Virus scare a lesson for Apple

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Wednesday, 18 October 2006 23:00

Your IT - Entertainment

Some of them are quite likely to be owning Apple computers – you can run Windows very happily on them after all, and why not use a computer that gives you the best of both worlds? And then why not write viruses and spyware to take advantage of all those ‘invulnerable’ Mac users?

Will the big security companies start taking Macs more seriously?

Will Apple have to start bundling in a time limited trial of an Internet security package, as happens with most PCs today?

Will Apple be creating their own version of an Internet security package, as Microsoft has done with its One Care software?

What will Apple do if and likely when a big virus outbreak occurs on the Mac, potentially resulting in problems for internet connected Macs around the world?

Of course I’m concerned about people losing their data, people losing access to their Mac while it is being repaired and the lack of a proper Internet security package on many Macs out there. I’m also concerned for myself, as I plan to become a Mac owner myself in the not-too-distant future.

Given that Microsoft now offers their own One Care anti-virus, firewall, spyware detector and backup service for Windows XP and Windows Vista PCs at an additional cost, it’s time that Apple did something similar, or give their full backing to a company, or select group of companies, for rock-solid and reliable protection.

Perhaps the .Mac system which gives access to a .Mac email address, backup services, and more is the platform for Apple to do this. Perhaps it should be part of the iLife package, or just built into the next version of Mac OS X, version 10.5.

Users demand security these days, and if they all aren’t, the new virus hiding on a small batch of iPods may just make them start to worry. And if users really aren’t demanding better protection, one big virus or breach of security outbreak could see that change in a heartbeat.

Whether you believe Windows Vista will, in the final analysis, really be that much more secure that Windows XP or not is something we don’t know the answer to yet. But at least we know that Microsoft is working hard on this issue, and has publicly made security a No.1 priority.

With the coming release of Mac OS X 10.5 next year, let’s hope Apple has made as many improvements to security as possible, especially while they still have time before the new OS X is released to the world market.

Apple, we want to see more proactive leadership on security, no ads on TV that seem to make Macs appear invulnerable and no more viruses on iPods...  so that an Apple a day really does keep the doctor away. Good luck!