Mac users safe no more

For the past two decades Macintosh users have been able to look with pity upon PC users struggling against torrents of computer viruses, trojans, worms, phishing and other assorted nastiness - what we now call malware.

Macs are still untroubled by the thousands of threats that swirl around PCs like clouds of malarial mosquitoes. Some say there are 30,000 of them, others more.

But organised criminals, sensing victims and bounty, have thrust the original prankster script kiddies aside and internet fraud is now on a grand scale - a multibillion-dollar industry.

The consensus continues that Macs will remain less vulnerable than PCs, partly because of their architecture and partly because virus makers aim to get the biggest hit they can from the largest number of computer users.

Spurred by surging sales of iPods and iPhones, the Macs' share of the global personal computer market has been rising rapidly. Industry analysts estimate that Apple now has about 10 per cent of the US market, up from about 4 per cent a couple of years ago.

Does this make Macs suddenly more vulnerable? A post on the iMUG forum (http://imug.com.au) recently said that an acknowledged expert on malware has predicted that threats against Macs will become more prevalent towards the end of this year. Maybe, maybe not. Yet, that the scene is changing cannot be denied.

All of us, whether we use a Mac or a PC, are vulnerable to phishing and fraud, including social engineering attacks, such as fake messages from banks asking you to "update your account details".

The golden rule of email is: if you do not recognise the sender, do not open the message. Trash it immediately.

Security expert Rich Mogull recently cautioned against panicking over reports of increased dangers for Mac users. He suggests first looking at the source of the report. If it is a press release from an anti-virus company, check further.

Also check on how new the story is. Reports last week about a vile Mac botnet were based on the January story about malware hidden in pirated copies of iWork and Photoshop. And if you download illegal software, music or video you are risking trouble.

So Mac people do need to think about anti-virus protection, but think calmly, and if you are seriously worried, take advice. Experienced counselling is readily available. Just join a Macintosh user group. Google for their websites.

Installing anti-virus software is now advisable, but essential if you run Windows under Parallels or VMWare Fusion. Symantec's Norton v11.0 offers both Mac and Windows protection in a single package and Virex, now called McAfee VirtusScan for Mac, has long been popular with Mac users. Intego VirusBarrier X5 is more expensive but also more Macintosh oriented, but it looks after Windows, too.

There is also freeware. Of these, PCTools' iAntiVirus for the Mac is probably the best-known and most capable.

- © Fairfax NZ News