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Software Malware Hits OS X; No Major Damage
Tuan Nguyen (Blog) - February 16, 2006 1:59 PM
Print 22 comment(s) - last by .. on Feb 17 at 1:22 PM
But OS X users remain adamant that their system is highly secure and much less likely to suffer than a Windows system

Circulating reports are saying that Apple users have their first major case of malware infecting OS X. Understandably, OS X users rarely -- if ever -- have to worry about viruses and spyware running rampant on their systems. A number of factors of course, contribute to this. First of all, OS X is based entirely on a different OS architecture with entirely different security models than Windows XP. The second factor is that OS X isn't as widely used. A lot of power users argue that even if OS X was as popular, infection rates would hardly change simply because of the fact that OS X is considered to be a "superior" OS, containing a myriad of UNIX/Linux features not found on a Windows environment.

The malware, classified as a worm, appears to be an instant-messaging worm that anti-virus outfit Sophos calls OSX/Leap-A. According to Sophos, OSX/Leap-A deletes files from a user's computer and leaves other files behind.

Some aliases that OSX/Leap-A is known under are:
  • CME-4
  • MacOS/Leap
  • MacOS/Leap!tgz
  • OSX.Leap.A
  • OSX/Leap
Windows users on the other hand face spyware, viruses, trojans, and a heap of other software and system attacks on a daily basis.

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This article is over a month old, voting and posting comments is disabled
By zsdersw on 2/17/2006 6:52:14 AM , Rating: 2
Yes, we should accept that we have to be educated in these things. Education, in some form, is required to do just about everything in life and using a computer that is connected to the Internet or to an intranet is no exception.

Microsoft and others don't just "leave it up to the user". If they did, no patches or fixes would ever be introduced. The ultimate responsibility rests with the user to take advantage of both the features of and fixes for the operating systems they use. These features and fixes were provided for the user's benefit. If the user doesn't apply them or chooses to remain ignorant about them, is that Microsoft's fault? No, it's not.

Training and education are readily available. The tips, warnings, patches, and fixes are also readily available. Choosing to remain ignorant is every person's right... but with that right comes responsibility for the consequences of that choice.


"When an individual makes a copy of a song for himself, I suppose we can say he stole a song." -- Sony BMG attorney Jennifer Pariser









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