Does your Apple Mac need antivirus software, or any other kind of security software? This question has been asked repeatedly over the years and I think the “correct’ answer has changed over time.

If you recently acquired an Apple Mac computer there are several simple steps you can take to protect your new machine, and all of the valuable information you will be storing on it.

Security companies in general and, unfortunately, anti-malware companies in particular, are often accused of ‘hyping’ threats because of a perceived self-interest. However, in the main, legitimate vendors and researchers like those at ESET typically try to resist overhyping or playing up threats where possible, in favor of more balanced discussion that can help customers take

…criminals are making use of the fact that Quicktime Player 7.6.6 allows movie files to trigger file downloads…the volume of reports picked up our ThreatSense.Net® telemetry suggests the likelihood of significant prevalence, though by no means an epidemic right now…

Further information on OSX/OpinionSpy

I like Macs. Not in an "OS X is God's own Operating System" sort of way, but I've owned/used many Macs, from SE/30s and IICX's to iMacs, eMacs and Macbooks. In fact, at least two of my books were written on the Powerbook which was my workhorse machine in my last couple of years at

It has been reported that a number of apps for smartphones running Windows Mobile that look like legitimate games also have autodialling functionality.

I was in Cyprus when I first came across the story about this spyware, which I blogged about here and here. Unfortunately, although Intego reported on some of the screensavers that were associated with its distribution, I was obliged to update the blog and remove the link to that information, as it was removed from the

A spyware application Intego calls OSX/OpinionSpy is being spread as part of the installation process for a number of screensavers and other apps.

While I was at the EICAR conference earlier this week, I also co-presented (along with Pierre-Marc Bureau and Andrew Lee) a paper on “Security, Perception and Worms in the Apple”… so along with the new paper, I’ve made available again the paper on Macs and malware that I presented at Virus Bulletin in 1997.