Mac OS X's Reputation for Security Wearing Thin

[Rotten Apples <major_debacle@yahoo.com>]

http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Security/Mac-OS-Xs-Reputation-for-
Security-Wearing-Thin-845683/

News Analysis: After Apple announced 18 security fixes to Mac OS 
X on Aug. 5, the reputation of the operating system as a more 
secure personal computing platform is starting to wear thin. Is 
it finally time for the company to admit that its operating 
system is as susceptible to security issues as Windows? Apple 
would be doing a good service to Mac users if it started 
advising its customers to pay closer attention to security 
before hackers have a chance to prove just how vulnerable Mac OS 
X can be.
Mac OS X is considered by some to be an extremely secure 
operating system. Those people claim that thanks to its many 
security features, users will be kept much safer using Apple's 
software, rather than risk it with Microsoft's Windows operating 
system. They claim that proof of that can be found in the sheer 
number of security vulnerabilities Microsoft has been forced to 
patch, compared with Apple. Those same people might be 
interested to know that that logic is starting to show itself 
for what it really is: a red herring.

Apple released an update to Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard earlier this 
week. Aside from better compatibility with Airport wireless 
systems and enhanced Bluetooth reliability, Apple released 18 
security fixes. Those security fixes encompass issues giving 
malicious hackers access to system files, the ability for third 
parties to exploit an image link to gain access to a user's 
computer, and more.

It's ironic that Apple, a company that has spent so much time 
and money railing against Microsoft for its security issues, was 
forced to release 18 security fixes to ensure its own operating 
system isn't exploited. On one hand, Apple should be lauded for 
releasing those security updates. After all, if it failed to 
address security issues that would put users at risk, it could 
only mean that Apple simply isn't doing its job. But it did 
patch those security issues, so perhaps it is.

But it's not the fact that Apple fixed its operating system that 
some might take issue with. Instead, it might be important to 
consider the fact that by perpetuating the myth that Mac OS X is 
extremely secure, it could lead to many more issues for Mac OS X 
users. In the process, it could cause Apple, a company that has 
historically stayed tight-lipped on security, to admit that Mac 
OS X just isn't the secure operating system some people think it 
is.

It's a Numbers Game
Security is a numbers game. The more people using an operating 
system, the greater the opportunity for malicious hackers to 
capitalize. That's one of the main reasons why Windows has been 
such a target. In the security space, more exploits mean more 
victims, which mean more cash. In essence, malicious hackers 
want to target the pool with the highest return. Historically, 
that has led them to Windows. Going forward, it will continue to 
be Windows, given its dominating position in the operating 
system market.

But Mac OS X is starting to gain some ground. Although Steve 
Ballmer has consistently said that Apple's gain in the OS space 
isn't important, hackers don't agree. They see an opportunity. 
They realize that Mac OS X is largely untested and thus probably 
quite vulnerable to security issues. They understand that there 
are few anti-virus and anti-spyware programs available to 
protect Mac OS X users. Most importantly, they realize that the 
culture that has been cultivated by Apple and its supporters 
makes Mac OS X an ideal target.

Resource Library:







Ignorance Is Bliss



When I discuss Mac OS X with people outside of the tech 
industry, the most common comment I hear is that Apple's OS is 
safer than Windows. They claim that "Macs don't have any virus 
or spyware issues." It's gotten so bad that a local computer 
store owner recently told me that if I'm looking to stay secure, 
I need to get rid of Windows and stick to a Mac.

I find those sentiments dangerous. Although I realize that Mac 
OS X has historically been more "secure," Apple's 18 security 
fixes tell a different story: Mac users are just as susceptible 
to security issues as Windows users.

But how did it get to such a point where people believe the 
rhetoric? Undoubtedly, it has stemmed from Apple.

Right now, on Apple's site, a security page offers a warning to 
potential Mac owners: "The Mac is designed with built-in 
technologies that provide protection against malicious software 
and security threats right out of the box. However, since no 
system can be 100 percent immune from every threat, antivirus 
software may offer additional protection."

I find that alarming. "Antivirus software may offer additional 
protection"? That doesn't sound like a ringing endorsement. In 
fact, it almost sounds like users won't even need it to stay 
secure. Contrast that with Microsoft's Security Essentials pack, 
its insistence on users changing habits and its support of users 
employing third-party security software, and it displays just 
how far ahead Microsoft is in recognizing security threats that 
impact us all.

Looking Ahead

But what about Mac OS X Snow Leopard? Will Apple make security a 
key component in its marketing strategy going forward? It's 
doubtful. That quote from Apple's security page? Yeah, that was 
featured on the company's Snow Leopard security page.

Yikes.

Snow Leopard will be Apple's most-tested operating system to 
date. With an increase in users and the belief on the part of 
hackers that Mac users ignore security problems, it could be a 
hotbed for hacker activity going forward. If that happens and 
Apple's security woes only get worse, what will it take for the 
company to finally wake up and realize that the myth of Apple's 
iron-tight security can't be believed?

Let's hope it's not a major security outbreak.