Everyone has seen the growing tide of Apple and its unstoppable gains and success in the world of computer and mobile technology. This innovative company has continually wowed consumers and the technology industry alike but recent reports have noted that this same popularity may be attracting the wrong attention. Apple released a statement recently, as reported by NPR, saying that Mac computers are being targeted by malicious software. Before now, Apple has been able to fly under the radar but as more and more people use their computers and mobile devices, many are wondering what this unwanted attention means for the future of the iPhone and other devices.
It’s been explained that many Mac users have recently fallen victim to “phishing” programs. This is when the user, when interfacing with an infected site, is confronted with a pop up window that informs them that their computer has been infected by a virus. The user is then prompted to enter their credit card number in order to pay to remove the security risk. This message is in fact, the malware. The credit card is then used for various nefarious purposes. Most PC users are already familiar with this scamming method but just enough people have been scammed that it’s getting Apple’s attention.
Apple’s CEO, Steve Jobs and his colleagues have begin discussing on ways to address this issue in an upcoming developer’s conference. They wanted to address ways in which they could combat this concern but the reason why it’s garnered so much attention is what this issue may mean for Apple’s ancillary devices such as the iPhone and iPad. Technology columnist Rich Jaroslovsky of Bloomberg News explained that, “The kernel of the Mac operating system, the sort of core of it, is also found in Apple mobile devices,” Jaroslovsky says. “So, a successful attack on the Mac theoretically could become something that would also affect mobile devices.” Since all of Apple’s products run on a similar core operating system and the possibility exists that, eventually, the company’s range of web based mobile devices run the risk of falling victim to this same security issue.
Steve Jobs is expected to unveil the company’s newest operating system, Lion, and iOS 5 for its mobile devices in the upcoming conference. It’s expected that there will be new implements in these operating systems to combat these issues but one thing is for certain, whatever approaches the company takes, Apple is now a target.
It’s not likely to hurt Apple’s sales and the company is still growing in popularity. AS we’ve seen in commercials, online surveys, and other media, the company still has the world’s attention through its aggressive ad campaigns and innovative approaches. This is simply a reality that Apple users will have to become accustomed to. PC users have dealt with similar issues for years and this is just a rite of passage as well as the price of success.
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