Does the mac get viruses?

Question

My brother bet me $10 that a mac get viruses. Does the mac get viruses?

Answer 1

Macs get viruses just like the PC's do.   The thing is that there are a lot less MAC users, so there are a lot less virus programs.  As Macs become more popular, you'll see the rate of virus apps increasing at a higher percentage on macs than you will on PC's.

That doesn't mean that Macs will have more viruses than PC's.  It just means the growth rate of viruses for Mac's will be much higher, because they are currently much lower.

But if you have a decent Anti Virus program, and you dont go downloading things from weird places, then you should be fine either way.

Answer 2

It's possible, but rare due to OS X having a decent security model.

Answer 3

Yes, a mac gets viruses as well, just not as much as windows. The most virus immune os is linux.  

Answer 4

They are starting to. The dirtballs want to ruin as many rigs as they can so they go the PCs as thats what most people have. It's just as easy to write a bug for a Mac as it is for a PC. Now with Macs becoming more popular Viruss for them are expected to surge. Mac users bragging about how they dont get bugs wasn't the brightest idea.  Hackers have heard them say that and are thinking "Oh yeah?"

http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/03/0...

If Macs can't get a Virus then why is anti-virus software offered on them?