This Apple won't keep the viruses away
Apple's response the recent 'Mac Defender' malware threat has caused a great deal of debate.
In an internal memo to customer support staff reported on by ZDNet, Apple instructs its employees to tell customers calling to ask about the 'Mac Defender' that the company will not offer support to users affected by it. Further Apple reps should 'neither confirm nor deny whether the customers computer is infected or not.'
Additionally, Apple will not offer any advice as to what applications are available in order to remove any this malware once installed. Other than pointing customers in the direction of the Apple Online Store or Mac App Store to find an anti-virus solution on their own.
The reasonable side of that response is highlighted by in the memo - for the malware to infect your Mac you need to enter your administrator password. Were this a virus taking advantage of an exploit in the OS, Apple's dismissal might well be met with righteous indignation, but in this case the problem exists with the user, not the OS.
What this particular incident has once again brought to light is the fact that the belief long-held by many that Macs are somehow immune to virus or malware attacks is far from true. In the words of AVG's Chief Scientist, Karel Obluk: "For Apple, it's time to admit that there are threats to OS X users, and to start educating its customers on how to avoid them. Avoiding the issue is an unacceptable abdication of its duty to its customers."
Whether Apple will take further action, and whether it really needs to, remains to be seen. One this is for certain: the debate surrounding the issue is far from over.
