Where's all the Mac viruses? Apple says there are 114,000 on the PC.

Apple's website says there are 114,000 PC Viruses.

So far I can count the Mac OS X viruses on one of my hands.

Now, I am not saying that Mac viruses are not possible. In fact it would be easy to write one. It could be a phishing virus, a key stroke recorder, a virus that phones home and sends personal information without your knowledge, a malware virus that clicks on ads off screen, a virus that swaps out the kernel, takes over and all bets are off. Now most of these viruses would probably require the user to enter their password. One way to get the Mac victim to enter there password would be to modify a multi pkg installer as add in a custom package that inserts the virus. Put the hacked software up on a torrent site (make it a popular program like iLife) and you've got yourself a pool of users.

While Mac viruses are entirely possible. Mac hackers that I know are not malicious. They are more interested in figuring out what makes OS X tick from a curiousity level than from a destructive force level. Many PC hackers are interested in controlling a botnet and using their skills to make money. There is a big difference between the average Macintosh hacker and a PC hacker. Don't get me wrong, I am sure there are PC hackers that work for the forces of good and not evil. I am just saying that I don't think there are many Mac hackers that try to hurt someone's computer or try to take a computer over. Plus, many IT departments are afraid of Macs, and I assume many Windows/PC only hackers are afraid of Macs as well. Market share is too low for most bad hackers to worry about Macs. I think that is why there are not many Mac viruses. Think different. Use the force, Luke.

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