Apple Computer's Mac OS X, one of the most secure operating systems, is finding itself increasingly in the cross-hairs or hackers, security experts at McAfee Inc. say.
Other Apple products, such as iPod and iTunes, are also coming under attack.
The information comes from McAfee Labs, which has released a report that malware attacks targeting Mac OS X have increased by 228 per cent in the past three years, from 45 found in 2003 to 143 in 2005.
"Many believe that using an Apple operating system is a form of security in itself, believing that they are far less susceptible to malware than Windows users," McAfee senior vice-president Stuart McClure said in releasing the figures.
"And while the threats targeting the Mac operating system are low in volume, the use of Apple products does not provide an invisibility cloak from malware."
McAfee's key research findings:
— From 2003 to 2005, the annual rate of vulnerability discovery on Apple's Mac OS platform has increased by 228 per cent, compared to Microsoft's products which only saw a 73 per cent increase (although the number of vulnerabilities discovered in Microsoft products is still much higher than that on Mac software).
— As demonstrated with their recent patches, Apple's Mac OS platform is as vulnerable to targeted malware attacks as other operating systems.
— Apple's success with consumer products and its resulting higher profile could entice security researchers and hackers to target Mac OS and other Apple products, such as iTunes and iPods.
McAfee noted that hackers see stardom in attacking Microsoft products because of their massive market share, and Apple does not offer a very attractive target for profit-motivated malware professionals because of its smaller user base.
Apple's recent shift to using Intel microprocessors in new Macs increases its customers' exposure, and as Apple's Macintosh computers gain ground in the PC market, McAfee predicted that hackers will increasingly turn their attention to Mac OS X and other products.
The Apple sector, McAfee adds, is in the earlier stages of malware evolution, in which exploits are written and spread as proofs-of-concept to demonstrate authors' technical prowess and to garner notoriety. This incentive, along with the easy availability of Mac exploit code on the Internet, will make the Mac an open target for malware, McAfee said. Although the number of OS X-targeted viruses has been relatively low in total volume since January, 2004, McAfee Avert Labs said it predicts that the growing number of Macintosh vulnerabilities will attract more talented hackers over the course of the next year.
