It’s worth noting that this doesn’t exploit any OS X weakness. The user has to grant it administrative permissions (including entering the administrator password) before it can install itself.

It is normally programs that the user runs that make the operating system weak, as rogoisu said. Well, that and a combination of the user’s ignorance.

Take it you’re not a big Mac user.

That’s true, and I mentioned that in the article. However a virus is often used as a general classification for malicious things on your computer.

[quote]It’s worth noting that this doesn’t exploit any OS X weakness. The user has to grant it administrative permissions (including entering the administrator password) before it can install itself.[/quote]Although this is definitely a good thing, a lot of viruses that people get aren’t due to OS weaknesses.

True. (There was an article on Ars Technica a while back to the effect that most infections are the fault of the user, not the OS – can’t find the link right now though.)

Macs are going to be targeted by malware more as their marketshare grows. There’s less to exploit, because OS X is built with holes ‘closed by default’ as opposed to largely ‘open by default’ on Windows. Unfortunately, because most users are quite happy to grant it privileges to malware, on-demand AV is now a necessity.

I have also noticed that the majority of viruses prey on people’s stupidity. I think I just need smarter friends (fucrate, you’re out).

Although this is definitely a good thing, a lot of viruses that people get aren’t due to OS weaknesses. I’ve been computing for about 14+ years, since I was around 10-12 years old, yet I have never gotten a virus. I consider myself extremely lucky — but I also consider myself an informed netizen. People will get viruses regardless whether it is Mac/Windows, and it will only get much worse for Mac’s, regardless of what the apple fanboyz might have you think.