i have a friend who says that macs don't get viruses and i say they do, whats the truth?
2006-09-10 12:44:12 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Computers & Internet ➔ Other - Computers
While it's possible in theory, in reality they don't because it is very difficult to break through Mac security. There are no known viruses that affect Mac OS X. Zero. Many have tried. All have failed. Anyone who thinks I'm wrong is welcome to post documentation of at least one verified Mac virus. No computer security company has documented one to date.
The computer security companies (Symantec, McAfee, etc.) have been trying to come up with proof of concepts to show that Macs need their software too, but despite their expertise and resources, the best they've been able to come up with is a couple of trojans (a step below a virus) that couldn't manage to propagate beyond a local network. One group of researchers even got so desperate that they faked an exploit on a Macbook. See the link below.
Others are so desperate to claim the Mac just doesn't get attention that they disprove their own theory with the attention they pay to it. See the post by 'slander' above.
Edit: Chad, Mac users shouldn't be protecting PC users by wasting our processing cycles scanning for their viruses. If you want to help a PC user, get them to switch to the Mac.
2006-09-10 13:01:21 · answer #1 · answered by nospamcwt 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
There are viruses out there for Macs, just not many. Apple is also really good about security updates and patches so your chances of getting a virus on a Mac are slim to none. I have been using Macs for 6 years and never had a problem with viruses.
2006-09-11 01:41:09 · answer #2 · answered by It'sJustMe 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes .. Macs can get Viruses, however, there are fewer people trying to write virus programs for Mac because there are not as many out there.. If they make a virus for a regular PC .. it affects more computers .. many more computers. and that is what the person wants to do. But, definitely, there are viruses out there that can affect Macs .. I have read about them before.
2006-09-10 19:49:50 · answer #3 · answered by tysavage2001 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Even tho, there's no virus aiming at OS X, but as a good Samaritan, we should install a virus scanner, so we don't accidentally pass one to our Windows server. Don't you wish they do their own jobs?
nospamcwt .... LOL, it's just some of our Macs have to go thru Windows' server n' once the virus comes thru, it'd affect the server. So, even tho it doesn't harm our machines, we can't connect. Trust me, it's happened several times already. :-(
2006-09-11 02:30:59 · answer #4 · answered by chad 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes, but no one bothers to write a virus for so small a return. Its like declaring war on Luxenburg, why bother!
2006-09-10 19:51:10 · answer #5 · answered by Interested Dude 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Sure they do, But most people that are making the virus's, Are more interested in doing harm to Microsoft
2006-09-10 19:49:37 · answer #6 · answered by myothernewname 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
~ No virus on my Mac ... but they say very seldom http://antivirus.about.com/od/macintoshresource/
~ And I have my router do all my safe browsing on the net...
~ So maybe it is the way I connected my router http://www.pccitizen.com/router.htm
~ Or maybe I'm just lucky!!! (",)
2006-09-10 19:49:05 · answer #7 · answered by helpdesk916 ♦♣♠♥ 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
Well that person is wrong all puter can get virus's
2006-09-10 19:50:38 · answer #8 · answered by sugarbdp1 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
There have been a few in circulation
they get patched real quick
2006-09-10 19:49:29 · answer #9 · answered by a tao 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
http://www.ctrlaltdel-online.com/comic.php?d=20060513
2006-09-10 19:55:30 · answer #10 · answered by slander 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋