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Do macs get spyware?

M

macgeek77

macrumors regular
Original poster
I was wondering if, from a security perspective, if I should be concerned about spyware on my mac, or passing it on to my PC friends? Thanks.:apple: :apple:
 
i remember when i first got my PB, I wouldn't turn it on without making sure I had an antivirus. I asked my college roomate to come help. He came over with a flash drive.

He opened the PB up opened the computer installed a couple osx wallpapers and said 'thats all the antivirus you'll need' I've never had a problem in over two years 😀 Buying a mac was the best move I've ever made.
 
A simple way to explain it - If an infected file is copied from a PC to a mac, the malware/spyware lays "dormant". When the file is copied from the mac to another PC, then it becomes active again. Not though that this does not apply to macro viruses in MS Office, as those can still cause issues on macs.
 
hopejr said:
A simple way to explain it - If an infected file is copied from a PC to a mac, the malware/spyware lays "dormant". When the file is copied from the mac to another PC, then it becomes active again. Not though that this does not apply to macro viruses in MS Office, as those can still cause issues on macs.
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That is interesting to know.
 
You can get them attached to files and pass them on to people with PCs but they will not affect your computer. One thing that I wonder about if you install crossover on your mac to run windows programs can you get viruses that will affect your mac?
 
mrkramer said:
You can get them attached to files and pass them on to people with PCs but they will not affect your computer. One thing that I wonder about if you install crossover on your mac to run windows programs can you get viruses that will affect your mac?
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It can affect anything the application in crossover has write access too. So if its written correctly it could cause damage. However, most viruses are designed for the windows OS not an application. There is of coarse macro viruses for word. But i don't know of any other viruses for applications.
 
I think it's important to note that there's no spyware yet. There is a mistaken belief that OS X is bulletproof. It isn't. It's tougher than previous versions of Windows (and likely Vista), there are fewer people trying to hack it, and we've been lucky.

So far, no spyware. But that does not mean there never will be.
 
jsw said:
I think it's important to note that there's no spyware yet. There is a mistaken belief that OS X is bulletproof. It isn't. It's tougher than previous versions of Windows (and likely Vista), there are fewer people trying to hack it, and we've been lucky.

So far, no spyware. But that does not mean there never will be.
Click to expand...

true 🙂
 
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