can macs get viruses?

mr_fishbulb

warehouse wrote: »

The Mac is safer because nobody is writing viruses/malware etc for Macs. The operating system is much much easier to break into than Windows, it's just that people don't bother with them.

People are writing malware which operates on Macs. Here are a couple of examples:

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/mac-os-x-malware-found-in-pirated-apple-iwork-09/2418
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9193720/Koobface_worm_targets_Mac_users_on_Facebook_Twitter

It is becoming a larger target so Mac owners should no longer consider themselves safe.

Sophos make a free AV product for Macs - http://www.sophos.com/products/free-tools/free-mac-anti-virus/

esuhl

jayme1 wrote: »

also dont use a program like outlook, live mail or thunderbird, and the junk email wont be downloaded to the pc, use the web interface as all the junk is contained in the cloud.

Good grief - that's a good point! I hadn't really thought about that as a plus point for webmail.

Having said that, I find an email client much easier and quicker to use, so I'm not gonna change (I've never executed any malware received by email)...

DatabaseError

jayme1 wrote: »

also dont use a program like outlook, live mail or thunderbird, and the junk email wont be downloaded to the pc, use the web interface as all the junk is contained in the cloud.

alternatively, use outlook/live mail, right click the folders and select "headers only"..then you have pretty lists, without downloading any unwanted data.

cooldaz

mr_fishbulb wrote: »

People are writing malware which operates on Macs. Here are a couple of examples:

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/mac-os-x-malware-found-in-pirated-apple-iwork-09/2418
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9193720/Koobface_worm_targets_Mac_users_on_Facebook_Twitter

It is becoming a larger target so Mac owners should no longer consider themselves safe.

Sophos make a free AV product for Macs - http://www.sophos.com/products/free-tools/free-mac-anti-virus/

The answer there is dont download pirated software then. and as for catching a virus through Facebook - well if you use your brain then its easy to spot the dodgy links that people send.

S0litaire

All the OS (Mac, Windows, *Nix) can get a virus

It's just that 89% are targeted to the Windows OS, the other 11% are targeted at "Cross-platform" applications (java,flash,Firefox and things like that). The Virus may not infect a machine, but will exploit flaws in the applications to do nasty things like steal info and passwords or gain access to the machine itself.

kabayiri

My mac can never catch a virus.

(It's never switched on!)

jayme1

DatabaseError wrote: »

alternatively, use outlook/live mail, right click the folders and select "headers only"..then you have pretty lists, without downloading any unwanted data.

that's what I used to do, but the true reason I stopped using local email clients (outlook, live mail) is because they expose your local IP address, to check for yourself just email an email from any mail client to yourself to a gmail account then in gmail open the email and click 'view original message' in the dropdown arrow next to reply. your IP address will be right there.

Mr_Oink

My 10 pence worth as a denizen of the *nix, Mac & Win camps:

All operating systems can have security issues. One of the major problems is some *nix/Mac users live in denial and think they are immune to security issues. These folk are probably more dangerous & at risk than a Windows user who takes reasonable steps to secure their machine.

mr_fishbulb

Another point I heard recently to throw into the discussion.

Apple users are generally considered more well off than PC owners. In recent years malware has made a dramatic shift towards extracting money (typically from stealing bank credentials or tricking a user into buying software they don't need).

With iPhones and iPads, Apple operating systems are becoming a lot more prolific in use. Once this is combined with the idea that you can get more money per user, it's only a matter of time before malware authors turn their attention over to Mac users. If they continue their ignorance or denial of the threats then they are going to get "pwned".

DatabaseError

jayme1 wrote: »

that's what I used to do, but the true reason I stopped using local email clients (outlook, live mail) is because they expose your local IP address

and the problem is? My PCs are behind a router, which doesn't use the default login details, and which contains a firewall.
Maybe I'm just being complacent?