'ScareWare': A Sure Sign Apple Is on the Right Track

If the share price weren’t enough for you, this story should sum things up:

Techworld.com - Mac users get first taste of ’scareware’

An anti-virus vendor has found the first example of “scareware” for Mac users. Windows users are well used to this spam, where bogus security software tries to spook consumers into coughing up to “clean” their systems, now Mac users are being offered the same dubious benefits.MacSweeper, which sells for US$39.99 through a website of the same name, is a rogue application that will “always find something to fix/clean, but the only way to do so is to buy the program,” claimed F Secure’s Patrik Runald on the company’s blog.

When the mac is big enough to attract virus writers, Apple is doing something right.

Comments

[eponymousLTC:]

Your premise is... [Comment edited for abusive language. Commenter put on notice].

2008 Jan 17 12:51 PM

[carlivar:]

I can't believe I wasted my time clicking on this.

2008 Jan 17 12:59 PM

[digivision:]

hahahaha.. I wonder how many idiots actually bought it
I guess after years of successfully serving windows users they tried
the same with Mac users...

LOL

2008 Jan 17 02:33 PM

[Tom B:]

Anti-virus companies fear the increasing Mac market share. There's never been a legitimate "for real" exploit on OS X that didn't involve extreme User stupidity to activate. Thus, if everybody used Macs, they'd need to find new work.

2008 Jan 17 02:40 PM

[Brandon:]

Even being long Apple, I can honestly say that it seems like SA does nothing but try to pump up the stock. Yes Apple is a good company, but people are going to start questioning the objectivity of anything written here.

Kinda like how I already feel about the Motley Fool. I see a provocative headline and I'm about to click it, and I see it's written by some Fool and I skip it.

2008 Jan 17 03:04 PM

[mike hough:]

The only thing more stupid than cpeople licking on MacSweeper was my clicking on this link. I got what I deserve, a rubbish piece of 'news' which is becoming all to frequent on Seeking Alpha.

I really should get a life.

2008 Jan 17 03:08 PM

[brewer:]

Apple has always bee a prime target for virus writers. The problem is they haven't the skills to get in, it's not easy pickings like Windows.

Any malcontent who wrote the first successful Mac virus would be hailed as uber-geek supreme. And thousands of PC fanboys would love it so much, they would donate cash to the prize (that part has happened, but still no exploit.)

So, I'm not buying your premise. Besides, the socioeconomic status of people using Macs is higher as well, so there is a lot to be stolen, if only Apple left the door open and the light on as Microsoft so routinely does.

2008 Jan 18 02:44 PM

[brewer:]

To clarify, the whole 'security though obscurity' argument is a myth promoted by windows zealots. They have fooled a lot of people with that one, but it really makes no sense.

A Mac is practically impossible to exploit compared to a windows computer. Not impossible, but compared to a windows machine, it might as well be.

2008 Jan 18 02:54 PM