box and *this* is where it is most different to Microsoft's offerings.
I mean is there? Anti-virus programs work by looking for specific code. If that code doesn't exists yet what does it look for? Windows viruses?
See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
I guess this is knee-jerk reaction to bad PR. Really, the way most viruses work today, Windows machines are the most susceptible. OS X (and other BSD based OS) and Linux are based on different design principles and mostly immune to viruses. Trojans are probably more likely for these systems. I think having a virus check now and then is beneficial in removing those Windows viruses that manage to get onto a Mac so they don't become repositories.
Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
brilliant idea!
only thing is, apple fanboys wouldn't be able to criticize PCs as much for having viruses--the more viruses on PCs, the more macs get sold
Those of us who think they know everything annoy those of us who do.
He was separating out the false believers from the flock.
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
Could you have maybe said that shorter? Something like "Hey, they're only suggesting that you wrap your system before practicing unsafe hex. But we have a lower rate of hexually transmitted malware than Windows. We do advise that you contact your vendor immediately if you have a software install lasting longer than four hours as this could indicate a more serious technical condition."
#fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
Lately I've seen a few of these posts on various sites. I think it's the case of Apple being big enough and successful enough over the past few years that they fall into the same category as Google, Microsoft, etc.: no longer a cute underdog, no longer immune from attacks. There's always been some anti-Apple sentiment ("one button mouse!" etc.), but lately it seems more pointed and directed, more tactical.
-- http://ninthagenda.com/
The Mac is designed with built-in technologies that provide protection against malicious software and security threats right out of the box. However, since no system can be 100 percent immune from every threat, running antivirus software may offer additional protection.
Windows Vista is full of "protection", but I use antivirus on that as well. I love MacOS X, and I'm sure it's more secure, but there will be viruses and other malware on MacOS sooner or later.
By the way, isn't it ironic that Apple is still offering ClamXav for download on their own website?
I've never understood the reason for anti-virus software in general. If there's an exploit, then just fix the security hole. Apple does this with their security updates.
That said, I understand the reason for anti-virus software on Windows: Microsoft can't or won't fix the security holes. (They tried with Vista and UAC, but that's a mess.)
If you reply, do so only to what I explicitly wrote. If I didn't write it, don't assume or infer it.
And who's going to reimburse me for the 7 AV programs I just ordered?
That's what I've been using with various versions of Windows the last 12 years and I've never had any problems.
Web2.0: I love when people Flickr my cuil and digg my boingboing until my google is reddit and I start to yahoo
Good point, after reading your post I ran Software Update on my Tiger machine at work and found a 72.5 MB security update waiting to be downloaded and installed.
And most of the updates seem to be the kind of stuff that gets patched on Windows machines.
I guess Apples and PCs have many of the same security issues, the difference is that fewer people care to exploit them on Macs and also that it's easier to take advantage of click-happy users on a Windows computer to pull off an exploit. "Durr... naked pictures of Britney? CLICKCLICKCLICKCLICKpwned."
MAC: Can't even get negative attention.
Picture
Eschew Obfuscation
Even if they were safe before, they won't be for long. That's just asking for it!
C'mon apple, get real!
Everyone needs anti-virus software these days!
Apple, Linux, *BSD and Unix included.
I don't care what apple or anyone else says, you need all the protection you can get.
I have been using anti-virus software on *nix systems for years and will continue to do so.
Semper Fi!
VIrologists might prefer that you use virii.
A computer virus is not a virus, but rather something new so go ahead and make up a new word with an arbitrary plural form.
That way, virologists can search databases for viruses safely without worrying about contaminating hits for references about virii.
The strength of Mac against viruses lays solely in the use of very stable FOSS solutions for the basics (very close to stable Debian versions) and then building on top of that (Aqua, CoreAudio, CoreImage etc. don't have any links to sockets). Really, what services CAN lay bare on a Mac to the internet: SSH (OpenSSH), E-mail (Postfix), Webserver (Apache). On the program side, you have Safari (Webkit) or Mozilla with Flash (Adobe) or Java (Sun) and those don't come above user level without requiring extreme interaction from the user (passwords). There is no such thing as ~/Library/StartupItems or ~/Library/LaunchDaemons and you need to become root to put stuff in /Library.
Of course as soon as a vulnerability is reported the community fixes it which trickles down to other vendors like Apple, RedHat etc. and many of those vulnerabilities for Apache or Postfix are hardly exploitable or only for rare setups (usually buffer overflows which could lead to an exploit if somebody was savvy enough to analyze all of them and see where they have space enough to load their own stuff and then call it too).
To have a successful attack on a Mac would also mean that you can successfully attack Linux or other Unixes or it would require a serious bug in certain programs (like Safari or Mail) which also allows to unnoticeable have a huge payload to replace things like Safari with a 'hacked' version or implement a plugin that does something weird.
Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
Does ANYONE RTFA?
Oh, I forgot! This is Slashdot.
Apple pulled the tech note because it was OUTDATED, not because they wanted to "censor" it.
The "real" question is "Why was this a 'story' in the first place?" I believe it was 'planted' by Microsoft, to attempt to derail serious holiday Mac purchasing, by sowing the seeds of FUD.
Show me even ONE true worm-type virus for OS X, and I will entertain the idea that there is something "there".
Until then, it's just disingenuous FUD. (Which I think is the only kind of FUD available)...
Reply to That ||
Next time you think operating system XYZ is so secure that nothing unwanted can get in, go to defcon, turn on your laptop and it's wifi and connect to the local access point. I give you 10 minutes before someone is downloading all your porn.
People who think anything is immune on a network are laughable.
BeauHD. Worst editor since kdawson.
Yes, that's called a worm or trojan etc, which is different from virus.
To get infected with a worm or trojan user must download it, give it permissions to run and execute it. (So it usually requires some social engineering to get someone to do all this for you if you are malware writer).
Virus, on the other hand usually means user does not have to do anything but use computer normally to get infected.
Unpatched Windows XP (no service packs) connected to the Internet with no firewall and left unattended will get infected within seconds.
This is what we are talking about. OS X, BSD, Linux do not currently get infected with anything in the same scenarios.
No OS is safe from worms or malware that requires user cooperation. E.g. someone can send you an install script that has a line
rm -rf /
hidden among lots of comment lines it it. If you run it as super user, well you delete everything on your system partition. But this requires YOU to RUN it, it won't happen on its own.
As the island of our knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance.
It may or may not be true that the various network daemons installed on most Mac OS X installs are 'secure' (I'll go with the premise for the time, but, really, who knows what currently undiscovered vulnerabilities therein lie? Yes, that applies for the same daemons installed on any Unix), but really, what protects Macs from the same kind of user 'tricking' that are commonly used against windows users.
Things like:
* A website of, err, questionable repute, which tells you that you need to download and run an installer for a new 'video player' to see videos on the website, but which is really the installer for a rootkit or botnet zombie.
* An email claiming to have an attachment or a link to a file which purports to be some business related file, or a video or photo the receiver might find funny, or a holiday greeting card, etc, but is really the installer for a rootkit or botnet zombie.
Don't say that Mac users are just too smart to fall for that kind of thing - I'm sure some of them are, but I'm equally sure some of them aren't.
I think the main thing which protects Mac and Linux users from such things is mainly that, right now, the installed base for both O/Ses is just too small for anyone to care about attacking. But, the Mac community is rather larger, and growing somewhat quickly, so they could be soon a large enough user base to be 'worth' trying to exploit.
Well, they did under the old cooperative multitasking "old world" Macintosh System Software.
I'm suprised that no one mentioned that we Mac users had a virus known as Oompa-Loompa starting on Valentine's Day, 2006.
I found this stuff on About.com! C'mon, people! Firefox even has a Google Quicksearch built right in! Ctrl-L "google mac viruses" enter. No mouse even required.
CAn'T CompreHend SARcaSm?
Comment removed based on user account deletion