Comments on: Two new Mac attacks surface

Trojans target Mac OS users, including one hidden in a porn site.

[The_happy_switcher]

Windows users/misery loves company. OS X is safer than Windows, period--get over it, accept and move on to the next CNET hyperbolic headline.

[Hokulea]

The aggregate numbers concerning the amount of malware for Windows vs. Mac OSX is meaningless without taking into consideration the number of users of the particular OS. Malware writers go where the money is and Windows is the dominant OS globally. It stands to reason there would be more malware written for Windows.

I know Windows users that do not use any security software whatsoever, even though they are heavily involved in P2P file sharing. I know people that refuse to secure their home wireless networks. Despite my advice and arguments for securing their systems, they stubbornly refuse to acknowledge or even consider that their behavior is placing them at risk for a whole host of issues ranging from financial fraud, identity theft, to legal action against them. Some people just don't get it, and never will until something bad happens to them.

There are too many Mac users that have the impression that they are invulnerable to any online security issues. This leads to a false sense of security. While there is very little malware written for the Mac OS, it doesn't mean that there aren't other vectors that can be used to compromise the Mac. Social engineering is one, another is using unsecured public WiFi hotspots. Even with a Mac, transmitting personal or financial information over unencrypted wireless is asking for trouble. Invincibility is simply a myth.

While most of the people posting here may be tech-savvy, the vast majority of users are not. I base my assumption on two years spent manning a help desk. Often, it's the people that think they know more than they do that create the biggest problems. Secure computing, especially online, is something that people need to be aware of, and educate themselves about, regardless of what OS they are using.

There is an active and concerted effort being undertaken constantly to exploit weaknesses in all areas of computer use. It's getting worse every day. No one is 100% safe online, not even the most tech-savvy Mac users. To argue over degrees of insecurity seems rather pointless.

[MrRetardo]

What I see is both sides forgetting ONE thing: Most computer users are "Joe Average". They'll click on anything, install anything that a website they visit tells them to. These are the same people that open email attachments from unknown senders. So Mac or PC or Linux, doesnt matter. The people taken in by these exploits will exist on ALL platforms.

[zero1221]

It's easy to avoid viruses. Just don't download anything unless it's from a legitimate source.
Also don't pirate software because your might get a virus and possible scurvy.