Volvo syndrome for Mac users

Relative safety may lead to unsafe practices.

Symantec

has issued a warning to

Apple Macintosh

users that they are still at risk from online threats, despite the relative scarcity of malware affecting the platform.

In an interview with

MacWorld

, a spokesman for the security firm warned that the feeling of security engendered by the

Mac

‘s well-publicised shortage of viruses and trojans could lull users into a false sense of immunity online, leaving them open to being duped by phishing scams.

‘Social engineering can be as effective a method for stealing people’s valuable data as a keylogger or data-stealing trojan,’ said John Hawes, Technical Consultant at Virus Bulletin. ‘

Mac

users may feel safe from malware, but they do have to maintain the same alertness and caution as everyone else when browsing the web or reading their email.’

The interview,

here

, was part of the push for

Symantec

‘s new ‘

Norton Confidential

‘ suite, which includes filtering of known phishing sites and a password manager.

Posted on 28 September 2006 by

Virus Bulletin