Switch to Macs Has Web All Riled Up

The St. Petersburg [FL] Times ^ | May 28, 2005 | Dave Gussow

[quidnunc]

A Seminole technology security expert is surprised by reaction to his post of frustration with Windows and Intel.

Winn Schwartau switched his office from PCs to Macintosh computers, a seemingly simple move that created an overwhelming reaction in the online world.

Schwartau is no mere computer user. He's a nationally known technology security expert from Seminole, so when he wrote in his online blog that he was tired of unreliable technology and fending off virus and spyware threats to his office PC he triggered a torrent of attention.

"I just didn't know this was going to be controversial," Schwartau said.

In a column titled "Mad as Hell," posted Monday at the Network World Web site and his blog (securityawareness.blogspot.com) on Wednesday, Schwartau declared that systems using Microsoft's Windows software and Intel processors are "a threat to the national economic security of any organization or nation-state that relies (upon) it."

The Macintosh community, always on the lookout for good news about Apple Computer and its products, started a flood of reaction. Schwartau's blog tracked 9,000 visitors Wednesday, 40,000 Thursday and 12,000 by midafternoon Friday. In a month, it usually gets 4,000 visitors.

According to Greg Hoffman, chief marketing officer for Schwartau's Security Awareness Co., responses were running 10-1 in favor of and praising the switch, which occurred last month.

-snip-

[Fruit of the Spirit]

"I got an ibook and would never go back. I'm already plotting my acquisition of a nice, shiny powerbook with all the trimmings!"

Ok, I'm almost turning green with envy. ;-)

It took me quite a while to convince my brother to get a computer. Unfortunately, he became a Windows users and is now working on his second computer. Meanwhile, I'm still on my original Mac.

[Question_Assumptions]

Out of curiosity, are you using Microsoft Office on your iBook or some other word processor?

[Fruit of the Spirit]

See post # 60

[Question_Assumptions]

The virus vulnerability of a Mac Classic is about as relevant to OSX as the virus vulnerability of DOS is to a Windows XP machine.

[longtermmemmory]

I agree. Mac's may have pretty cases but pretty does not run the office.

Hollywood types always show windows based systems being used by badguys and macs used by good guys. (or at least they try to.)

He must not have very demanding or unique software needs to switch to a mac.

[MrsEmmaPeel]

Got this in the mail the other day - Its a security advisory from CERT

US-CERT Technical Cyber Security Alert TA05-136A -- Apple Mac OS X is affected by multiple vulnerabilities

Its pretty long -- but here are some key points:
Systems Affected

Mac OS X version 10.3.9 (Panther) and Mac OS X Server version 10.3.9 Overview

Apple has released Security Update 2005-005 to address multiple vulnerabilities affecting Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server. The most serious of these vulnerabilities may allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code. Impacts of other vulnerabilities addressed by the update include disclosure of information and denial of service.
=================================
Additional Apple vulnerabilities are listed below:
* US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#582934 -
* US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#258390 -
* US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#331694 -
* US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#706838 -
* US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#539110 -
* US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#354486 -
* US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#882750 -
* US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#537878 -
* US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#125598 -
* US-CERT Vulnerability Note VU#356070 -

See cert.org for more details.
=================================
My Comments
Anyone who thinks the Mac is "more secure" than ant other system out there (Solaris/Linux/WinTel... etc) is a loony. The all have flaws. The trick is to stay on top of the problem and not drink the kool-aid

[Capt. Tom]

From a rant in the website. securityawareness.blogspot.com

When Microsoft (and their apologists) want to explain why they're OS seems to be a miserable piece of technology ridden with problems, they *deny* the existence of Security By Design, and say that the problem is because they are so wonderfully popular. They tell everyone that Security By Design doesn't exist and they'd be safe "if only they weren't so wonderfully popular!" They want you to believe only the gospel of Security By Obscurity.

This to me should be easily decided.

Certainly tech people experienced with viruses and capable of writing them should know whether it is more difficult to write viruses for Macs; or easier to write viruses for Macs than PCs; or about the same degree of difficulty.

If it is about the same difficulty as creating a PC virus or actually easier writing a mac virus. Then the Security by obscurity argument holds some water. - Tom

[dighton]

For today's other religious war, go here.

[rwfromkansas]

I use Macs at the local newspaper office, where I am working now. They crash, contrary to the Mac claims.

I do like the interface, but I just prefer my PC's. We use PC's in the college newspaper office and rarely have crashes.

[rwfromkansas]

Taking a work break at the town newspaper office (where we have Macs) and trying to go to FR is an undertaking. I can't see the right sidebars.....no breaking news or anything.

I can only see my comments etc. when I click on a thread.

[Hank Rearden]

Go take a look at restaurant POS systems. The ones for Mac OS look and operate as if they were designed by high-school students on spring break who've only been to Denny's.

[B Knotts]

It has the same effect on Mac users as Windows.

How do you figure?

I haven't used Windows regularly since 3.1. I've been using Linux as my sole desktop OS as long as I've been on FR, and I haven't had any problems. The browser I use uses the same rendering engine used by Safari, too (that's where Apple got it).

What problems do you have reading FR under Mac OS?

[ThinkDifferent]

I use Macs at the local newspaper office, where I am working now. They crash, contrary to the Mac claims.

Are they running OS 9? Lots of publishing houses still are, and OS 9 does crash. If OS X is crashing regularly, something is very wrong.

[Hank Rearden]

Here is an example of what I'm talking about, by the way. I've never heard of this one until 30 seconds ago; found it via Google.

A glance at two or three of the screens indicates it's yet another horrid Mac design, apparently created by people who've never even been in a restaurant.

[ThinkDifferent]

If I install Tiger will it erase anything I have on Panther?

No, unless you specifically tell it to erase the drive. The default install will just upgrade to Tiger and keep everything you have.

[rwfromkansas]

Not sure. I will have to check it out. I am on an Imac machine; not sure about the OS. It doesn't crash. I will have to see what the others are.

[Swordmaker]

Here is a challenge that ought to garner some attention and answer your question.

Boss, that challenge was cancelled after some pointed out the legal problems of promoting the commission of a crime...

[Hank Rearden]

You'd have to be As Dumb As A democRat to offer prizes as incentives to create virii.

Or a Mac user.

[Tunehead54]

Aha! Another Post Policeperson outed!

---

They just can't hep themselves! Loosers! ;-)

[Nataku X]

<Grasshopper>Security, convenience, speed... pick two. That's what I've gathered from dabbling in both Win32 & X11R6... </Grasshopper>