The Macintosh has become a tantalizing challenge for hackers precisely because it is seen as somewhat unimpenetrable. A report from TechNewsWorld also indicates that, although the virus free image of the Mac is a big feature in Apple’s advertising, that perception may not be altogether accurate.
This past May Internet Security Systems, a security vendor, found that there were three times as many vulnerabilities for the Macintosh then there were for Windows. Some have referred to this trend as Mac becoming the Apple of hackers’ eyes.
As you would expect, this growing interest has translated into the discovery of even more Mac vulnerabilities. McAfee found that vulnerabilities for Mac went up 228 percent, while for Windows they only increased 78 percent. Of course some of this percentage can be explained by the fact that Mac also starts with a much lower number of vulnerabilities (there are 2,000 known viruses for the Mac, compared to 70,000 for the PC).
It was in February 2006 that the first worm created for Mac OS X was discovered, named OSX/Leap.A, which is an instant messaging worm capable of infecting the Mac.
This increase is party due to the Mac’s success, as the Mac has seen double digit growth, as well as the growth in iPod and iTunes. The increase can also be attributed to sheer boredom, as hackers have been focusing on Windows for so long, Apple simply presents a new challenge.
There is good news in all this, for both platforms. The fact is, the number of serious problems resulting form virus attacks have dropped considerably. In 2004, McAfee counted 48 virus outbreaks of at least moderate severity, and in 2005 that number dropped to 12, and this year stands at zero. Let’s hope it stays that way.
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