In this article, we will be addressing a question that has been within the grips of conjecture for the longest time, and that is: “Is Mac more secure than Windows?” For example people on Quora tend to ask this question again and again. The origin of the question can be designated to a preconceived notion that the OS of Mac is spared from all kinds of software vulnerabilities, and there is hardly any malware that can make its way through the strapping securities with which they are delineated.
Instances
An interesting fact that readers must know here is that Mac was considered safe from the attacks of adware, but in 2012, reports claiming that one certain Mac OS has been detected with adware has shattered this myth; and since then, the number of users witnessing the repercussions have surged high. For people who have not known, as per Cult of Mac, OSX/MaMi is one of the many malware programs detected in Mac and is known for its capability to infect the DNS servers and install a root certificate authority thus opening doors for its creator to behave like an individual even on the sites that have their traffic encrypted by HTTPS.
The loose points
Today, the aim of the hackers is not to simply steal crucial data from a host that they can gain profits from; but to collect these strings from multiple origins and then sell it off to third parties thereby, implying that malware (like this) is being commercialized. The technological market consists of three primary operating systems, namely Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. Linux, however, is the most rarely used platform. Therefore, the consumers are divided between Mac and Windows, with the latter owning a steeper share in the category. Now that we have spoken about the commercialization of malware, it would allow us to emphasize on the fact that after having accommodated the entire species of Windows under its scope, the cyber mongers have inevitably shifted their focus on Mac where it can delineate fresh and unknown resources to exploit all the possibilities that it has to offer.
Connecting the dots
It has been proven and accepted under grave certainties that a greater number of vulnerabilities encumbers the Mac OS; but, this doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be susceptible to more malware. Additionally, the assertion that Mac is safer also rises from the point where it states that the OS is harder to exploit; however, not completely immune. Windows is simply like that intermediate child between Linux and Mac OX that has been formed with characteristics from both these platforms. The exploits that were so long common in Linux have now started catching up with Windows, but not as yet with Mac OS.
The bottom line
Both Windows and Mac have stepped up their anti-malware game; both these platforms release security updates that are to be installed by the users sometimes even on a regular basis hence, exposing that they are equally vulnerable to malware. We can safely conclude that owing to the galloping pace of technology and with the convenience of accessing resources, hackers are always on the search for opportunities that will prove profitable to them; despite all the multiple layers of protective shield, they will breach through the security and disrupt the programs in both Window and Mac OS.
