IT Security Blog

It looks like Apple has finally changed their tune as it relates to using security software on their PCs and is now telling their users to make sure they have antivirus software installed.  See article here.

This move was inevitable.  At some point Macs would gain enough market share for them to become more of a target for hackers and cyber criminals.  Most security researchers have been saying that for a long time, and I applaud Apple for finally coming to that realization also, even though it really should have been said some time ago.  Now the Mac users who have long been saying that they don't need to worry about malware "because they run a Mac" really don't have a leg to stand on as even the manufacturer of their computer has come out and contradicted that claim.

From a timing perspective this announcement comes at a good time as well.  As IT managers are working on their 2009 budgets, this is now something that they need to include as another line item to allocate money for early in the year.  If your Mac does not already have some kind of antivirus software installed, the time is now to get it.  Apple's personal computer market share continues to increase which means its prevalence as a target will also continue to rise.  Don't be left holding the bag either as a personal Mac user or as a corporate user.  Macbots are coming.  iPhones and iPods will not be far behind.

*** UPDATE 12/2/2008 4:42pm MST ***  So it looks like I need to recant a little bit.  If you look at Apple Knowledge Base Article 4454, you notice the last updated date of December 2, 2008.  This article was originally published back on June 8, 2007.  Unfortunately, the existence of this article hasn't changed most Mac user hubris in their invulnerability to malware because the fact of the matter remains that many Mac users still don't use antivirus software on their machines.  The time is still now to change that.  A widespread Mac virus could be a devastating event!