Mac Operators Alerted to Increasing Virus Threat

According to Panda Security, since the market share for Mac is relatively small, the company's products have been outside the preferred targets of people who create malware. However, as Mac finds more-and-more buyers and the number of threats targeting it arrive straight from the World Wide Web instead of via local files these may make Mac users more susceptible.

Elaborating on why Mac vulnerabilities are increasing, Panda Security stated that scareware and phishing scams were dependent more on victims' trust instead of malware. Consequently, these potentially imposed a risk on nearly every PC-user.

According to the security company, there're currently 5,000 different pieces of malware which attack the Mac and that it (Panda) comes across 500 fresh samples specific to Mac each month. CIO published this on October 22, 2010.

A greater number of security flaws are also getting uncovered that target Mac. During 2009, 34 flaws were identified within OS X that has increased to 175 till date. Incidentally, over the last 20 years, the platform has suffered a whopping 170,000 viruses.

CEO J.R. Smith of AVG the anti-virus firm stated that despite Mac being targeted with a far fewer number of malware programs, the danger did prevail and it potentially entered particularly through the browser. CNet News published this on October 20, 2010.

Notably, once nearly 2 years back, even Apple advised Mac users to load anti-malware software since according to Apple, Web-based malicious programs could easily compromise Mac. Nevertheless, the company fast withdrew its claim and took the advice off the Internet.

Importantly, hardly any dependable statistic exists on Apple's share in the market, while any which do exist, point to the United States consumers as the major buyers. As desktop PCs become less and less popular, the probability that Apple will have a 15% share in the market appears bleak. This scale is important as criminals' interest is largely driven with it.

Stated Senior Vice-President of Product Management Ivan Fermon for Panda Security, his organization was nearing that stage where it wouldn't take cyber-criminals long for enjoying certain financial viability in attacking Mac users. CNet New reported this.

Related article: Mac OS X Devoid of Malware, Vexing Experts

» SPAMfighter News - 10/30/2010