tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14162253.post114771163589169670..comments2024-03-27T08:39:28.807-06:00Comments on Wash Park Prophet: Windows, Macs and VirusesAndrew Oh-Willekehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02537151821869153861noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14162253.post-1147744096839386972006-05-15T19:48:00.000-06:002006-05-15T19:48:00.000-06:00There at least three factors that contribute to th...There at least three factors that contribute to the Mac's perceived security advantage: fewer vulnerabilities, better application of the principle of least privilege, and obscurity.<BR/><BR/>Windows, as well as other Microsoft software, has arguably had more vulnerabilities. However, there are some components that Windows, OS X, and many Linux distributions have in common, such as graphics libraries. An exploit was published not too long ago that could put a system at risk for simply displaying an image in a browser or email client.<BR/><BR/>The damage that can be done is usually proportional to the power of the user who has been compromised. If you can delete critical system files, then an image that you view in vulnerable browser can likely do so as well. Windows users, for both technical and social reasons, almost universally have administrative privileges that let them do a lot of damage, such as rendering the system unbootable. Mac users are generally limited to trashing their own data, which is hopefully backed up somewhere.<BR/><BR/>The Mac's smaller market share has probably afforded it a form of "security through obscurity." I don't know if the relationship between market share and virus share is logarithmic, linear, or exponential, but the increasing size of the targets virtually ensures that more attacks will hit the mark. Mac users should not assume that they are impervious to attack.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14162253.post-1147714053085235512006-05-15T11:27:00.000-06:002006-05-15T11:27:00.000-06:00Mac's Suck. You're just not technically saavy enou...Mac's Suck. You're just not technically saavy enough to realize it. <BR/><BR/>As soon as more people buy mac's, there will be more viruses for it. <BR/><BR/>Here is a really good example of why specifically they suck<BR/><BR/>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw-BGBdB2Qk&search=MacintoshAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com