I can say aren't because there aren't. I'm not so naïve as to think that there will never be, certainly not! When one is created, almost all of us will get it because it will be without precedent. But there aren't any now, is all.
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AntiVirus
- Thread starter Creel
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I can say aren't because there aren't. I'm not so naïve as to think that there will never be, certainly not! When one is created, almost all of us will get it because it will be without precedent. But there aren't any now, is all.
How can you assure anyone when you cannot find one yourself. That's a two way street you're on. I don't believe OS X is totally secure, but I have not ever read of any virus written for it.
If you can find one, I'd really enjoy reading it. Again, not trojans, not malware... a virus.
The only way this can happen on a mac is if you set up your system to always operate with root authority, which would be stupid. Most Mac users don't even know how to do so. Also Mac OS X doesn't operate well when set up this way.
For a virus to do what it wants to do it needs root privileges, so the system must be operating with constant root privileges. Mac by default requires the user to enter their root password to authorize root functions or to install items that operate at that level.
Also, if something tries to run at that level and its operation was not initiated by the user, Mac OS X will ask for root authorization. Its pretty hard for a virus to do much given how Mac OS X operates.
Internet security companies have been trying to find a hole in this for quite some time (ie OSX.Leap.A) which spread like a virus but was shut down as soon as it wanted to do something that required root authorization, hence, it couldn't do any harm.
Windows is riddled with viruses because the administative account user functions with constant root privileges by default and items can operate at the root level without being initiated by the user and without authorization by the user. Windows does not operate well when it is set up to function like Mac OS X.
I am not an authority on this stuff. So if you see any flaw in what I have said, please let me know.
While that's perfectly true, it's only as good an argument as is the programmer who's circumventing it. After my week of exams I'll dig some more on Mac viruses, as I remember reading lots of things through the years about them.
I've used both operating systems in both ways you describe. Both operated just fine.
well I guess old habits die hard...I will try out ClamXav, sounds like a great little thing to have as a bit of extra security and piece of mind, so thank people!
Also helps you from passing viruses to windows users.
There are many invisible things in the world. We don't know how many, because nobody can see them. MacOS X viruses belong to them.
If it existed believe me this forum would know about it. They probably will exist one day but as of here and now they don't.
I'm pretty sure internet security companies that test the security of these systems have some of the best programmers for creating proof of concept viruses. OSX.Leap.A is the best they have done so far.
I could be wrong but even when windows is set up to operate like Mac OS X, operations (such as already installed malicious software) can run without being initiated by the user while not requiring any authorization and without the user being aware of it. I find when windows is set up to operate like Mac OS X it becomes a pain to install anything; although, a lot of people get annoyed by having to enter their authorization password so often in Mac OS X. Apparently, Mac OS X becomes less stable when set up to operate with constant root privileges, never tried so I don't know, but I will take your word that it doesn't.
To set up windows XP so that it is like Mac OS X, you have to set up a separate non administrative account that you use for your regular activity then when you want to install something you have to switch users to your administrative account to do the install. If you are not doing this, you are not setting up windows to operate with the same level of security as a Mac. Doing this is a real pain in the @$$. If you know an easier way please tell me so that I can tell my windows friends; again, I never really got into the workings of windows so there is quite possibly a much easier way.
He didn't mean they were buggy, but they are constantly denying permission to do some basic things, or asking for administrator permission.
On Windows on an administrator account you're just going around with a wide open... window.
Not really. That permissions stuff you see in vista does not protect your system by managing access to root functions in regards to executables in your system (edit: it does somewhat but not to the same degree as Mac OS X). All that is doing is protecting your system from alterations at its root level from someone sitting down at your computer and messing with it (edit: if configured properly with a password from admin or from standard account). Just because it looks somewhat like the root authorization in Mac OS X doesn't mean that it is doing the same thing.