Mac flaw puts Safari surfers at risk

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jpg & mpg files can be app's?

Is this really true? I must admit I'm a Windows technician and this appears to me to be a bit insane.

As a technician who supports real people in a real world who openly admit they are computer illiterate and want things to be easy, is not a good thing for security. A simple checkmark to us sounds easy enough, but my average customer has never looked at any configuration dialogues. Take for example a few years ago when the spammers decided to do a drive by install on simply clicking on a email message which by default is displayed in a preview window that executed all scripts to show the message correctly. MS released a security update that blocked all attachments from being opened or saved by default. Yes it secured Outlook & Outlook Express but brought down a hail of tech support calls. Eventually the feature was unchecked by default and email became subject to the internet security zones; a much better place to secure the client.

Even though Apple wrote the book on personal computers, so to speak, they can still learn to adjust to the way the world thinks. Especially now that they are producing a product that appeals to a Windows user much better; Windows users grew up thinking that .jpg's and .mpg's are a form of data to be opened and viewed in an application designed for that purpose. Maybe Apple should look into accepting this standard and not execute photos, movies and music files.

If Apple wants to compete in a MS dominant world they must adapt to what the user knows and expects. So the Mac security will fall into the same category of MS Windows - install anti-virus and anti-spyware apps now! You are not as safe as you are led to believe.

UB

Posted by: Uncle Buck   Posted on: 01/13/07 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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