Digital Trends

While shopping at one of my local Apple stores the other day, I overheard an earnest conversation about safeguarding Mac computers against things like viruses and trojans. The customer and companion were new to Mac life and were convinced that they should be very worried about viruses. The Apple salesperson on the floor repeatedly assured them that they would not need extra antivirus protection for their Mac. The customer then argued that Symantec makes an antivirus program for Macs, therefore, it must truly be a credible threat, otherwise there would be no such products. Some antivirus products are even sold in Apple stores.

I've heard similar arguments before: if companies like Symantec or McAfee make antivirus applications for the Mac, then Macs must truly be vulnerable somehow, somewhere. Steve Jobs and the rest of the Apple cronies must be lying.

I wondered why the Apple salesperson left the Norton AntiVirus argument alone. I've spoken with a number of Apple reps over the years and there seem to be two concrete answers to the Mac antivirus conundrum: 1) Mac-based antivirus programs are "snake oil" baloneyware, completely unnecessary for OS X users, and 2) programs like Norton AntiVirus are primarily effective as protection for non-Mac users, making Mac computers a sort of immunized filtration point or prophylaxis against Windows bugs.

The saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" is perfect when describing the management and use of a Mac computer in a virus-ridden world. By virtue of its design and architecture, OS X is not susceptible to the countless and ever-spawning viruses, Trojans, and other malware plaguing Windows-based operating systems and programs. Maintaining the core security of an OS is typically something that requires a vigilant eye, massive dedication, and an enormous budget. Such a dramatic undertaking could be one reason why some operating systems spring leaks like an old rusty pipe.

In the case of OS X, it is built primarily upon the open source “Darwin” operating system, which is similar to the UNIX operating system. Both Darwin and UNIX are immensely stable and secure, and OS X benefits greatly from that. Furthermore, Apple has proven itself time and time again with regard to anticipating and eliminating potential threats with extreme prejudice. To date, OS X has remained safe and sound, especially when compared to its W2K and XP counterparts. In this light, using antivirus applications on OS X really seems like a waste of time, money, and processor cycles.

I've heard a number of virus-fearing Mac users proclaim that even if there aren't any Mac viruses now, by having an antivirus program running on their Macs, they'll be protected if a virus finally hits. They say it's worth $60 and horked system resources to keep an antivirus program running in anticipation of an unlikely event, rather than suffering untold damage from potential malware. This logic is based on the rationale of "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." It's a sensible approach in a way— laudable — but it's also a bit like wearing a tinfoil hat to prevent NSA satellites from someday reading one's brain waves. Caution is good, but its need can be greatly exaggerated or even manufactured through the spreading of false or misleading information, fear, uncertainty, and doubt.

Additionally, the ultra-cautious approach tends to overlook the fact that the combined intelligence of the open source community, along with Apple's countless developers and security experts, have spent millions of man hours making sure that OS X is safe from viruses. So when the new Mac user asks for an ounce of prevention, remind them that they're already getting metric tons of prevention when they step into OS X, and to date, there's nothing to cure.

"So, if OS X is so darned secure, why do Symantec, McAfee, and other companies have products for sale? More importantly, why are those products being purchased? And why are there open source (and free) antivirus applications for the Mac?"

There's an old maxim that says if you lay down with dogs, you'll wake with fleas. For those who have never heard the saying, or who don't get it, it essentially means that if you involve yourself with less reliable or desirable people, habits, or in this case, tools of a trade, you will likely find yourself experiencing the negative side effects of said association. If you consort with criminals or people of low moral character, you'll likely wind up in personal danger or with a damaged reputation. If you use a virus-prone productivity suite, you're bound to get viruses...