Mac users may be a new target for computer worms and viruses

By Adam Balkin, www.news8austin.com, March 1, 2006

Home computers that use Microsoft Windows are generally referred to as PCs, while Macs are made by Apple. PC users worry about viruses, worms and that sort of thing, while Mac users generally don't.

Or should we say "didn't," until three vulnerabilities gained publicity all in the span of a week.

"We're looking at one vulnerability in Apple's Safari browser, and two worms that can attack Macs across a network," Matthew Rothenberg, the Editor-in-Chief of eWeek Magazine, said. "There's one that affects the instant messaging between Macs, and another worm that affects wireless connections. They can go in and put on files that'll interfere with your performance. Once you get in there you can fish out all sorts of information and do all kinds of nasty work."

But before we decide whether these three vulnerabilities are a sign of more of the same to come, we have to first look at why Macs weren't really targeted in the past and what may've changed to now make them more of a target.

Tekserve is an independent repair and retail shop that deals almost exclusively in Apple products. Apple experts here are among those who believe with anywhere from just three to 15 percent of computer users worldwide on Macs, it's vastly easier for hackers to create a virus that'll spread far and quickly on the Windows machines that are in the majority of homes and offices.

"Mac viruses wouldn't be able to propagate from computer to computer because you'd need to find another Mac out there," Aaron Freimark of Tekserve said. "I think the popularity of the iPod is making Apple more of a target. Of course, Apple's in the news a lot, and if the motivation of the people who write viruses is to try and gain that sort of pseudo popularity, then it is going to happen a bit more, I believe."

Mac users are also quick to insist their computers just aren't as easy to break into.

"It doesn't have all of the holes that are open, all of the security vulnerabilities that, say, Windows has when you first open it up," Freimark said. "It doesn't have file sharing turned on, for example, it doesn't automatically execute things that are in your email, for the most part."

But the same rules apply for Mac users: Don't open strange documents or email attachments; keep your operating system up to date, and that long-standing belief that you don't need any anti-virus software because Macs just aren't attacked like PCs are? It may be time to change that way of thinking.

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