Apple: Mac Users Need Antivirus Software

It's the dawn of a dark new day.

May 18 2011, 11:14am CDT | by Robert Evans

Apple: Mac Users Need Antivirus Software

For a very long time, you could go your Mac's whole lifetime without catching the faintest whiff of malware. I remember a time when any post on tech forum asking which antivirus software to buy was met by the phrase "buy a Mac". But success has raised the public image of Apple's brand enough that malicious coders have decided to target it. Mac viruses are on the rise.

So what does Apple expect you to do about this? While the company has issued no statement about the uptick in attacks, an AppleCare employee has given details about internal policies regarding malware. While they won't come right out and say it, Apple thinks your Mac needs antivirus software to truly stay safe.

"...though Mac Defender is easy to remove, we can’t set the expectation to customers that we will be able to remove all malware in the future. That’s what antivirus is for."

From this statement, we can gather two key things. One, Apple expects this problem to balloon in short order. This will cause an increased demand for support, which Apple hopes to minimize by pushing antivirus software. The Cupertino-based company is so serious about putting malware removal on the customer, that customer service reps may lose their jobs if they provide any meaningful help.

"It’s getting worse. And quick."

Mac malware is spreading. And Apple sees the dawn of a buggy new day on the horizon. Their current policies may seem hateful, inefficient and dishonest, but the stakes behind this game are very high. The golden days are over, Mac fans. It's time to start locking your doors at night like everybody else.

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Robert Evans
The excitement about new smartphones, tablets and anything mobile drive Robert to unearth the latest rumors and developments in this fast moving space. He adopted 4G as soon as it become available and knows where the mobile market is going.
Robert can be contacted directly at robert@i4u.com.