Are Macs really immune from spyware/malware?

[zub3qin]

So I bought my Macbook this week, it should be here on Monday. I'm a switcher.

It couldn't have been more timely- yesterday my Dell (Win XP) got a real nasty malware/virus or something- first time ever. It has been a real pain trying to get the whole thing cleaned, despite running anti-virus, ad-aware, and various other things wasting 2 days time. I am ready to salvage my data and export that over to mac, and format the old laptop since I can't get it clean.

Anyway, my question is this- Evidently I got the malware from simply clicking on some link or going to some sort of website. Is this something I need to be aware of with Mac OS or can you surf anywhere you want without fear of getting hit with some sort of malware?

Thanks!

 

[Illicit]

the most you'll have to worry about from browsing are popups and unders.

 

[Mindcrime13]

i know, is really hard near impossible to get some spyware/virus software on a mac, with a mac processor, but im not sure on those new intell ones

 

[dswoodley]

Only to the ones made specifically for windows

 

[dartzorichalcos]

but im not sure on those new intell ones

Here is a quote from a Wikipedia article:

Virus code is specific to the operating system or environment it affects, not merely the processor type. PowerPC processors enforce some restrictions on the alignment of executable code, which could make exploiting certain vulnerabilities less difficult on an Intel CPU, however most modern Intel chips offer similar security features. One possible loss of security that is fundamental to the architecture is that the return address is passed on the stack in x86, unlike PowerPC, which have a special Link Register to store the return address, which is only pushed on the stack if the procedure calls another procedure, which makes buffer-overflow attacks easier on x86, though Mac OS X supports the XD bit which make it harder to actually cause a buffer-overflow attack to execute code. Regardless of CPU architecture, a user on Mac OS X is by default granted a lower level of privilege than on Windows XP. In the absence of a privilege escalation exploit, malicious software running under Mac OS X would only be able to damage files writable by a particular user, but not core system files. The same level of security is possible on Windows but it is much harder. Viruses that interact with the system at a very low level would also have to contend with a different system architecture, kernel, APIs and filesystem.

 

[zioxide]

i know, is really hard near impossible to get some spyware/virus software on a mac, with a mac processor, but im not sure on those new intell ones

The processor doesn't make a difference.

The thing that makes OS X more secure is the fact that it's UNIX based instead of using the ****** registry and stuff like Windows.

 

[skye12]

None. Zip. Nada. Had a Mac since the mid 90's and NEVER had spyware or a virus.

Spent less than 1 minute in 12 years dealing with the operating system
save PRAM resets once a month....welcome to freedom!

 

[zub3qin]

None. Zip. Nada. Had a Mac since the mid 90's and NEVER had spyware or a virus.

Spent less than 1 minute in 12 years dealing with the operating system
save PRAM resets once a month....welcome to freedom!

Maybe you don't go to the dangerous sites....

 

[CoachKrzyzewski]

you can get some minor spyware/stuff in internet cookies but it's usually nothing to worry about. Head over to apple.com and click the downloads link to get a free program to identify bad cookies and purge them. (I did this for the first time the other day on my year-old macbook and it only found 5...). Let me stress it's not a HUGE deal, but these things can slow down your computer at the least so it's good to get rid of them.

PS... lingo might be off, but I'm 2 minutes from getting out of work and don't care / am too tired.

 

[Mindcrime13]

The processor doesn't make a difference.

The thing that makes OS X more secure is the fact that it's UNIX based instead of using the ****** registry and stuff like Windows.

oh i dint know that! you learn something new everyday!

but like skye12 , i also have been a mac user since 90's and never had an issue with that stuff!

 

[CanadaRAM]

Right, but the question also asks about spyware.
Any program that you explicitly permit to be laoded on your machine, and issue it your password to install (such as a free game, or a greeting card player, or whatever) can then do pretty much whatever it wants, such as spying and phoning home (think about it - Apple and Adobe and most other applications automatically transmit out the internet, check for and download updaters without your say so)

So the Mac is not 'immune' to spyware. It is more or less immune to viral propogation of malware, other than malware that relies on an application scripting language like MS Word Macro viruses.

 

[AdeFowler]

zub3qin

There are currently no active instances of malware or virus for the Mac. However there almost certainly will be one day (though we've been hearing that for a few years now).

Use a bit of common sense and you'll be fine. Above all, enjoy your new mac

 

[MattJessop]

Yeah, there are about 40 known viruses for Mac OS X (none in circulation however - most are just proof-viruses) - compared with 140,000 for Windows.

That does NOT mean that they are immune to viruses and spyware. Just very less likely.

I mean, if you really want to be safe, i'd do weekly backups and have anti-spyware/virus checks once a month. But you most likely would be fine without either of them. It's just a precaution

Nothing is 100% proof. Except Steve Jobs Ego.

 

[skye12]

None. Zip. Nada. Had a Mac since the mid 90's and NEVER had spyware or a virus.

Spent less than 1 minute in 12 years dealing with the operating system
save PRAM resets once a month....welcome to freedom!

Yes, I pretty much go everywhere. The key is to NOT run any Microsoft
software at all...not office, word etc.

Msft stuff is crap-its that simple. A company in decline bound for extinction.
They should just dissolve co and give the money back to shareholders.
Ironically, this is what Dell said abut apple in the 90's. Funny how appl
mkt cap now is much larger than dell's.

 

[WannaGoMac]

Yes, I pretty much go everywhere. The key is to NOT run any Microsoft
software at all...not office, word etc.

Msft stuff is crap-its that simple. A company in decline bound for extinction.
They should just dissolve co and give the money back to shareholders.
Ironically, this is what Dell said abut apple in the 90's. Funny how appl
mkt cap now is much larger than dell's.

lol, silliest post in a while...
Microsoft bound for extinction, what land do you live in?

 

[beginner0]

Basically, if you don't run your computer in full-privileged user, then your computer should be pretty safe. Whether Windows or Mac. It's just that on Windows most people use an account with admin powers.

Also, not many viruses were written for Mac also partly because it's only became a lot more popular these years, so one day something will come up.