News, info, and opinion by Mac users, for Mac users.

November 7, 2006

security

I love the smell of FUD in the morning

Posted Nov. 7, ’06, 6:23 AM PT by Derik DeLong
Category | Security

Broken Lock I get such a kick out of brainless fear mongering for Mac users. Today’s selection is An Increasing Identity Theft Threat for Mac Users. Now, before I start picking this apart, I think the original underlying message was good. Everyone should be conscious of identity theft and hold their identity information close, regardless of what computer they use, or they even use a computer.

That said, here we go.

Unfortunately, Mac users are new and unsuspecting target of identity theft criminals. With the introduction of fashionable computers that come in a dazzling array of colors, the number of Mac users in the marketplace has increased substantially

Yes, clearly, in recent years, Apple has made a resurgence because of the colorful computers they make, such as the white iMac, white iBook, white and black MacBook, white Mac mini, aluminum Powerbook, aluminum MacBook Pro, aluminum G5, and aluminum Mac Pro. Colorful. Yeah.

and because Macs have generally been safe, they don’t protect their computers as well as Microsoft users have. This means more and more people are opening themselves up to the threats caused by viruses and other malicious software.

Are these the same Microsoft users that still put Windows computers out onto the Internet without a firewall? The same ones that run computers with hundreds of pieces of spyware and half a dozen viruses without even noticing? The same ones that needed Microsoft to turn on the included firewall by default with Windows XP SP2 in order to make a dent in infected computers? And how many switchers become Mac users because they are so aware of malware for Windows? Right.

Another reason Mac fans are no longer exempt from the security they used to enjoy is because they can now use Microsoft Office on their computers. Using Microsoft Office enables identity thieves to more easily navigate Mac computers. There are certain security breeches that can occur with use of Microsoft Office on a Mac computer and Mac users aren’t used to having to deal with this threat.

Hello? Max? Anybody home? Microsoft has made Word and Excel for Macs since 1984. Let me say that one more time. 1984. I’m glad he’s so up to date.

If you use a Mac and you haven’t been taking certain security measures such as anti-virus programs, spyware and adware remover and data encryption and file shredding tools, you may be putting yourself at risk.

Should we get an anti-virus program to protect against Macarena? Excuse me while I laugh uncontrollably. Spyware and adware remover? Does one even exist? (I mean do either exist?) As for data encryption and file shredding, they’re built into the OS.

Seriously, the last thing we need is someone completely unfamiliar with Macs making security recommendations.

[Thanks Mr P Sandford]


10 Comments

lopez said:

Security breeches? Really? Can I get them in a size 34?

November 7, 2006 8:23 AM
Bill Barney said:

Derik,
Did you post your rebuttal in the comments section of the FUD article so the author can read them? I didn't see any comments for that article on the identitytheftfixes site.

November 7, 2006 10:04 AM
Ward Author Profile Page said:

What's up with these columnists that pick up a few tangentially related things and doing a horrible job of attempting to tie them together into a column of FUD?

Seriously, get a real job. Or start doing the one you have well.

November 7, 2006 10:14 AM
33Nick said:

We are living in a world where the one eyed man leads the blind. I wrote back to that pseudo-jounralist and the Seatlle Time or press telegram or whatever the heck they call themselves and thhey are all talk and no show.

I was a consultant in the Windows world for a decade and I can vouch for the fact that the great, great majority of people DO NOT secure there swiss cheese holed OS at all...

However, seeing the latest news with antivirus companies screaming fould with MS lack of opening APIs, they lack of success at securing Windows, their next best thing is to turn their attention to Apple to drive up their sagging economy.

What a bunch of creeps. There is close to no ethics between journalist that endulge in sensationalism and software makers out to make a buck no matter the truth of the matter.

November 7, 2006 11:20 AM
Tawky Tawny said:

"What's up with these columnists…"

He's not a columnist, it's just a low-traffic blog, with few inbound links, written by some guy. A very uninformed guy at that.

November 7, 2006 12:16 PM
John C. Randolph said:

Word and Excel weren't available in 1984. Word and Excel both showed up on the Mac in '85. The first spreadsheet MS shipped on the Mac was MultiPlan, and it was crap.

-jcr

November 7, 2006 11:08 PM
Baz said:

"...Microsoft has made Word and Excel for Macs since 1984. Let me say that one more time. 1984...."

And no one has noticed the Orwellian connection (not to mention recalling the famous Apple ad) in regards to this?

1984. Microsoft. Unwarranted interference with personal information.
The again - Steve Jobs. Big Brother. Cult of Personality....

November 8, 2006 4:32 AM
Derik Author Profile Page said:

John, according to Microsoft Word and Excel were released for Mac in 1984.

November 8, 2006 4:46 AM
Jamie said:

Yeah, um, just so you know, they're talking about Microsoft Windows on Macs, not Word and Excel (they are two different things). And there are indeed spyware and malware issues that can affect Mac users and there are programs that can prevent them. Spreading doom and gloom is one thing, giving people sound advice is something entirely different. Just like exposing sensationalism and blatantly spreading complacency and ignorance are two different things. Take your own advice. Don't write about something unless you know what you're writing about...

November 24, 2006 8:46 PM
Derik Author Profile Page said:

I don't normally do this, but you've successfully baited me Jamie.

1. At press time, it was talking about Office. I have a verbatim quote. I'm not going to go back continually to make sure that he corrects himself.

2. If you run Windows, you open yourself to Windows security issues. Duh. This was true in the Virtual PC days as well. And even if you infect that Windows installation, it can't access your HFS+ partitions unless you've installed MacDrive, so again, exposure is minimal (assuming someone has written a Windows virus that depends on MacDrive being installed and knows how to infect that drive).

3. Don't keep it to yourself. If you're going to refer to spyware, list it. (I will preface with I don't count keystroke loggers that require admin priveleges to install spyware. If you've given admin access to an installer or untrustworthy person, you've already hosed yourself.) I was being facetious about their existence. I'm quite aware of their existence. Their functionality is rather dubious.

All these people trying "alert Mac users to the danger" never list any specific, realistic threats.

November 26, 2006 10:39 PM

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