At 08:14 AM 4/17/05 -0400, Lawrence David Eden wrote: >As a Mac user, (Macher) I don't have to deal with the virus issue. How do >PC mavens protect themselves from the deluge of attacks on their OS?
I think that is overstated. For me, aside from getting program and OS updates as they're issued (for improvements and bug fixes, not just security), I just plain practice safe computing: I run a firewall, scan my attachment directory, don't use trojan-launching mail programs, run an ad/spybot check, do critical data backups, scan drives for failures, organize files and folders, dump temporary files, etc. It's routine maintenance I do while reading email or washing dishes. Every night before bed I've got a clean machine. We're in a period of personal computing when people behave as if they can drive unaware of traffic or heedless of roadsigns. That's the hurt for Windows users -- who, with tenfold the Mac user population, include a whole lot of folks who are not good with computing *or* driving. For now at least, Mac users don't have to watch the roadsigns, as there's not much traffic to avoid. Sure, I watch my firewall get hammered hundreds of times an hour, but feel no effects. None of the five Windows computers in our house has ever had a virus. Adware/spyware are rooted out before programs are installed (I use lots of shareware and freeware). But all the platforms can have issues. Unix/Linux folks cope with trojans and other attacks. Users of a php-based bulletin board running got hacked a few weeks ago. I run three of them on my maltedmedia server (FreeBSD Unix), but installed the security update as soon as it was announced. Safe computing on that platform, too. Macs have a psychological advantage in that there's little interest in writing malware for them -- you don't get cred for if you don't have widespread impact. With Windows on most of the world's desktops, all hell can break loose, with instant glory for script kiddies and lots of money to be made for the unscrupulous data hacker. I'd encourage Mac owners to begin practicing safe computing, though. You never know who will take an interest as the Mac user base grows. Mac owners are like the Martians in "War of the Worlds" -- seemingly invulnerable, but unprepared for the smallest virus. The good news is that much has been learned all around from the attacks on Windows. Now back to work, Dennis _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
