BBC warns Mac users to stay secure

[engine]

A leading technology writer has issued stark warning to Mac users to take an active stand to protect themselves against viruses and malware.

He warns that despite the relative scarcity of Mac-affecting Internet-borne threats, there is no reason to be complacent.

[macworld.co.uk...]

[sonjay]

I found lots of opinion -- but not much in the way of facts -- in that article. The one "fact" I could find was a reference to the "world's first-ever virus was a Mac-only one." The link tells me that virus is 25 years old and was specific to the Apple II computer -- which was not a Mac. And even if it was a Mac, it would have been running an OS completely different from what today's Macs run.

So we have an article with one single fact in it, which is both wrong and misleading. The rest is unsupported opinion. When will it be time to stop being smug?

[whoisgregg]

What Mac OS X anti-virus software out there can scan for an unknown virus or worm which will use a so far unconceivable delivery mechanism?

[sonjay]

Exactly so, whoisgregg. In order for any anti-virus program to be effective, there has to be both a virus for the program to find and a virus definition to find it with. To date, neither exists for MacOSX. We could run a dozen anti-virus programs on our machines, and they would be exactly as effective as going bare. ;)

[Leosghost]

Unfortunately what most of the BBC's tech correspondents/presenters ..especially Heather Payton ( recently PR spammed in her own prog by googles head of PR ..Ireland ..about google books being in "authors interests and supported by the majority of authors worldwide" ;)))

(Heather just rolled on her back ..paws in the air and said "of course" .."a lot" ..)

actually know about their subject could be written on the back of a Celeron 400 and still leave room for the their IT credentials as written presumably by themselves in their own cv's ..and that written in 24 pt ..

Or maybe it's just that they are too cosy with those who buy them lunch and submit the expense account details at the "plex" or "Redmond"..

The Beeb does have good IT and tech programs ( "in touch" for example ..presented by possibly the best radio presenter anwhere ..Peter White. BTW he is blind since birth ..superb radio presenter ).but they are not billed as such ..nor do their presenters think they are "stars"..

I like the Beeb radio 4 ..listen to it average 8 hours per day ..most of the tech is ill informed regurgitation of someones PR or anti PR ..shame ..

[akmac]

From the Late Victor Borge:

"My father invented a cure for which there was no disease."

[Don_Hoagie]

Interesting info Leosghost... nice to know who's behind such articles.

But, just in case, I'd better listen to the article and prep my Mac to stay secure...

(sips a Fresca and scratches butt)...

ok, we're good here.