Hackers turn attention to Apple
May 12th, 2006
I’ve always throught that Apple users’ smugness at the rather apalling security situation on Windows was misplaced. Windows is a hacker’s favorite target simply because it’s the most popular platform; from an odds point of view it pays-off more. But OSX’s popularity means there’s a growing pool of susceptible macs, and a ‘market’ for hacking hacking them has followed. The signs of this are starting to appear.
Mac users need to watch out. Unlike war-weary windows users, jaded and educated by the pain of watching their systems die over the years, mac-ophiles are like fresh, naive GI’s, unprepared for life in the firing line:
Another big concern is just how many Mac users install antivirus software and update it properly. While I certainly wouldn’t blame most of them for ignoring the minor problems and avoiding the extra expense, this could easily add to the problem as attack vectors multiply and actual attacks increase exponentially.
Unless, of course, you’ve switched from your PC to a mac, in which case you’ll be up-to-speed, and in the best of both worlds.