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People think Macs are virus-free because Apple spent years telling them were. Example ad, with John Hodgman as the Windows guy with a virus. https://www.youtube

People think Macs are virus-free because Apple spent years telling them were. Example ad, with John Hodgman as the Windows guy with a virus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3Z386vXrt4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3Z386vXrt4

threeseed 9y ago
This notion existed far before that ad came out. It's a combination of a few things: (1) why bother investing time and resources for a platform with around 10% of users and (2) OSX has had strong security mechanisms e.g Gatekeeper, XProtect, App Sandbox. Windows 10 is much better but unfortunately not everyone is on that OS yet.
- wfunction 9y ago
  > Windows 10 is much better but unfortunately not everyone is on that OS yet. Implying Windows 8.1 has security problems... what are they?
  - freehunter 9y ago
    Every OS has security problems, and every new OS incorporates fixes to them. If you're looking for specifics, a quick Google search can help there: http://www.csoonline.com/article/3044089/data-protection/the-best-new-security-features-of-windows-10.html http://www.csoonline.com/article/3044089/data-protection/the...
  - andrewflnr 9y ago
    Some of these: http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvekey.cgi?keyword=windows+8.1 http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvekey.cgi?keyword=windows+8.1 though I'll grant most of the ones on the front page at least are basically just "everything from 7 on".
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
RandVal30142 9y ago
What makes it even worse is they carried this over into a support FAQ stating the OS didn't come with an antivirus because X-security features. If anyone remembers the vintage of this I'd love to dig an archived copy up.
- linopolus 9y ago
  Depending on whom you ask, having an antivirus may actually be more harmful than not, as it digs deep into the system potentially opening more holes, while not providing much protection due to the reliance on signatures. Heuristics is not yet there to be useful.
onion2k 9y ago
Another reason that there may be a perception that OSX is safer these days is that most users only buy software directly from Apple through the app store.

threeseed 9y ago

This notion existed far before that ad came out. It's a combination of a few things: (1) why bother investing time and resources for a platform with around 10% of users and (2) OSX has had strong security mechanisms e.g Gatekeeper, XProtect, App Sandbox. Windows 10 is much better but unfortunately not everyone is on that OS yet.

wfunction 9y ago
> Windows 10 is much better but unfortunately not everyone is on that OS yet. Implying Windows 8.1 has security problems... what are they?
- freehunter 9y ago
  Every OS has security problems, and every new OS incorporates fixes to them. If you're looking for specifics, a quick Google search can help there: http://www.csoonline.com/article/3044089/data-protection/the-best-new-security-features-of-windows-10.html http://www.csoonline.com/article/3044089/data-protection/the...
- andrewflnr 9y ago
  Some of these: http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvekey.cgi?keyword=windows+8.1 http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvekey.cgi?keyword=windows+8.1 though I'll grant most of the ones on the front page at least are basically just "everything from 7 on".

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

RandVal30142 9y ago

What makes it even worse is they carried this over into a support FAQ stating the OS didn't come with an antivirus because X-security features. If anyone remembers the vintage of this I'd love to dig an archived copy up.

linopolus 9y ago
Depending on whom you ask, having an antivirus may actually be more harmful than not, as it digs deep into the system potentially opening more holes, while not providing much protection due to the reliance on signatures. Heuristics is not yet there to be useful.

onion2k 9y ago

Another reason that there may be a perception that OSX is safer these days is that most users only buy software directly from Apple through the app store.