One of Mac’s Key selling points was that the system was virus-free. This was largely to do with it’s programming and management system, but also had a part in it’s lack of marketshare. Back in February 2006, Mac users were warned of Leap-A worm which spread itself through bundled software iChat, the worm was easy to avoid so didn’t affect it’s track record.

Suddenly at the end of last month (November 08) Apple posted this message on their website:

“Apple encourages the widespread use of multiple antivirus utilities so that virus programmers have more than one application to circumvent, thus making the whole virus writing process more difficult.”

Are they gearing up for something? Do Apple know something we don’t? Even PC users are told to use an antivirus program, rarely more… Apple users are recommended to use multiple utilities.

I can see 3 possibilities:

1. The fact there wasn’t an outbreak was down to luck rather than skill and their law-conscious people have decided to step away from the edge and play it safe in the wood chip with the other personal computers.
2. There is already an outbreak and they want to quench it before it spreads and destroys their reputation.
3. They need to pay for their iPhone advertising booboo and found a good way to make some cash quickly. (interesting that all their suggestions are commercial and 2/3 are available from the apple store.)

I’m a PC, and I can download free software to keep virus’s and spyware in check. Apple users will have to purchase one of the following utilities:

Intego VirusBarrier X5, available from the Apple Online Store
License: commercial

Symantec Norton Anti-Virus 11 for Macintosh, available from the Apple Online Store
License: commercial

McAfee VirusScan for Mac
License: commercial

I love being smug, but on a serious note. Virus’s are not a good thing to have on your computer. Besides slowing down your system, they can watch your keystrokes and report back to a database without you knowing. This way, hackers can gain access to your banking details regardless of security, email passwords, website passwords, credit card details and paypal accounts. They also have the potential to access sensitive or personal documents from your computer remotely… all without you knowing.

PC Users can download AVG for free, I highly recommend this one as it has not let a single file through.

Mac users <snigger> your recommended options are above.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008 at 5:07 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.