4 ms·
Have they? (Honest question.)
by tomflack 14y ago
Have they? (Honest question.)
- uxp 14y agoI would argue that yes, they have. They removed the copy on their website that claimed that "Macs don't get PC Viruses"[1]. They disabled automatic execution of Java Applets in response to Flashback[2]. The introduction of Gatekeeper and the App Store model shows their intention for reducing the vectors average users can install random software (which reduces rogue installations like Flashback). ASLR is fully implemented in Lion now, and the inclusion of FileVault 2 suggests they are aware of and trying to mitigate offline attacks[3] Regardless if you think this is enough, it does show that they are doing something. For every couple steps forward in closing a security issue, issues such as this article show that more could be done. Security is hard, no OS or company will ever be Perfectly Secure(tm). Apple is not "doing nothing". Claiming that they aren't is an uneducated answer, claiming that they could do more and be more transparent about it is a more valid argument. [1] http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/06/mac_viruses/ http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/06/mac_viruses/ [2] http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5242 http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5242 [3] http://www.securitynewsdaily.com/960-apple-mac-osx-lion-security.html http://www.securitynewsdaily.com/960-apple-mac-osx-lion-secu...
- sidewalksuper 14y agoI would also argue that with iOS, they have the safest (big) mobile OS available as well. ASLR and DEP have long been implemented and with iOS 6 they are also implementing Kernel ASLR. Almost everything is sandboxed and there are no known viruses out there (for devices that haven't been jailbroken). Jailbreaks are still possible (like you said nothing is perfectly secure), but have been slowed down to a point where hackers wait for a big OS release, before they decide to burn the exploits.