75 percent of Mac users risk malware infection —report

Slightly over three out of four owners of computers running on Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X platform may not be using security software, according to a poll on a tech site.

 

As of 5:51 p.m. Monday, the poll on BetaNews.com showed that of 581 votes, only 140 or 24.1 percent said they installed anti-malware software on their Macs, while 441 of 75.9 percent said they did not.

 

In contrast, of the 682 who answered a similar question on whether they installed anti-malware apps - this time on their Microsoft Windows PCs - a whopping 625 or 91.64 percent said "Yes" while 57 or 8.36 percent said "No."

 

"Welcome to the wonderful world of Apple denial. There are no pesticides to save this crop," wrote BetaNews.com managing editor Joe Wilcox, referring to some Apple users' refusal to acknowledge their machines are vulnerable to malware.

 

He added the polarized results are consistent with previous polls, where 86 percent of Windows PC users answered yes and 81 percent of Mac owners no.

 

Wilcox noted the issue of anti-malware software has become relevant for Mac users anew amid threats posed by the Flashback malware.

 

Flashback targets Macs with an unpatched version of Java software, effectively turning the Mac into a zombie that can be remotely controlled.

 

"Apple released updates (often too slowly) and Mac users failed to apply them," he noted.

 

Wilcox said some readers had commented they are considering antivirus programs for their Macs.

 

"(N)ow that Macs are starting to get into mainstream usage I'm considering an antivirus program for my Macs," he quoted BetaNews reader Joel Medina, who uses OS X and Windows, as saying.

 

Another reader, Andrew Johnson, added computers "would be harder to exploit if most users knew what and how to avoid infection."

 

'Stupid' online behavior

 

Wilcox also said the issue could be about online behavior, with some people's browsing habits allowing malware in even if the OS - such as Windows 7 and OS X 10.7 - are hardened.

 

"There are lots of reasons, like social media. Your friend whom you trust recommends a link and you click. Or you trust Google and search for band X, only to find SEO poisoning in place. Or you trust Apple marketing statements like 'Mac OS X doesn't get PC viruses,' creating a false sense of security. Or you're browsing from home, you feel safe and project that feeling to web browsing. Trust is the constant," he said. — TJD, GMA News