Mac's

[Ack-Ack]

How we'll does Aces High run on a Mac?

 

Running AH on a Mac is a lot like your golf game...yeah it can play but it still needs some work.   

ack-ack

[Vulcan]

Yes and no, Zack. It's true that a MAc will not catapult you and Ben to the next level of existence. However, stop and think: if you don't need antivirus software on the MAC side, doesn't that enable more diverse "surfing"? And diverse surfing is part of the family destiny (as foretold in the prophecy), if I recall...

If you don't need antivirus software on the mac why is it now built into OS/X?

[Vulcan]

Apple people rave on about security, when in fact apple even make them wear voluntary tags for fashion, security is gibberish.

Apple for years always lead the top of the list for vulnerabilities in their products. Mac's and ipads and iphones are quite often the first systems hacked in hacking contests. Apples cloud infrastructure has been exploited a few times already as well. To add salt to the wound the amount of security tools for the mac is small. Security of apple products is mostly "perceived".

[PJ_Godzilla]

If you don't need antivirus software on the mac why is it now built into OS/X?

There were a couple of well-publicized and notable "incidents" - though rare (eg, http://drtech.bangordailynews.com/2013/04/14/new-products/busting-the-myth-apple-macs-do-get-viruses/. That said, I still do not need to purchase antivirus software for my Macs. As you note, it's already there. This "immunity" will be there until it isn't, at which point, it will probably be too late. Think I'm taking your point if not your side? Yes, yes... nothing is hack-proof. If I were to assert so, I really would have a case of visual rectal self-examination. I run backups, because you never know when the species barrier will be breached. I keep McAfee on the windows machines and partitions, though I'm open to recommendations. There's probably something free out there that's as good or better. You're probably a wirehead and are probably willing to give me a good recommendation, about this and every other character defect I possess.  I note, even DrTech, though, does call it "less likely" - again, we're talking degrees of likelihood, though probably not severity.

As for Ack's assertion, my AH game would need work regardless of what I play on.

[Vulcan]

I used to work for a company that distributed apple products. I was in a different division (networking and security), but worked alongside some very qualified and talented apple engineers. For enterprise environments they always recommended AV software. Security incidents with mac's are not rare, they just don't get a huge amount of publicity (and are generally targeted rather than broad attacks). The problem with apples built in AV is it has been noted as slow to update (iirc it only updates with OS patches rather than being an independent update facility as found on windows AV platforms.

With both mac and windows modern malware relies heavily on the user doing stupid things (click through). So who do you think is less likely to be hurt, the paranoid windows user, or the blissfully complacent mac user?

[nrshida]

As I understood it there were three vulnerabilities for Macs the OS being based on Unix now incorporates countermeasures to those.

Security incidents with mac's are not rare, they just don't get a huge amount of publicity

I've had a Mac (not the same one) for nine years now and I've never once had a virus or any malware issue. Previously I had a PC with both Linux and Windows and the latter partition had a virus twice. When I was working in software development two separate companies had a virus blast through every machine in a day.

I first bought a Mac because I was fed up of fiddling round with my work machine to keep it going. I once wrote a piece of code which went crazy ape s**t with memory allocation and overwrote some of the Windows OS 

I think Macs aren't as expensive as people perceive if you factor in longevity and maintenance. Perhaps it helps that the same people who put the hardware together make the OS.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Don't listen to Vulcans fud. There are about a million times more Windows exploits in the wild compared to mac exploits. Macs are almost as bullet proof (in practice) to use as linux. As long as you stay away from  mac warez sites you're probably going to be fine. If you think of the situation this way: Mac has less 'in the wild' exploits than what's left after you take the best Windows antivirus and take account its detection rate. The best AV in the world will let more windows viruses slip through than what are made in total for OSX at this time.

His slant is the most apparent in his story about iphones being hacked first... he fails to mention that iPhones have the best safety record in real life of all phones and the hacks were all done to jailbroken phones or to jailbreak one. As long as you use the iPhone as intended i.e. via the app store, there are several security layers that prevent malicious code from entering end users mobile devices.

[Vulcan]

As I understood it there were three vulnerabilities for Macs the OS being based on Unix now incorporates countermeasures to those.

I've had a Mac (not the same one) for nine years now and I've never once had a virus or any malware issue. Previously I had a PC with both Linux and Windows and the latter partition had a virus twice. When I was working in software development two separate companies had a virus blast through every machine in a day.

I first bought a Mac because I was fed up of fiddling round with my work machine to keep it going. I once wrote a piece of code which went crazy ape s**t with memory allocation and overwrote some of the Windows OS 

I think Macs aren't as expensive as people perceive if you factor in longevity and maintenance. Perhaps it helps that the same people who put the hardware together make the OS.

http://www.cvedetails.com/product/156/Apple-Mac-Os-X.html?vendor_id=49



It's worth noting jailbreaking is exploiting a vulnerability on iOS. iOS, like Android is fairly safe if you stick to the app stores. iOS, like android, has been the subject of sideloading apps - and some debate over whether some apps are genuine or exploiting users.

Yes I've seen organizations get hammer by virus's or worms. It still happens. Usually because that organization fails to invest in the right security products (I'm looking at you CA....).

[MrRiplEy[H]]

http://www.cvedetails.com/product/156/Apple-Mac-Os-X.html?vendor_id=49

(Image removed from quote.)

It's worth noting jailbreaking is exploiting a vulnerability on iOS. iOS, like Android is fairly safe if you stick to the app stores. iOS, like android, has been the subject of sideloading apps - and some debate over whether some apps are genuine or exploiting users.

Yes I've seen organizations get hammer by virus's or worms. It still happens. Usually because that organization fails to invest in the right security products (I'm looking at you CA....).

And it's worth noting that jailbreaking requires a lot of user work to accomplish, it's not like windows where you just visit a website and your machine is owned instantly. Also worth noting in Vulcans list is that all the code execution vulnerabilities in the list didn't include the current OSX version, only older are affected. Also they gave no direct access to the computer for outsiders

[PJ_Godzilla]

Differences of degree, again... I take vulcan's point, though, regarding user perceived immunity. Doing stupid things is never good.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Differences of degree, again... I take vulcan's point, though, regarding user perceived immunity. Doing stupid things is never good.

Immunity is not a correct word to use. The probability of catching something outside of OSX warez sites then again is astronomically low especially compared to daily windows use.

[zack1234]

Typical of people using Apple they need to use a machine that stops them getting viruses, instead of having self control.

Itunes is appalling and greedy

The people who walk around with an air of superiority about their toys is dull.

Windows is poo and Apple is for the Elite

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Typical of people using Apple they need to use a machine that stops them getting viruses, instead of having self control.

There is no 'self control' that will stop viruses outside of completely avoiding connecting to the internet. Even the US government websites have been hacked periodically and you _can_ get infected visiting them

[nrshida]

Windows is poo and Apple is for the Elite

I've got Oolite on my Mac 

Not as good as the BBC version though 

[PJ_Godzilla]

I'm sure its all that porno I surf, Zack, that causes me to need anti-virus software on my Windows machines. If only I could keep it in my pants...

As for Windows, you are correct. It seems to be a sort of slurry of pre-eaten and predigested bits, passed through the filthy elastic of some form of sphincter, deposited in between two layers of flaky pastry for a gullible pubic (ha, ha, public, of course). Think of it as a large and fragrant pie from which many people take a BIG BITE.