Linux / Mac Users: Are You Protected?

[FapFilter]

interesting link I just stumbled upon, regarding numbers of known vulnerabilities per OS

https://www.cvedetails.com/top-50-produ ... ?year=2022

I don't know their sources, as it seems to be a bit weird, that according to that list, old Windows versions should actually be safer to use nowadays than current ones, but still.
Also note how most Linux distros and Android are leading the pack, when it comes to having the most vulnerable points.
And if the namings in that list are correct, current MacOS is not #4 of the most vulnerable systems (that would be OSX), but at #46 of 50

[gaggle of hermits]

it can only count reported vulnerabilities. practically function call in an early 2000s OS is probably a buffer-overflow opportunity. but more money has gone into bug bounties in recent years. and different versions of OS X aren't broken out in the way the stats are for windows versions.

[FapFilter]

still interesting that Windows, that's constantly getting smacked in the public as being completely broken and unsecured, actually seems to fare the best among the more popular OSes here, while the most popular Linux distros, which often are heralded as safety heavens, leave much more room for exploits, according to that list at least

Though of course just the sheer number of things isn't the full story.
One single exploitable subject that can do severe damage to your system or personal data like passwords, credit card info, etc. can weigh more than 1000s of smaller issues, that are just able to alter your desktop background or system sounds

[jancivil]

At this point both Chrome and Safari are taking sites like NI Support and "My Products" at VSL as attacking me. eating up my time.
this has gone too far

So, no I'm not going to install third-party detectors at this juncture.

[teilo]

Recent Mac OSs have a sealed system volume and on newer Macs, this is enforced using the T2 secure enclave. No malware is going to root your OS. This makes malware on a Mac very easy to remove. However, that doesn't mean they won't trash your user files in the meantime. I don't run antivirus. I have a Synology, and do time machine backups over the LAN, and all my documents and projects are further backed up on Dropbox. I also know what I am doing, and in 17 years using Mac, have never had malware.

[FapFilter]

Yes, after informing myself a bit more, the security measures on MacOS are actually pretty good that should be good enough to keep you safe that you probably shouldn't need additional scanners if you don't do too stupid things.
Still, I actually don't think it’d be a bad idea to also let the users do manual scans if desired, be it plugged in external media or newly downloaded files BEFORE you actually launch them.
Options for manual full system scans that tell you a-ok (or not) as feedback give you also more confidence than leaving the user completely in dark wether or not the scanner is actually still working at all.

[spliffy_mcweed]

> Are you protected?

This implies that antivirus actually protects you against something, rather than what it actually does: spouting off false positives against small-time software developers (because the big-timers have lawyers who can sue for slander) to make you feel like it's doing something useful, while actual malware can often go undetected.

[syntonica]

And if the namings in that list are correct, current MacOS is not #4 of the most vulnerable systems (that would be OSX), but at #46 of 50

That Macos is OS9 and earlier. The older OSes had fewer vulnerabilities due to far less code and far less reliance on third-party libraries. All the code was written in house.

The C library is pretty dreadful. C programmers seem too busy trying to be clever than actually looking at their code for vulnerabilities. Buffer overflows? Their possibility was there for how long?

I'm just curious how many of these vulnerabilities rely on stupid users rather than clever hackers. The increases in the numbers from 2000 to 2020 by ~x100 is just insane!

[syntonica]

> Are you protected?

This implies that antivirus actually protects you against something, rather than what it actually does: spouting off false positives against small-time software developers (because the big-timers have lawyers who can sue for slander) to make you feel like it's doing something useful, while actual malware can often go undetected.

I'm pretty sure that virus scanners are viruses in and of themselves.

[FapFilter]

So the built in Windows and MacOS scanners are actually malware?

[FapFilter]

> Are you protected?

This implies that antivirus actually protects you against something, rather than what it actually does: spouting off false positives against small-time software developers (because the big-timers have lawyers who can sue for slander) to make you feel like it's doing something useful, while actual malware can often go undetected.

Well, if I protect myself on my motorbike wearing a helmet, gloves and full safety gear doesn't mean I couldn't hurt or kill myself if I tried or was unlucky. It still can/will just protect me to some extent though

Plus, when you have no means of some safety measure, you will never know if your system got compromised, unless it is already too late (credit card misused, system f**ked up, etc.)
There's also stuff that doesn't start to work immediately, instead it just tries to spread for a while before doing anything.
It could also just be spyware running in the background that will never tell you anything that it's there so you could have it for years without knowing, if you don't have some scanner that can find it.
Not that your system has to get something like that, but it could - and you would eventually never know, or only when it's already too late.
And I don't mean that one should necessarily opt for third party scanners. The Windows integrated one is good, the one in MacOS probably too.
But having a system nowadays that is used for online stuff and wouldn't have any form of malware scanning at all, would be having to rely a bit too much on blind faith, at least in my book

[syntonica]

So the built in Windows and MacOS scanners are actually malware?

Yes.

Actually, the entire OSes are rife with malware.

[Teksonik]

The secrets to system security are:

1. Be Smart
2. Be Lucky

The more of one you have less of two you'll need.

[audiojunkie]

So the built in Windows and MacOS scanners are actually malware?

Yes.

Actually, the entire OSes are rife with malware.

You can't call Windows a virus! A virus actually does what it's told to do!

[rezoneight]

BitDefender on Mac is good and there is little effect on the operation of the machine. Have been using it for years.