MAC virus?

naiLv · 01-04-2009, 12:51 AM

hi all,

Why is that MAC OS has no virus? i'd like to have an explanation about the OS security with Windows and MAC..

any comments pls.. i'm just really curious about it.. probably i'll switch to MAC someday...

sinclair_tm · 01-04-2009, 07:45 PM

THe main reason is that the user base is so small that it isn't cost effective to write a virus for them. Because there are so many people using Windows, a virus writer will be able to infect more people if they write them for Windows, so that is why there is so little for Mac OS. If Mac OS had the bigger market share, then it would have all the viruses, and Windows wouldn't have any.

naiLv · 01-04-2009, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sinclair_tm

THe main reason is that the user base is so small that it isn't cost effective to write a virus for them. Because there are so many people using Windows, a virus writer will be able to infect more people if they write them for Windows, so that is why there is so little for Mac OS. If Mac OS had the bigger market share, then it would have all the viruses, and Windows wouldn't have any.

i see.. now, i know. I thought that those geeks or virus developers would find it very difficult to crack a MAC.

Thanks for the info..

sinclair_tm · 01-05-2009, 10:00 AM

What I said is the main reason, but because the Mac OS is on a unix base, it is harder, but not impossible. The one or two out there are really exploits in other apps that run as part of the OS, like Quicktime, or require you to enter your admin password to install before they start working, all of which are proof of concept type things.

01-04-2009, 12:51 AM	#1 (permalink)
naiLv Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: PHILIPPINES Posts: 23 OS: Windows XP SP2	MAC virus? hi all, Why is that MAC OS has no virus? i'd like to have an explanation about the OS security with Windows and MAC.. any comments pls.. i'm just really curious about it.. probably i'll switch to MAC someday...