I think the reason there's not a lot of viruses for OS X maybe because virus writers dont spend their time on debugging or decoding the kernel or what ever they do. And because Windows install base is probably much higher than OS X, so it make sense to design a virus that will affect a large group of people. I did some research and say that there's zero viruses for the mac, but that doesn't mean it can't be infected. Some people say OS X doesnt need a antivirus program but I think they're exaggerating. Yes, it's true that OS X and Linux are more secure than any Microsoft OS it's not perfectly safe. Windows biggest secure holes are Outlook and IE!
Mac OSX
- Thread starter Kenmha
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webexplorer
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I would like to add my post. Here is a copy of my e-letter from an Intego tech support about viruses:
[jeffeyer,]
The important thing to realize - as noted below - is that the MyDoom
(and other PC based email viruses) don't affect the Macintosh platform.
______
w32/Mydoom is PC based email virus that does not effect the Mac platform.
Systems effected:
Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows Server 2003,
Windows XP
Systems not effected:
DOS, Linux, Macintosh, OS/2, UNIX, Windows 3.x
Netsky is a PC based email virus that does not effect the Mac platform.
The virus is also called: W32/Netsky.b@MM, W32/Netsky.B.worm,
WORM_NETSKY.B, Moodown.B, I-Worm.Moodown.b
Systems effected:
Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows XP
Systems not effected:
Linux, Macintosh, UNIX, Windows 3.x
___________
Have you received a returned email that looks like you sent it - when
in reality that is not the case at all??
If you are running the most recent VirusBarrier virus definitions, and
you have scanned your computer and no viruses were found - then you
don't have a virus.
The important thing to realize - as noted below - is that the MyDoom
(and other PC based email viruses) don't affect the Macintosh platform.
Those returned emailed are coming from a person with a PC - who is
infected with the virus - who has you in their email address book.
YOU are not sending those emails from your computer.
____
First, it is important to note how PC viruses work.
What you might be seeing - strange emails with files attached, and
returned emails that you did not send - are the symptoms of many
email-based PC viruses.
If someone with a PC is infected with one of these email based viruses
(like w32/Mydoom) and has your email address on their computer, the
virus can grab your email address and use it as the sender when it
emails the virus to the rest of the collected addresses. This virus
type has the ability to auto-send itself from a computer, by using
this computer's address book. The virus can also pretend to be anyone
contained within this address book.
But only on PCs.
This means that a friend or relative of yours, or anyone who'd have
your e-mail address within his/her address book has been infected by
the virus, and the virus either arrived in your mailbox or sent itself
pretending to be you (your e-mail address). This person is also using
a PC.
I'd like to point out that VirusBarrier cannot scan emails within your
mailbox, you must first save or open any attachment onto your hard
drive to enable VirusBarrier to detect and eradicate the virus within
the saved/opened file.
But when you come across an email which has the generic characteristic
of an email-based PC virus (curious subject wording like "How are
you?", or attachment with double extensions ".html.pif" for instance),
you should simply delete the email, without bothering to save the
attachment.
Luckily, the files which come with these emails are not
executable/usable on a Mac, although Mac users can spread the viruses
by emailing the infected file(s) to a PC user. If you receive an email
with an unknown attachment - it is best not to forward it to anyone
else.
_______
Second, Intego VirusBarrier scans files on your computer when they are
written, used or opened. As soon as you do something with a file, it
is scanned immediately, and if Intego VirusBarrier detects a virus,
the file or application will be disinfected or rendered inoperable.
Viruses in your email mailbox are not harmful to your computer until
you activate the file - open it, save it to your disk, etc. - which is
the point at which VirusBarrier scans the file.
VirusBarrier is ALWAYS on and watching for changes on your hard drive
- even when the application interface is not open.
VirusBarrier does not scan e-mails: only files that physically exist
on a hard drive (whether at opening because they're placed in a "temp"
folder, or at saving onto the disk) can be scanned and repaired with
VirusBarrier.
VirusBarrier scans ALL new files as soon as they physically exist on
the hard drive - they do not need to be manually scanned.
Thank you for choosing Intego.
[jeffeyer,]
The important thing to realize - as noted below - is that the MyDoom
(and other PC based email viruses) don't affect the Macintosh platform.
______
w32/Mydoom is PC based email virus that does not effect the Mac platform.
Systems effected:
Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows Server 2003,
Windows XP
Systems not effected:
DOS, Linux, Macintosh, OS/2, UNIX, Windows 3.x
Netsky is a PC based email virus that does not effect the Mac platform.
The virus is also called: W32/Netsky.b@MM, W32/Netsky.B.worm,
WORM_NETSKY.B, Moodown.B, I-Worm.Moodown.b
Systems effected:
Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows XP
Systems not effected:
Linux, Macintosh, UNIX, Windows 3.x
___________
Have you received a returned email that looks like you sent it - when
in reality that is not the case at all??
If you are running the most recent VirusBarrier virus definitions, and
you have scanned your computer and no viruses were found - then you
don't have a virus.
The important thing to realize - as noted below - is that the MyDoom
(and other PC based email viruses) don't affect the Macintosh platform.
Those returned emailed are coming from a person with a PC - who is
infected with the virus - who has you in their email address book.
YOU are not sending those emails from your computer.
____
First, it is important to note how PC viruses work.
What you might be seeing - strange emails with files attached, and
returned emails that you did not send - are the symptoms of many
email-based PC viruses.
If someone with a PC is infected with one of these email based viruses
(like w32/Mydoom) and has your email address on their computer, the
virus can grab your email address and use it as the sender when it
emails the virus to the rest of the collected addresses. This virus
type has the ability to auto-send itself from a computer, by using
this computer's address book. The virus can also pretend to be anyone
contained within this address book.
But only on PCs.
This means that a friend or relative of yours, or anyone who'd have
your e-mail address within his/her address book has been infected by
the virus, and the virus either arrived in your mailbox or sent itself
pretending to be you (your e-mail address). This person is also using
a PC.
I'd like to point out that VirusBarrier cannot scan emails within your
mailbox, you must first save or open any attachment onto your hard
drive to enable VirusBarrier to detect and eradicate the virus within
the saved/opened file.
But when you come across an email which has the generic characteristic
of an email-based PC virus (curious subject wording like "How are
you?", or attachment with double extensions ".html.pif" for instance),
you should simply delete the email, without bothering to save the
attachment.
Luckily, the files which come with these emails are not
executable/usable on a Mac, although Mac users can spread the viruses
by emailing the infected file(s) to a PC user. If you receive an email
with an unknown attachment - it is best not to forward it to anyone
else.
_______
Second, Intego VirusBarrier scans files on your computer when they are
written, used or opened. As soon as you do something with a file, it
is scanned immediately, and if Intego VirusBarrier detects a virus,
the file or application will be disinfected or rendered inoperable.
Viruses in your email mailbox are not harmful to your computer until
you activate the file - open it, save it to your disk, etc. - which is
the point at which VirusBarrier scans the file.
VirusBarrier is ALWAYS on and watching for changes on your hard drive
- even when the application interface is not open.
VirusBarrier does not scan e-mails: only files that physically exist
on a hard drive (whether at opening because they're placed in a "temp"
folder, or at saving onto the disk) can be scanned and repaired with
VirusBarrier.
VirusBarrier scans ALL new files as soon as they physically exist on
the hard drive - they do not need to be manually scanned.
Thank you for choosing Intego.
I have Mac OSX and WinXP.
The reason for fewer viruses for Mac is simple - virus writers are looking for ways to destroy the majority, not the minority. They know that it's hard to spread viruses if it can infect only 2% of computers. Since 90% of computers are Wintel, they know they can spread easily by targeting Wintels.
It has nothing to do with MacOSX being secure. MacOSX has plenty of security holes, only that many don't take advantage of those holes.
-jeff
The reason for fewer viruses for Mac is simple - virus writers are looking for ways to destroy the majority, not the minority. They know that it's hard to spread viruses if it can infect only 2% of computers. Since 90% of computers are Wintel, they know they can spread easily by targeting Wintels.
It has nothing to do with MacOSX being secure. MacOSX has plenty of security holes, only that many don't take advantage of those holes.
-jeff
http://software.silicon.com/security/0,39024655,39123797,00.htm
and also...
see my signature, click the link(goes to Mozilla.org) to find the link that goes to US-CERT (Homeland Security's division)
see this news too: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/06/ams_goes_windows_for_warships/
Mac OS X is open source and based on *nix. more secure out of box than windows!
and also...
see my signature, click the link(goes to Mozilla.org) to find the link that goes to US-CERT (Homeland Security's division)
see this news too: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/06/ams_goes_windows_for_warships/
Mac OS X is open source and based on *nix. more secure out of box than windows!