Why there are no viruses for OS X

Jul 2008

Just came across an interesting discussion on Whirlpool, where a poster asks why there are no viruses for OS X. The quick and obvious answer by a few “enthusiast experts” was that the market share of OS X is so small that nobody really bothers writing any malware for Mac.

Yes, this is the most common answer you get from people who also answer “right-click” when asked what Macs can’t do that Windows can. Sigh!

I liked the reply by the user TwoFruits, so I thought I’d share his very down-to-earth analysis of the malware absence phenomenon on Macs.

There is no silver bullet answer as to why not, its a combination of reasons :-

1. OS X is built on UNIX. UNIX was a multi user system with a security architecture built into it at the beginning. WINDOWS came from a single user architecture with security and multi user capability as an after thought.

2. UNIX had networking built into it from the beginning, again in Windows this was bolted in at a later date.

3. Windows built Internet Explorer into the O/S at a very deep level, and allowed code execution within the browser. In OS X the browser is a completely separate application, its not a integral part of the OS. IMHO, this is the fundamental screw-up Microsoft made, as they created so many hooks into which someone can attack the OS.

4. In earlier Windows everything ran as the system user, so the capability to compromise an entire system was easier. (see reason 1)

5. Microsoft’s backward compatibility mantra doesn’t do them any favours as to run old software they need so many old APIs, all of which can have holes in them.

6. OS X has no registry. IMHO, second fundamental flaw Microsoft made.

7. OS X asks for your password before allowing you to run new software or install something. Not fool proof, but at least fool resistant.

Personally I don’t buy the “lack of market share” reason. Consider that in pre OS X days Macs did have viruses. Also interesting, that at that stage Macs were suffering point 1 & 2.

No system is totally safe, but Macs have a lot of architecture working in their favor.

Mac, virus osx

Comments

John Goodyear

December 23rd, 2008 at 12:11 PM

With the contest to hack Leopard vs. Vista, the people who were hacking in the competition were tested over multiple days. In the first day, the hackers were not allowed to use any type of viruses that were received through clicking a link online. During that day, no one hacked the mac. On the second day, they allowed the hackers to use software that they had prepared, and were allowed to use viruses, received by clicking “a link online”. That is how Mac was hacked. But to call it worst than Vista, simply because of the time it was hacked in, is ludicrous. There was only one hacker, who had software prepared, who hacked the Mac. Only 1. There were tons of hackers in the event, which means they were all good, but still differently skilled in certain types of malware and virus. Let me also say that Vista was also hacked that day. The media and pc network just likes to leave the details out and take the competition out of perspective.
D1Tarkwizzle

April 3rd, 2009 at 3:00 PM

Dang… Now this may be myth or “shit that come out”:

The reason why people write viruses for Windows is because it is a rite of passage for Windows programmers. After mastering the impossible code used by Windows they create virus. Probably out of frustration.

From reading posts all over the internet I have come to this conclusion:

Intelligent people use Macs. Stubborn people use Windows. I use both. But I’m working on lowering my level of stubbornness.
Pete

April 27th, 2009 at 7:59 AM

I believe it was Safari that was hacked rather than the actual core system, but this did allow a way towards getting at further information on the Mac, apparently.
Dewy

January 26th, 2010 at 1:27 AM

Sorry, I like my video games too much =/. My computer has never been hacked, because I’ve never been dumb enough to download something that seemed even the least bit sketchy. Use spyware/virus scanners, and your set. Who cares if Mac uses UNIX, the main thing it’s good for is video/photo editing, and it’s damn good at that. Windows is good for gaming, and it’s amazing at that. There’s no better/worse when talking about using a computer for basic use(word documents, browsing the internet, listening to music). The one big problem I had had with Macs was, as cliche as it seems, NO. RIGHT. CLICK. Macs have definitely evolved and many hipsters and wanna-be hipster college students use them more than many others I’ve seen. Microsoft is used by old men and gamers. Simple as that.
Clarkson

January 26th, 2010 at 6:25 PM

“On the Apple, I can click any link on the internet without worry. Its great, you PC cheapskates can enjoy all of the nonsense that comes with a Windows-based operating system and I’ll enjoy my 6 year old, lightning-fast, problem-free MAC.”

Take your old Mac, and stuff it deep …, your holier-than-thou attitude simply sucks. Ps. I’m a Mac user. Stop embarrassing us please – that goes for all you arguing this pointless argument, for the millionth time over. I’m better than you, is what 90% of are saying. Like little children in the schoolyard. Embarrassed for us all….