Super Immunity!

[Binary Ranger]

I'm really not trying to start a whole Windows vs. Macintosh vs. Linux thing here, but I have heard the old adage: "Mac's don't get viruses". Naturally, I must conclude that this is false since there was a reported case of over 600,000 mac infections some time last year I believe.

What I want to know is, what exactly makes the Mac superior to the common computer virus? I've heard two prominent theories:

1. No one cares about creating viruses for the Mac because it isn't popular enough to target.

2. Mac is constructed of xeno like material and programming that make it immune to human infections.

Now, can someone please confirm this for me? If not someone, preferably a group of people. What exactly makes the Mac less likely to get a computer virus?

 

[carnageX]

Mac is BSD based (i.e. Unix rather than Linux), which helps prevent it from getting a majority of the viruses out there. However, your number 1 point is the closet. Mac doesn't have the market share for people to write viruses for it.

Think about it, if you're a virus programmer, and you want the potential to make the most profit / largest hit, you'll want to go for the largest market share right? What would that be? Windows.

 

[Jackel1337]

This is a good topic... here is food for thought, if you dont download/install 3rd party apps, and you only get them off the app market for apple, you will never get a virus, same with linux.

- Jackel1337

 

[Binary Ranger]

So I guess you could say that it's the epitome of user friendliness? You know, for your "typical" PC user.

 

[Jackel1337]

well... every os does the same thing... gives you just enough rope to hang yourself with.

 

[Binary Ranger]

I meant at least with Mac you didn't have to worry as much about some idiot clicking on a link, thinking he was going to get a free PS3, only to find out next time he boots his computer he keeps getting an error message in DOS.

EDIT-

Actually, a better example would be torrents. A lot of stupid people use torrents nowadays, and then they wonder why their computer got a serious infection. All to get the latest Nickelback album too. It's so sad and so hilarious at the same time...

 

[Matt77]

I use torrents, but im not stupid. I save to a flash drive, and scan first

 

[Binary Ranger]

I use torrents, but im not stupid. I save to a flash drive, and scan first

I meant stupid people use torrents, not that everyone who uses torrents is stupid.

 

[carnageX]

I meant at least with Mac you didn't have to worry as much about some idiot clicking on a link, thinking he was going to get a free PS3, only to find out next time he boots his computer he keeps getting an error message in DOS.

EDIT-

Actually, a better example would be torrents. A lot of stupid people use torrents nowadays, and then they wonder why their computer got a serious infection. All to get the latest Nickelback album too. It's so sad and so hilarious at the same time...

A lot of the exploits that have been for Mac are through Java, Quicktime, or Safari. 2 of those are Apple's own products, the other being Oracle (which sucks as well).

Apple has been notoriously bad for taking forever to patch critical security flaws as well.

 

[Binary Ranger]

Apple has been notoriously bad for taking forever to patch critical security flaws as well.

Not to mention overcharging you in the first place amirite?

Of course, there are always ways around such things. From what I've learned if you can get a Mac for a decent price (sounds like the intro to a bad/funny joke) and have an actual working knowledge of computers, you can make use of the Mac's features. Of course, I am not someone with said working knowledge. I'm just restating something something a friend told me.