View Full Version : MAC Question
wlffnepa
2008-12-31, 05:47
I don't know it this is appropriate or not and if it is not I am sorry and please delete it.
I have seen many discussions about the whole MAC vs PC (Windows) thing all over the Internet and in stores and was wondering form everybody out there...
Who has a MAC and have you had any virus, spy ware, etc. problems and if so how easy were they to remove? Have you ever used a PC and if so do you find them more vulnerable than the MAC?
drragostea
2008-12-31, 07:06
I'll just throw in my two cents. Whether to choose a Apple Mac or a Windows OS is your choice. Every motives vary from person to person, depending on taste, experience, and goals (as in to use the computer just for simple word processing or professional design, etc.).
(These are just my perspectives, and I'm keeping it simple)
Some users will find the Windows OS simple to use because it is very easy to install and work around. For those who want to explore and go advanced, a Mac might do well. The iMac isn't exploited as much as the Windows, but it doesn't mean it's invincible.
To sum it up, it is up to you to decide. No one knows your machine better than you.
I'm a PC. :laugh:
Tashi, did you start New Year's early this year? :beerbeerb:
@bitman, :p: always preferred Windows.
http://imapc.lifewithoutwalls.com/ :clown:
I don't know it this is appropriate or not and if it is not I am sorry and please delete it.
I have seen many discussions about the whole MAC vs PC (Windows) thing all over the Internet and in stores and was wondering form everybody out there...
Who has a MAC and have you had any virus, spy ware, etc. problems and if so how easy were they to remove? Have you ever used a PC and if so do you find them more vulnerable than the MAC?
Back on topic. Since you're not that likely to find those owning a MAC here, I'll give you my observations.
Though both the Windows and Linux (OS X) operating systems contain similar numbers of vulnerabilities, the number of actual Windows PC systems is obviously larger, making them a much larger and easier to hit target. The following links provide information relating to vulnerabilities for both the Apple OS X and Windows Vista OS over the last year, for which the number of remotely exploitable vulnerabilities are similar.
Vulnerability Report: Apple Macintosh OS X
http://secunia.com/advisories/product/96/?task=statistics_2008
Vulnerability Report: Microsoft Windows Vista
http://secunia.com/advisories/product/13223/?task=statistics_2008
This article also discusses a different measure of vulnerabilities, time to patch, or how quickly a vendor patches a critical vulnerability once discovered:
Windows vs. Apple Mac OS X vs. Red Hat Linux
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windows-vs-Apple-Mac-OS-X-vs-Red-Hat-Linux-82966.shtml
Unfortunately, the updating systems for earler versions of Windows were either manual or defaulted to off, resulting in many of these vulnerabilities being left unpatched by most users. Since the largest number of users still have Windows XP, this means the largest number of computer users ever are often unpatched (see the Malware Forum here for proof), even though the required patches may have been available for months or even years.
This large number of systems along with the well known lack of patching means that those wishing to exploit computers for bot net or other purposes have an obvious target. In contrast, the smaller number of Apple MAC systems actually running OS X (some can also run Windows) is so small that the time spent to create exploits for vulnerabilities would have little payback.
What seems to be going unnoticed, however, is that many of the current attacks have turned to social engineering including Phishing, which are OS agnostic. This means that it's the user who is vulnerable, so OS vulnerabilites often mean nothing, especially where it's personal details which are being requested. Since there's no simple way to coorelate those affected to the type of PC or OS they use, it's not known who might be affected more.
So to summarize, a properly patched and secured Windows PC will still potentially be attacked more often than a similar MAC OS X system, but as long as the exploits are patched the vulnerability attacks should be unsuccessful. The real issue is whether the individual using the system has (had) the OS patched, configured and secured properly.
Bitman
@bitman, :p: always preferred Windows.
http://imapc.lifewithoutwalls.com/ :clown:
At least I know you're not banging into any walls, since you don't have any... :laugh:
:D:
Did you see this article: Mac versus Windows vulnerability stats for 2007 (http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=758)
No, I hadn't. But after linking to some other articles that questioned the methodology, I discovered this article that gives a good balanced view of its subject, which is really more important than the specific comparison of relative 'security' between the platforms.
Why Windows users don’t switch to Mac (http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=847&tag=rbxccnbzd1)
Bitman
I discovered this article that gives a good balanced view of its subject, which is really more important than the specific comparison of relative 'security' between the platforms.
The real issue is whether the individual using the system has (had) the OS patched, configured and secured properly.
Exactly. :bigthumb:
wlffnepa
2009-01-02, 19:59
Everybody, thanks for your input and the links. It was a big help.