Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple, Security
BBC Story - Switch to Macs For Better Online Security
Most of our readers know that Mac OS X is a much more secure environment than any flavor of Windows. Microsoft apologists like to say that the lack of viruses and malware targeted towards Mac OS X is because its much smaller marketshare. I believe there's a kernel of truth in this argument, but it's also an oversimplification. It's true that Windows is a larger target, but it's also true that Windows is just not very secure. Study after study after study shows that plugging a Windows computer into a broadband connection without any protection is a surefire way for that computer to become infected with a virus or worm. Yes, there are ways to harden your Windows computer so that it doesn't become a spam-sending zombie and these anti-virus and anti-spyware tools are getting better all the time, but it's still a lot to ask a new computer user to do just to get online.So it's nice to see the BBC and Sophos (a leading maker of anti-virus and security software) recognize Mac OS X for its better security. I'll be the first person to tell you that Mac OS X isn't totally secure; in fact there is no such thing as a completely secure operating system. But there can be no question that Mac OS X and its underlying Unix permissions model is more secure than any flavor of Windows.
I can hear the comments already. "But, but...just you wait for Vista. It will solve all the security problems." Well, if you remember, that's what people were saying about WinXP. And Win2K before that. And even Win98 before that. Yes, Vista will probably be a more secure environment than its predecessors, but that's not saying much.
[Thank you to everyone who sent us this tip.]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Catt said 12:59PM on 7-05-2006
I hear ya
had my Mac w/out antivirus software for couple of months and didn't get one virus. Had a Windows XP system for a day and got a virus while trying to update to the latest service pack.
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John Muir said 1:02PM on 7-05-2006
I've the new Vista public beta running on my old PC which still houses my hard drive collection, and it doesn't strike me as any more secure than XP SP2. It nags you a LOT but that just trains users to click agree, accept, ok, yeah, infect me yes, trojan horse oh how nice...
Vista is much prettier than XP though. (Not hard.) Aero is flashy but not at all more useful. It really misses Expose ... and no, that 3d window stacking effect does not rival Expose in any shape or form! The idea of stacking the windows on top of one another is exactly what you're trying to alleviate and it's not even anti-aliased. Alt+tab is still more useful.
Why do I keep an old pc handy? Because I still only have one Mac and its a 12' PowerBook which needs somewhere else to handle my backups. Why do I use Vista? Well, it is free for a year ... by then I'll have an iMac I hope!
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Wheels said 1:03PM on 7-05-2006
A kernel of truth...very punny!
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Troy Yeager said 1:22PM on 7-05-2006
Throw all the hypothetical you want at it... at the end of the day if I have data that I don't want compromised then I use OS X... if I'm looking to do business with someone and I have a choice of giving my information to someone who uses Windows or OS X then I'm going to sleep a lot better at night if I do business with someone that is storing my data on a machine running OS X.
Even if OS X was only more secure on the Internet because of a smaller market share, which I don't happen to believe, the fact still remains that -bottom line- it is more secure.
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switchtoamac said 2:43PM on 7-05-2006
This is the second major security firm that has endorsed Macs as a safer computing option for consumers. Earlier this year, the CEO of Symantec recommended that users switch to Macs:
http://switchtoamac.com/site/analysis-ceo-of-symantec-recommends-macs.html
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Simon Scatt said 3:02AM on 7-06-2006
Many programms include spyware modules. Use anti-spyware for protect your privacy.
As for me, I like professional anti-spy software like Anti-keylogger by Raytown Corporation LLC.
You can download it here: http://download.softsecurity.com/1/15/antikey.zip (~4MB)
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Dan Cook said 2:11PM on 7-02-2007
As an 18 yr. old, I saved up and bought a Mac - Mini with no previous experience on macs other than at school (where they had some ass-backward software installed that sucked). Regardless, I figured I would give it a shot.
When I had a PC, and it didn't work - I would get so frustrated with viruses, ect. that I would Hit, pound, slap, and swear at the computer.
However, since I got a Mac It has yet to be abused by me. You will not find one bruise on it.
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