Apple vs. Windows: Debunking the Myth, Macs don’t get Viruses.

Posted by The Marksman at 28 May, at 11 : 01 AM Print

This debate has been a hot button discussion for probably the last twenty years or so, and has heated back up recently with Apple’s resurgence on the scene.  It all really geared back up with the popularity of the iPod and subsequent launch of the iPhone, they used the popularity of those to reintroduce their products to the world.

Apple’s strategy has largely worked as Microsoft fumbled at the goal line with Windows Vista, and are trying to make a fourth quarter comeback with Windows 7.  I have worked in the Information Technology Field for 10 years, and I find it comical when people recommend something based solely off of marketing, or a biased opinion.

This discussion has so many facets to it that it will take multiple articles to truly give it justice, and hopefully if you are thinking of what to buy for your next computing device you can make an informed decision.  In this article we will tackle the “Macs don’t get viruses” phrase that I constantly hear people spout off all too often.

According to several studies Windows 7 was vulnerable to seven out of ten viruses that are circulating the internet that is a fairly accurate figure.  If you notice three out of ten viruses are written to infect other operating systems, which the MAC OS X is one of them.  So the statement “Macs don’t get viruses” is not true, and I would caution anyone who buys something because they heard they do not get viruses.

The reason people say this is because well Mac computers do not get infected with viruses very often, and it is a rare occurrence, so the illusion is that there is some sort of impenetrable fortress around the Mac.  The real reason the Mac does not get infected with many of the viruses floating around today is for a simple reason.

Microsoft Windows has the largest market share in the operating system market, so what does that mean?  If you want to catch a fish you go to the pond that has the most fish in it, and right now Apple does not have the largest market share in the desktop computing market.  As more people switch and the market share grows you will see more and more viruses start to materialize for the Apple Operating System.  Another fact to consider is why would they sell Anti-virus software for Mac if the machines did not get them?  All the major Anti-virus companies have software for the Apple Operating system.

Another factor is Apple didn’t actually write the current Mac OS. Instead, Apple threw out its OS in the late 1990s, bought a UNIX-based operating system and prettied it up. So what, right? Well, as a UNIX variant, Mac OS is pretty rough on self-replicating viruses.  This is a good thing for users of Apple products, but like anything else the people that write viruses and such adjust.

Viruses are no longer the biggest threat to desktop computing, malware, Trojans, and spyware programs which are target to the browser being used have become the biggest problem for computer users.  These programs get on computers in a variety of ways, Facebook, advertisements on WebPages, emails, and it almost does not matter what operating system you are running.

The truth is easy; people get viruses, malware, and spyware.  Neither the Windows, Apple, or Linux operating systems go out on their own and start downloading spyware.  People need to be more responsible computer users, and stop clicking on potentially dangerous items and putting their personal bank account information into a well designed scam.  No operating system in the world can protect people when they make bad decisions while using a computer; people perceive it to be a problem with Windows when it really is not.

Could Microsoft do more?  Well with Windows 7 they included a free virus scanning and firewall program, but once again those are only as good as the person using the machine.  They could lock things down, and restrict you more, but you paid your money so why should you not be able to do what you want?

In the end you will encounter less viruses while using the Mac OS (for now), but as time goes on there will be more and more threats to your computer and information.  No matter which operating system you choose to use, just be smart and think before clicking on that link your friend sent to you about the dancing cat (Do you really need to see it?).  Also NEVER put any personal information into a form you receive in an email, and remember these types of attacks are not OS specific which is how all of the new computing threats are being deployed.

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