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Symantec: Mac users deluding themselves over security
MacCentral ^ | 09/19/2005 | Matthew Broersma

Posted on 09/19/2005 2:09:19 PM PDT by Panerai

Mac users are “operating under a false sense of security”, according to Symantec, and Firefox users will have to recognize that the open-source browser is currently a greater security risk than Internet Explorer.

Symantec’s latest Internet Security Threat Report, published Monday, found evidence that attackers are beginning to organize for attacks on the Mac operating system. Researchers also found that over the past six months, nearly twice as many vulnerabilities surfaced in Mozilla browsers as in Explorer.

“It is now clear that the Mac OS is increasingly becoming a target for the malicious activity, contrary to popular belief that the Mac OS is immune to traditional security concerns,” the report said.

Symantec said OS X - based on BSD Unix - now shares many of the security concerns affecting Unix users. “As Mac OS X users demand more features and implement more ports of popular UNIX applications, vulnerabilities and exploits targeting this operating system and its underlying code base are likely to increase,” Symantec said in the report.

The number of security bugs confirmed by Apple has remained about the same over the past two six-month reporting periods, with no widespread exploits, Symantec said. But an analysis of a rootkit called Mac OS X/Weapox - based on the AdoreBSD rootkit - indicates the situation might not last much longer. “While there have been no reports of widespread infection to date, this Trojan serves to demonstrate that as Mac OS X increases in popularity so too will the scrutiny it receives from potential attackers,” the report said. “Mac users may be operating under a false sense of security.”

(Excerpt) Read more at macworld.com ...


TOPICS: Technical
KEYWORDS: apple; cybersecurity; firefox; internetsecurity; propaganda; safari; symantec
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I would take this a lot more seriously if it did not come from Symantec, trying to get me to buy more of their products.
1 posted on 09/19/2005 2:09:23 PM PDT by Panerai
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To: Panerai

Uhmmmm Mac Central?


2 posted on 09/19/2005 2:11:24 PM PDT by DainBramage
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To: Panerai

Security is just a small reason why I use Macs. But I tell you what, in 8 years of using them I have never had mine down due to any virus.


3 posted on 09/19/2005 2:12:32 PM PDT by roostercogburn
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To: ShadowAce

FUD ping!


4 posted on 09/19/2005 2:12:53 PM PDT by JoJo Gunn (Help control the Leftist population. Have them spayed or neutered. ©)
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To: Panerai
the open-source browser is currently a greater security risk than Internet Explorer.

I would take this a lot more seriously if it did not include such preposterousities.

The fact (if it is one) that over the past six months, nearly twice as many vulnerabilities surfaced in Mozilla browsers as in Explorer doesn't imply "more security risk" at all.

Why does IE have vulnerabilities unpatched for months, and FF has them unpatched for hours?

5 posted on 09/19/2005 2:14:19 PM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: Panerai

I can't take this seriously at all. Just because the Firefox developers admit it when a bug is found and have it fixed within days, and Microsoft doesn't admit a bug exist untill there are exploits already taking over your pc before fixing doesnt mean firefox has more bugs.. It just means Firefox bugs are reported and fixed, while Internet Explorer Bugs are kept secret and only fixed when MS deems in necessary.


6 posted on 09/19/2005 2:15:28 PM PDT by viper592
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To: Panerai
Researchers also found that over the past six months, nearly twice as many vulnerabilities surfaced in Mozilla browsers as in Explorer.

Of course, that doesn't mean that IE is any safer.

7 posted on 09/19/2005 2:15:55 PM PDT by Rodney King (No, we can't all just get along.)
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To: Panerai

Beware the crime statistics quoted by a lock salesman.


8 posted on 09/19/2005 2:16:02 PM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: Panerai

They are telling us that MAC users are delusional, okay I can understand that point of view....lol


9 posted on 09/19/2005 2:16:03 PM PDT by stockpirate (If you are a John Kerry fan check out my about me page, you'll toss your lunch.)
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To: Panerai

Sounds like it came from Microsoft.


10 posted on 09/19/2005 2:16:16 PM PDT by RoadTest (Outlaw Korans; Proliferate Bibles (They're Good Reading))
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To: roostercogburn
Security is just a small reason why I use Macs. But I tell you what, in 8 years of using them I have never had mine down due to any virus.

In 22 years of using CP/M, MS-DOS and various flavors of Windows, I've never had a virus survive long enough to execute on any of my systems, much less take one down or even harm one. It's not all that hard to secure one's system.

Never used Macs; they don't run the software that I need to run and they're overpriced for what you get.

11 posted on 09/19/2005 2:16:28 PM PDT by Hank Rearden (Never allow anyone who could only get a government job attempt to tell you how to run your life.)
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To: Panerai

Sounds like it came from Microsoft.


12 posted on 09/19/2005 2:17:41 PM PDT by RoadTest (Outlaw Korans; Proliferate Bibles (They're Good Reading))
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To: Swordmaker

Symantec telling Mac users they are delusional over security ping


13 posted on 09/19/2005 2:21:44 PM PDT by Panerai
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To: roostercogburn
Security is just a small reason why I use Macs. But I tell you what, in 8 years of using them I have never had mine down due to any virus.

Security is just a small reason why I use a PC. But I tell you what, in 12 years of using them I have never had mine down due to any virus.

14 posted on 09/19/2005 2:22:31 PM PDT by BigSkyFreeper (Liberalism is a form of insanity)
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To: RoadTest

I am not a big fan of Microsoft either, but lets face it, when they had 80+% of the market they had 95% of the hackers looking to exploit them. Now that people have a decent choice and more and more of us switch then these other companies are finding out what its like to have thousands of people hacking their code instead of a dozen. People start seriously hacking hard enough and they will find close to as many vulnerabilities in Mac and FF, just watch the number of patches keep rising.


15 posted on 09/19/2005 2:26:27 PM PDT by Abathar (Proudly catching hell for posting without reading since 2004)
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To: BigSkyFreeper
Security is just a small reason why I use Macs. But I tell you what, in 8 years of using them I have never had mine down due to any virus.

Security is just a small reason why I use a PC. But I tell you what, in 12 years of using them I have never had mine down due to any virus.

You're both probably telling the truth. But I'll bet I know who worked harder.

16 posted on 09/19/2005 2:26:46 PM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: Hank Rearden
In 22 years of using CP/M, MS-DOS and various flavors of Windows, I've never had a virus survive long enough to execute on any of my systems, much less take one down or even harm one. It's not all that hard to secure one's system.

I've never even had the blue screen of death, but then again, I'm not loading a bunch of unneccesary gunk onto the system that brings it to a screeching halt.

17 posted on 09/19/2005 2:26:48 PM PDT by BigSkyFreeper (Liberalism is a form of insanity)
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To: Hank Rearden
Never used Macs...

I did not know that.

18 posted on 09/19/2005 2:27:48 PM PDT by 6SJ7
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To: Abathar
People start seriously hacking hard enough and they will find close to as many vulnerabilities in Mac

What do you base this bit of wisdom on, pray tell?

Sounds like the old "nobody wants to hack it because there's only 20 million (or whatever) machines out there" argument.

Which makes me wonder why there are viruses for freakin' CELL PHONES with 100k units out there?

19 posted on 09/19/2005 2:29:51 PM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: Izzy Dunne
You're both probably telling the truth. But I'll bet I know who worked harder.

If you said me, you're right. I make $50 an hour, and not one repeat customer.

20 posted on 09/19/2005 2:30:07 PM PDT by BigSkyFreeper (Liberalism is a form of insanity)
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