Mac OS X Update Fails to Protect its Users

Mac users once felt protected on their nearly perfect Macs. Mac Defender has proven that the simplest of viruses that has been experienced in the Windows world can get into a Mac and wreak havoc very easily. Apple released an update to remove the malware. Not only does it protect you from a limited amount of malware, it allows you to run it. Apple’s security measures in general have been subpar. If the same virus been on a USB stick, it wouldn’t have been detected.

So where are Mac users to go to get protection? Don’t count on Apple, that is for sure. The only real solution to this virus and the many that will follow is to get an antivirus.

If you ran the same virus from a USB stick, the security update won’t apply and you will still get infected.

The threat is real and will continue to grow. If Apple can’t protect Mac users against the simplest and weakest family of viruses, that Windows users can ever get, properly, how will Apple be able to fight off a threat like conficker or other worms that have paralyzed Windows computers in the past?

If you watched the video above, you will see that Sophos, one of the many antiviruses that are available for Macs got the virus much quicker than Mac was even able to detect, which for Apple is a really bad sign.

Another bad sign comes to those who aren’t running a newer version of Mac OS X. If your Mac doesn’t reach the 10.6.7 threshold, Apple will leave you on your own. That leaves 20% of Mac users unprotected.

Apple can do better when it comes to protecting its customers, but it has chosen not to. It is the users’ choice on whether or not the safety of their system is important, but with Google, Facebook, and several other sites being Mac malware carriers, it can only be expected that in time the malware jungle will grow to the extent that the Windows world has to deal with today. Macs aren’t immune to viruses, no operating system is. The only way to secure a Mac’s safety on the web is to get real antivirus software. Seeing how Apple dealt with Mac Defender, don’t wait for them to defend your Macs from threats that can appear out of nowhere and without notice. The update only focuses at download attempts, but if another piece of malware used a USB to spread, the same virus would still be allowed to install itself and wreak havoc on your system.

Download Links for Possible Antivirus Solutions for Mac

Sophos (Free)

McAfee VirusScan for Mac (Paid)

McAfee Endpoint Protection for Mac (Paid)

ClamXav for Mac (Free)

iAntiVirus Free Edition for Mac (Free)