With Mac computers you won't get a virus when downloading mu

[nyg052003]

I heard that with a Mac pc or laptop you can download music and won't get a virus unlike getting one pretty easy on a regular computer. Is that so?

I am talking about p2p file sharing

[deltalima]

Downloading files from a P2P network is a big security risk, no matter what sort of computer is used.

The only safe way to download music is to purchase it from a reputable site or buy the music on CD.

[nyg052003]

Downloading files from a P2P network is a big security risk, no matter what sort of computer is used.

The only safe way to download music is to purchase it from a reputable site or buy the music on CD.

what about " watching" .........NOT " downloading " porn? can that give you a virus? I have seen where some things are instantly blocked from viewing as i guess it had a potential harm

[NonSuch]

If you are under the impression that Macs are invulnerable to malware attacks, you're wrong. That just isn't true, it's a myth perpetrated by naive and/or ill-informed individuals.

[Gary R]

Security by obscurity isn't really security at all. The only reason that Mac users do not report more Malware problems, is that so far they have not really been targeted. When they have, Macs have proved no more secure than any other OS.

[Gary R]

When targeted, it would appear that Macs are not so invulnerable after all ..... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17623422

[Wingman]

Using P2P to download songs opens any computer up to possible infection. Malware writers want the most "bang for their buck" so historically the software with the largest market share (Windows) has been the target.

As more people have gotten into using Apple (Mac) products, because they had been less likely to become infected... the malware writers have since determined that Mac or other Apple products having a good market share, are now worth the effort too.

The bottom line is unsafe surfing is just that... unsafe, no matter what platform you are using. Check the Apple forums... you'll see that they have their share of malware problems and security patches, as well.

[NonSuch]

Good points, Wingman and Gary. It should also be noted that although this latest variant of the Flashback Trojan has been observed attacking vulnerable Macs for the past couple of months, Apple did not provide a patch until just a couple of days ago.

The combination of Apple products becoming an increasingly viable target, along with Apple being slow to issue patches, does not bode well for Apple users... especially those who have bought into the fairy tale that Apple products are bulletproof.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/security/over ... ag=nl.e539

No user interaction required:

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/new-mac- ... ag=nl.e539

The nightmare scenario for Mac owners is here. At least 600,000 Macs worldwide have been infected, silently, by the Flashback Trojan, with no user interaction required. Here’s why this is just the beginning of a long-term problem.

[Wingman]

Just to point out some information from the links provided...

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/new-mac- ... ag=nl.e539

Macs are not immune. For years Apple owners have been told that Macs don’t get viruses, but we know that’s not true. And Apple’s casual approach to security updates makes them arguably more vulnerable to this sort of attack than other platforms. Like all operating systems, OS X has its share of vulnerabilities that can be exploited. In that May 2011 post, I looked at a single OS X update, which repaired 23 separate vulnerabilities:


Every one of the vulnerabilities in the April update had existed in OS X for a minimum of 18 months before being patched.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57410 ... -container

Excerpts from the article:
Security industry insiders have long known the Mac platform has its holes. The Flashback Trojan is the first in-the-wild issue that's confirmed this, and big-time. More will follow unless Apple steps up its game.
-------------------------------------
Apple has cultivated a myth about security on the Mac platform. The myth goes like this: Apple users don't need antivirus software. We're more secure than anything out there. Security worries are overblown.

In reality, Apple practiced security by obscurity with the Mac.
-------------------------------------
What's the problem here? Apple likes to pretend that its security is superior. The reality is that Apple hasn't had the market share to matter. That's quickly changing since the Mac platform is outgrowing PCs. Meanwhile, enterprises are adopting Macs too. As these Macs go corporate the honeypot looks a lot sweeter to hackers.