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Thread ID: 117433 2011-04-18 14:39:00 Apple - Cheeky/false advertising? The Error Guy (14052) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1195426 2011-04-18 14:39:00 I recently saw this on the apple site (don't ask why I was there, I must have been feeling particularly insane :p) when I spotted this

cl.ly
cl.ly

Now, I know they are stating (implying) that Mac's don't get windows based viruses (and when I came back around a week later I found they updated it to say "windows" instead of just PC) however a mac is still a PC, a PC being a personal computer means that apple is rather false claim that apples don't get any virus's. At all.

There are Mac based viruses out there and the population is growing. To claim that mac does not get personal computer viruses is a very false claim. I wounder if I bought one in the US and it got a virus if I could file a lawsuit?

The fact that safari is usually the first or second browser to be hacked at pwn2own every year certainly instill great peace of mind about "security"

I think its this sort of behavior that could lead to a lot of people getting very nasty surprises in the future. Pretty much every mac owner I know readily lays down with their life that their mac is completely impenetrable to viruses and that they are safe. From everything, that included browser based attacks such as phishing and identity theft.

The fact is, apple instills a false sense of security. Windows owners are well aware of the risks and therefore tend to be more thoughtful with stuff. They aren't perfect but they think. Many times have I seen a mouse happy mac user clicking away at web ads and downloading random installers for the old "magic, fix it all" software. When I inform them that giving out info, downloading and visiting these sites are not really safe I get the usual reply "oh its fine! I have a mac. It doesn't get viruses"

I think its time apple really stopped playing the "no virus" card and actually teach some web/program safety. The message they send to the consumer is quite clear, that apple is 100% virus proof. In fact its not.

random note, according to one of my mates who does a lot of "playing" :devil with the school network it is possible to spoof the update server for Mac and download malicious code, which is installed as root user (from memory) Other than the fact that you have to be on the same local network I don't think there were any other requirements. We are eager to see if this works with Lion :D although I think is has something to do with the fact that the Macs are configured to use a proxy for the net.

Either way, cheeky apple.

</useless rant> You may now enjoy your lives.
The Error Guy (14052)
1195427 2011-04-18 20:05:00 Makes you wonder then why many of the AV companies, incl Symantec, Kaspersky, Avast etc all produce an antivirus program specifically for Macs? - Paul Ramon (11806)
1195428 2011-04-18 21:01:00 Friends had rust on their apples this year they might even have to cut the tree down. Of course apples get viruses gary67 (56)
1195429 2011-04-18 21:32:00 I was told some time back by one of Dad's mates that if I could find a Mac virus, he'd give me a sum of money (I think). If he challenged me again, I'd gladly take it up. :D pcuser42 (130)
1195430 2011-04-18 22:09:00 I was told some time back by one of Dad's mates that if I could find a Mac virus, he'd give me a sum of money (I think). If he challenged me again, I'd gladly take it up. :D

Easy money. :D
xyz823 (13649)
1195431 2011-04-18 22:42:00 Easy money. :D

Pretty sure the amount was quite sizable as well :D
pcuser42 (130)
1195432 2011-04-18 23:12:00 did you get your easy money pcuser42? icow (15313)
1195433 2011-04-19 00:48:00 did you get your easy money pcuser42?

Didn't bother at the time, I think I might have been 12 :p
pcuser42 (130)
1195434 2011-04-19 01:17:00 No matter the OS, if a computer has a user sitting in front of it, it's vulnerable. Windows is just the biggest target, like the golf-ball collector at the driving range. Apple has the same problems as any other software company, I'd go so far as saying that Safari is one of the worst modern browsers security-wise, sometimes being show on-par with IE6... but I digress.

If it has a processor, then there's every chance it can process malicious instructions.
ubergeek85 (131)
1195435 2011-04-19 02:13:00 If it has a processor, then there's every chance it can process malicious instructions.

Ever tried to infect a monitor? They have processors of sorts :p
pcuser42 (130)
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