Security: Apple's Big Virus

Kelly Martin has written a very interesting discussion for the Register about security in OS X, lack of security in Windows, and Apple's big virus: the culture and publicity of a virus-free OS.  Here's an excerpt: "Just as Windows users have become accustomed to 140,000 viruses, Apple users have become accustomed to none. It's a major cultural difference that admittedly, sometimes causes Apple users to do stupid things -- and get away with them. It's hard to describe the freedom of using a system with no malware known to have spread. It's liberating."

Before the naysayers among you start flaming this post saying that Apple is only secure because of its lack of market share, go give the entire article a read.  The important distinction isn't that Apple is more secure than Windows (It is, btw), but rather that the culture surrounding the Macintosh is more geared, somewhat unconsciously, toward being more secure. There is no worry about viruses, so they pose little threat. In Windows, the insecurity and viruses are so prevalent in the surrounding culture that everyone is numb to it and therefore in more danger.


 
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