Greater market share and the use of Intel chips are likely what's making Apple's Macs a target for viruses, with seven new vulnerabilities reported in the Mac OS X operating system, writes the Associated Press. Apple spokeswoman Natalie Kerris said the vulnerabilities do not make it possible to run malicious code, adding that the holes would be patched via the next Mac OS X automatic update.
The computer-security organization SANS Institute for the first time added the Mac (OS X) to its list of the top-20 Internet vulnerabilities, and this week it updated the list to warn against flaws in Safari, the Mac web browser.
The number of discovered Mac vulnerabilities reached 81 last year, up from 46 in 2004 and 27 in 2003, according to the Open Source Vulnerability Database.
Prior coverage:
- Apple Issues Update to Fix Browser Flaws, Avoid OS Virus
- 'Serious Flaw' in Mac OS X/Safari Browser
- Yet Another Virus Targets Mac OS X
- First Real Mac Virus Worms Its Way into Apple
