In addition, modern Mac users are heavy users of the Internet, whether it be research, entertainment or data management, such as MobileMe. While Mac OS X, based primarily on the open source FreeBSD, has some key architectural differences compared to Windows, it isn't completely invulnerable. Norton Internet Security (NIS), a bundled suite of three apps, handles all that and more with user friendly UIs.Īn analysis of the modern threats to a Mac user will discover that there are many different ways to attack a Mac, via technical means, and the user, with social networking. Moreover, the optimum security profile changes with user location.
Those who really understand security know that a comprehensive security profile for the Mac is required to deal with threats via the Browser, port/firewall breaches, sensitive data protection, application sandboxing, defense against phishing, and identification of hostile IP addresses. In fact, the number and severity of viruses is just a very small piece of the big picture.
Macintosh security is a hotly debated subject for various reasons, including the scarcity of viruses.