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Apple's Security Paradox
Forbes ^ | 12.03.08, 06:47 PM EST | Andy Greenberg

Posted on 12/08/2008 8:11:18 AM PST by Salo

Apple's Security Paradox Andy Greenberg, 12.03.08, 06:47 PM EST

Even as Macs have multiplied, the number of viruses and Trojans targeting them has fallen.

As Apple's slice of the computer market grows, cyber security researchers have long warned that hackers would someday turn their attention away from PCs and toward innocent Macbooks and iPhones.

That day, it turns out, has yet to come....

(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Technical
KEYWORDS: apple; computer; security
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Hope this isn't a dupe - I searched on the title.
1 posted on 12/08/2008 8:11:19 AM PST by Salo
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To: Swordmaker; ShadowAce

Pings.


2 posted on 12/08/2008 8:11:59 AM PST by Salo
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To: Salo

WARNING! THIS THREAD HAS AN APPLE VIRUS!

3 posted on 12/08/2008 8:15:10 AM PST by Red Badger (Never has a man risen so far, so fast and is expected to do so much, for so many, with so little...)
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To: Salo

I got MacScan for my computers. Ran it everyday for a month last fall. Not one virus etc found.


4 posted on 12/08/2008 8:15:21 AM PST by MrLee (Sha'alu Shalom Yerushalyim!! God bless Eretz Israel.)
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To: Salo

Beware of lock salesmen quoting burglary statistics.


5 posted on 12/08/2008 8:17:31 AM PST by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: MrLee

You said — “I got MacScan for my computers. Ran it everyday for a month last fall. Not one virus etc found.”

I’ve run various anti-virus programs on many Macs, over a period of about 22 years or more — and have only found one virus in all that time (back in 1990). Nothing ever before and since then, with all those Macs and much use in exchanging information, accessing BBs and now the Internet, and getting plenty of e-mail and everything else you can think of.

It just doesn’t happen with the Macs... LOL...

It’s nice not having to be worried about those nasty little bugs...


6 posted on 12/08/2008 8:19:20 AM PST by Star Traveler
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To: 1234; 50mm; 6SJ7; Abundy; Action-America; acoulterfan; AmericanGirlRising; aristotleman; ...
Apple Mac getting MORE SECURE PING!


Mac Security Ping!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

7 posted on 12/08/2008 8:20:52 AM PST by Swordmaker (Remember, the proper pronunciation of IE is "AAAAIIIIIEEEEEEE!)
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To: MrLee
I got MacScan for my computers. Ran it everyday for a month last fall. Not one virus etc found.

I got AVG Free Antivirus for my PC, and run it everyday.

Found only one virus in the last 6 years.

8 posted on 12/08/2008 8:31:27 AM PST by Balding_Eagle (OVERPRODUCTION......... one of the top five worries for American farmers.)
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To: Star Traveler

I saw quite a few Mac viruses when I was an editor at my college newspaper. Our writers brought in their stories on floppies from the campus computer labs, which were riddled with them. There was a freeware utility, Disinfectant, that took care of them all.

I haven’t seen a Mac virus since 1991. Those earlier viruses, of course, are irrelevant to OS X (even Classic; I think the vulnerabilities were patched in version 8).


9 posted on 12/08/2008 8:35:14 AM PST by ReignOfError
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To: ReignOfError

On the 68K-based Macs back in those days, writing a virus was sooooo much easier. All the code loaded by the Resource Manager was PIC, the 68K was an easy chip for which to hand-roll code, etc. Oh, and there were hooks all over the ROM and system, which if patched, would allow a virus writer to grab the machine. Then there was the matter of the 68K interrupt vectors. Oh, the fun you could have if you knew how to write interrupt code for the 68K.

Good times.

Today... well, it is a very different world. Protected memory, no “hooking” by simply jamming your function address into some memory location, etc. Boo hoo.


10 posted on 12/08/2008 8:39:22 AM PST by NVDave
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To: ReignOfError

I think I still have the Disinfectant manual on my system. :-D


11 posted on 12/08/2008 8:47:11 AM PST by Leonard210 (Tagline? We don't need no stinkin' tagliine.)
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To: Balding_Eagle
Found only one virus in the last 6 years.

Maybe you should try a different program, one that actually works. :)

12 posted on 12/08/2008 9:38:57 AM PST by itsahoot (We will have world government. Whether by conquest or consent. Looks like that question is answered)
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To: Salo
Apples are for liberals. :)
13 posted on 12/08/2008 9:47:27 AM PST by LiberConservative (Typical white and nerdy white guy)
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To: Salo

Bookmark.


14 posted on 12/08/2008 9:54:13 AM PST by Sergio (If a tree fell on a mime in the forest, would he make a sound?)
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To: ReignOfError

You said — “I saw quite a few Mac viruses when I was an editor at my college newspaper. Our writers brought in their stories on floppies from the campus computer labs, which were riddled with them. There was a freeware utility, Disinfectant, that took care of them all.”

I remember Disinfectant. I tried that one, too, along with a bunch of others. I did use Virex for a long time and now Intego Virus Barrier. But, nothing has happened (i.e., no viruses or other little bugs and nasty things for the Mac OS X).

During the time that you describe, I think there were more reported viruses (which was very small compared to DOS and Windows) than we’ve seen in this whole time that we’ve had Mac OS X.

Talking about Disinfectant takes me back a while, back to those floppies, modems and the BBS[s]. :-)


15 posted on 12/08/2008 10:01:49 AM PST by Star Traveler
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To: Izzy Dunne
Beware of lock salesmen quoting burglary statistics.

That's my view too.

16 posted on 12/08/2008 10:10:54 AM PST by Tribune7 (Obama wants to put the same crowd that ran Fannie Mae in charge of health care)
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To: LiberConservative
Rush Limbaugh uses a MAC G-5 & G-4 Mac Book Pro!
17 posted on 12/08/2008 10:47:08 AM PST by Southron Patriot (Deo Vindice)
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To: Salo

When Apple gets the games that PCs get I’ll switch. Vista bytes except in games.


18 posted on 12/08/2008 11:32:06 AM PST by IDFbunny
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To: Southron Patriot

Rush upgraded to fully loaded Intel Mac Pros a couple of years ago. No more G5s.


19 posted on 12/08/2008 11:38:07 AM PST by Swordmaker (Remember, the proper pronunciation of IE is "AAAAIIIIIEEEEEEE!)
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To: IDFbunny

Macs can run all those Windows games.


20 posted on 12/08/2008 11:40:31 AM PST by Swordmaker (Remember, the proper pronunciation of IE is "AAAAIIIIIEEEEEEE!)
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