It’s good to see a measured and well thought-out response to developments in the Mac Internet security space. Such a response was recently published in a Baltimore Sun article. Entitled “Sophos selling Mac vulnerability” the article addresses recent seemingly self-serving claims by Internet security software vendor Sophos PLC.

As the article, by David Zeiler, summarizes, Sophos sells Internet security software. Mainly for Windows machines, but also for Macs. They recently have been emphasizing the “rise of malware for Apple Mac computers,” both through their comprehensive Security Threat Report (with subhead “Mac users targeted by financially motivated hackers for the first time”) and through a poll on their Web site where people voted that the Mac will be more targeted in the future. No big surprise there.

The Baltimore Sun article condemns Sophos’ tactics while at the same time pointing out that the company is not entirely wrong. Using a great analogy, it compares Sophos’ statements to those of an auto mechanic telling you your car needs repairs “just to be on the safe side”:

1. No harm done exactly, but then again you didn’t really need it -- not yet, anyway. That’s how I feel about security software for the Mac. I have yet to see any hard evidence that Mac users truly need anti-malware protection.
   

The article summarizes some of the recent Mac malware proofs-of-concept, making it clear that there are warning clouds on the horizon. It also importantly talks about key things we Mac users should do right now, including using a personal firewall, installing Apple’s security updates, and exercising “vigilance and common sense.” Very measured, and very useful.

Here at Open Door, as readers know, we sell Macintosh security software too. Hopefully readers have also come to realize that we try to be measured in our analysis of the Mac Internet security world. It’s good to see at least someone in the press acts the same way!