The similarities between the two grow closer day by day...

I really like Windows; I think it’s an extremely *flexible* operating system. I can build the worst server in the world and somehow it still functions reasonably well, from a security and compatibility perspective. UNIX servers are never as friendly and run best on proprietary hardware and require proper configuration hence they are usually pretty tough. LINUX is a similar story but slightly more flexible, however its open source nature is a real security nightmare. Any programmer who’s ever had any involvement in its development (and we are potentially talking about millions of contributors here) has intimate knowledge of its workings. Traditionally Apple’s RISC operating systems have been a mixture between LINUX and UNIX but like Windows remained totally closed, even from a hardware perspective which is a good thing from a security perspective.

However in 1996, mainly due to a response to Microsoft’s upcoming XP, Apple started a major redevelopment of its OS resulting in OSX, which at its core runs open source code and recently they have taken the decision to move away from RISC architecture to the mainstream CISC architecture. This clearly steers the Apple Mac into the IBM clone PC arena and the similarities between the two grow closer day by day.

So bearing in mind that the major banks, retailers and credit card companies that spend millions on security still get hacked all the time, why is it that a large proportion of Apple Mac users incorrectly remain under the impression that the OSX operating system is hack proof?

Are you all under the same impression that if these banks all just used £1000 iMacs everyone’s money would be safe?