Apple Lied To You, Mac Malware Is Real and It's Evolving (Infographic)
As part of its “Get a Mac” campaign, Apple released several “I’m a Mac and I’m a PC” ads during the late 2000s. One of them famously proclaimed that Macs don’t have a malware problem, only PCs have a malware problem. Here’s the ad, in case you forgot about it.
That ad sowed the seeds of security complacency, making people believe they’re safe from all the nasties that target Windows users. To this day, there are some who still believe this myth. While there are facts to back up this overblown idea of security, the simple truth of the matter is that nowadays, Mac’s aren’t malware-free.
For a long time, it seemed that Macs did not have a malware problem. Unfortunately though, it wasn’t a case of Apple having built an impenetrable operating system, it was just that Mac adoption was so low that the bad guys did not pay it any attention. As Macs grew in popularity, so did the bad guys’ interest.
In February 2006, precisely 10 years ago (and 5 years after the release of Mac OS X 10.0 Cheetah), security company Intego uncovered the first major Mac malware, the funny sounding Oompa-Loompa Trojan horse. Mac’s market share gain and popularity increase made it a target. In the years to come, the bad guys would roll out more and more malware for Apple’s operating system.
The infographic presented below explains how Mac malware evolved for the past 10 years, highlighting the biggest threats to Apple’s operating system.
Via Intego.
You need to protect your Mac
Apple has changed its tune, it no longer proclaims that Macs are virus-free. You too need to let go of your outdated ideas about Mac security and realize that your Mac needs protection. Not just from malware, although there are lots of malware threats that target your Mac, but from other threats as well. Intego was nice enough to compile a list of reasons why you need to protect your Mac:
Intego has a special offer for you
To celebrate the fact that the first major Mac malware was uncovered 10 years ago, security company Intego has a special offer for you – a 50% discount for the company’s award winning Mac Premium Bundle X8.
Mac Premium Bundle – Main Features
The offer expires on February 29, 2016 at 11:59PM PST.
That ad sowed the seeds of security complacency, making people believe they’re safe from all the nasties that target Windows users. To this day, there are some who still believe this myth. While there are facts to back up this overblown idea of security, the simple truth of the matter is that nowadays, Mac’s aren’t malware-free.
For a long time, it seemed that Macs did not have a malware problem. Unfortunately though, it wasn’t a case of Apple having built an impenetrable operating system, it was just that Mac adoption was so low that the bad guys did not pay it any attention. As Macs grew in popularity, so did the bad guys’ interest.
In February 2006, precisely 10 years ago (and 5 years after the release of Mac OS X 10.0 Cheetah), security company Intego uncovered the first major Mac malware, the funny sounding Oompa-Loompa Trojan horse. Mac’s market share gain and popularity increase made it a target. In the years to come, the bad guys would roll out more and more malware for Apple’s operating system.
The infographic presented below explains how Mac malware evolved for the past 10 years, highlighting the biggest threats to Apple’s operating system.
Via Intego.
You need to protect your Mac
Apple has changed its tune, it no longer proclaims that Macs are virus-free. You too need to let go of your outdated ideas about Mac security and realize that your Mac needs protection. Not just from malware, although there are lots of malware threats that target your Mac, but from other threats as well. Intego was nice enough to compile a list of reasons why you need to protect your Mac:
- Many types of malware threaten Macs and are becoming more common: Trojan horses, macro viruses, worms, spyware, and more
- Security flaws are regularly found in Mac OS X, providing malware writers with opportunities to attack Macs
- Users who exchange files often with friends and colleagues face increased risks
- Booby-trapped web pages can infect your Mac when you simply visit infected web sites
- Children need protection from adult content on the web
- Your personal files need to be protected in case of loss due to software or hardware problems
- You have confidential files that need to be protected from hackers and prying eyes
Intego has a special offer for you
To celebrate the fact that the first major Mac malware was uncovered 10 years ago, security company Intego has a special offer for you – a 50% discount for the company’s award winning Mac Premium Bundle X8.
Mac Premium Bundle – Main Features
- Antivirus protection and virus security for Macs.
- Clean, organize, optimize and boost your Mac’s performance.
- Parental controls and monitoring.
- Fail-safe, automatic back up of important files.
The offer expires on February 29, 2016 at 11:59PM PST.
