In the end, it’s actually a positive development, because it forces Apple to take similar steps that Microsoft had to take to secure Windows.
Ahh, but Jonty30, the hole in question is social engineering. People are conditioned to pay attention to official-looking dialog boxes. The original version of this relied upon deceit, but nothing else.
One malware event may or may not open a door here. That door has been swinging in the wind, widely, for a very long time in the microsoft camp. I deal with it everyday in my professional life, on all three primary platforms. You’re right that Apple, as well as all other software manufacturers, needs to have a serious eye on security.
Largely, they have. What has changed here is that the number of macs has increased to the point where those malefactors writing viruses and malware now feel that they have another worthwhile target. That isn’t the same as saying that they didn’t have one before. All that really started with the Morris worm in 1988. And came to full fruition with windows years after that.
Whether this is a cottage industry now or not, I do agree with you that ALL makers of software need a generally better eye on security. I wouldn’t, however, and cannot, single out Apple alone. No mac in my district, and that’s a large number of thousands, has yet been infected. On the other hand, we do regularly see a need to clean one or another of the pcs. No big deal. No need to crow about it. It is a numbers game, ultimately. You may look at this as something which speaks well of recent Apple sales, if nothing else.
Oh, BS, Jonty. Windows was forced to take the steps that Apple took a long time ago to match the security of UNIX™ that was built into OSX from the first. Quit trying to rewrite history. Apple took those steps back in 2001 when it dumped Mac-OS9 and lower and even THAT was more secure than Windows was then. It's been Microsoft that has been playing catch up.