Apple The New World Leader In Software Insecurity

[Little Asterisk 1]

Yup, ladies and gentlemen, Apple has become the world leader in unstable software, according to Secunia (link).

 

You can read more about it on Arstechnica (link), but in short the deal is this:

 

Apple had more reported flaws than any other vendor, Microsoft still third

Top ten vendors account for some 38% of all flaws reported.

Five years ago, there were more first-party flaws (in Windows and Microsoft's other software) than third-party, from 2007. that's not the case anymore.

[rpgsearcherz 5]

Rofl, I find this hilarious. Despite my massive hatred for Apple I always thought Microsoft was above them in terms of insecurities. Who would target the Apple platform? Most people don't even use it!I guess this shows that my complete disliking of Apple has its rightful place.

[Little Asterisk 1]

Rofl, I find this hilarious. Despite my massive hatred for Apple I always thought Microsoft was above them in terms of insecurities. Who would target the Apple platform? Most people don't even use it!
I guess this shows that my complete disliking of Apple has its rightful place.

Yeah, it's not like I don't like Apple "per se", but they really get on my nerves a bit with their "Let's ban Flash and make millions off of our HTML 5 Video element" talk.

Microsoft was the leader in security issues a few years ago, but it would seem now as if times are changing.

As for the remark on viruses; I believe there aren't that many Antiviruses out there for Apple computers (Macs), so they're a perfect match for the attackers. Not completely sure, though.

[rpgsearcherz 5]

Yeah, it's not like I don't like Apple "per se", but they really get on my nerves a bit with their "Let's ban Flash and make millions off of our HTML 5 Video element" talk.
Microsoft was the leader in security issues a few years ago, but it would seem now as if times are changing.

As for the remark on viruses; I believe there aren't that many Antiviruses out there for Apple computers (Macs), so they're a perfect match for the attackers. Not completely sure, though.

I dislike Apple because *everything* is proprietary and must be paid for. Even the music is DRM'd. It's pretty much paying so you can limit your abilities -- it makes no sense.

About antivirus on the platform, I don't think that really matters. Linux doesn't really have AV's either (at least that I know of) and it's not being attacked very often either. Weaker security or not, I would choose Windows over Apple if I was an attacker solely because even if the ratio of people:vulnerable is smaller, the total number who get hit is higher.

[mahesh2k 0]

Platform which is used heavily is likely to be targeted more by antivirus companies. Antivirus companies are realizing the trend of people buying more apple products so that way they're building more virus solutions for that platform. (I hardly see any hackers/crackers making viruses cause creating variants everyday for virus is simply huge task which is not rewarded even if in case of hacker/cracker being extremely mentally unstable).Apple is right with doing business. They're keeping software at some price and for which they're asking us to pay nothing wrong with that. They're into open source as well. They've safari and some other softwares for free. It's not that they're completely commercial. I do agree that DRM based music is too much. But then again in the age of torrents, why people will buy music is another case. Again freebie-sucking thinking is not fair for almost everything on internet. Atleast apple doesn't take 60% profit for apps/products from sellers just like amazon do.

[Little Asterisk 1]

Platform which is used heavily is likely to be targeted more by antivirus companies. Antivirus companies are realizing the trend of people buying more apple products so that way they're building more virus solutions for that platform. (I hardly see any hackers/crackers making viruses cause creating variants everyday for virus is simply huge task which is not rewarded even if in case of hacker/cracker being extremely mentally unstable).

 

Apple is right with doing business. They're keeping software at some price and for which they're asking us to pay nothing wrong with that. They're into open source as well. They've safari and some other softwares for free. It's not that they're completely commercial. I do agree that DRM based music is too much. But then again in the age of torrents, why people will buy music is another case. Again freebie-sucking thinking is not fair for almost everything on internet. Atleast apple doesn't take 60% profit for apps/products from sellers just like amazon do.

 

Okay, you're probably using one of Apple's products. I respect that and I admit that I would like to use their products, too, if I didn't have to order them from outside my country (where we don't have these damn computers, and I would have to pay huge amounts of money from ordering from outside the country).

 

And the products aren't necessarily bad, but I kind of hate their statements which go against any common sense in this world. The following list indicates where I have most problems with Apple:

 

They say Adobe is "proprietary" and "evil" with Flash, when HTML5's video element is actually in their (amongst others) ownership, and will be free for only a short time now (I think I've read 20102). To me, it's obvious they're trying to push Flash away so they can make more money. Maybe not, but that's my opinion.

There is so much boundaries for iPhone developers they put on them; for instance, you HAVE to have a Macintosh in order to do programming for it. You have to pass their *hard* criteria before uploading an app, which is sometimes unfair (I know times when they rejected applications which were virtually the same as some other that already exist). Again, tell me that's not proprietary.

Their (great, as I've stated a couple of times before) computers have too little room for upgrades and too little conenctions. I guess it's for aesthetic purposes, but still...

The same way as my previous point goes, their tablets (iPad) and smartphones (iPhone) have un-replaceable batteries. Actually, as I realise it; if you send them an iPad, they take it and fix the problem for the fee of the replaced hardware and send it to you EMPTY (that is, with no programs or documents). How can you know it's your iPad?!

The last point is not on them, but I wanted to have five items . Here it goes: The fact is there is much more free software for Linux and Windows than there is for Apple. Just a remark which might bother some users, but isn't directly associated with Apple "per se".

You know, I like some of their software and Macs (laptops especially) but some of these really, REALLY get on my nerves. I mean, come on Apple, give us a break!

 

P.S. No hard feelings, mahesh2k, just my look on the things.

Edited July 24, 2010 by Little Asterisk (see edit history)

[rpgsearcherz 5]

Platform which is used heavily is likely to be targeted more by antivirus companies. Antivirus companies are realizing the trend of people buying more apple products so that way they're building more virus solutions for that platform. (I hardly see any hackers/crackers making viruses cause creating variants everyday for virus is simply huge task which is not rewarded even if in case of hacker/cracker being extremely mentally unstable).

Very good point. I never even thought about the fact that being "insecure" and being a targeted system are two completely different things. You're absolutely right in your thought process there -- just because it can be hacked doesn't mean it is being hacked.

[mahesh2k 0]

* They say Adobe is "proprietary" and "evil" with Flash, when HTML5's video element is actually in their (amongst others) ownership, and will be free for only a short time now (I think I've read 20102). To me, it's obvious they're trying to push Flash away so they can make more money. Maybe not, but that's my opinion.

Adobe is evil because adobe is not at all trying to get itself on linux/unix platform. Reason is because of profit which i agree is low on these platform. Apple's point against adobe is valid.

* There is so much boundaries for iPhone developers they put on them; for instance, you HAVE to have a Macintosh in order to do programming for it. You have to pass their *hard* criteria before uploading an app, which is sometimes unfair (I know times when they rejected applications which were virtually the same as some other that already exist). Again, tell me that's not proprietary.

No. You don't need macintosh OS to program for iphone.There are emulators that you can use on windows from which you can install MAC OSX and then program for iphone. Many companies in india are actually doing this because buying license for OSX is way costly and even selling the iphone app cant recover the cost immediately.

* Their (great, as I've stated a couple of times before) computers have too little room for upgrades and too little conenctions. I guess it's for aesthetic purposes, but still...

True, but then again they're trying to tie consumer to their products. For example, celebs and artists use macs. They rarely need OS upgrades, but more of application upgrades are required.

* The same way as my previous point goes, their tablets (iPad) and smartphones (iPhone) have un-replaceable batteries. Actually, as I realise it; if you send them an iPad, they take it and fix the problem for the fee of the replaced hardware and send it to you EMPTY (that is, with no programs or documents). How can you know it's your iPad?!

Lol, that applies to Dell as well.

Here it goes: The fact is there is much more free software for Linux and Windows than there is for Apple. Just a remark which might bother some users, but isn't directly associated with Apple "per se".

Wrong. Apple is Unix based. Apple uses BSD code. So any application that works on BSD/LINUX can work on apple. You can run almost 60-80% of software that comes with ubuntu on apple OS X. There is free software repository and directories which maintains such software for apple. So there is no shortage of free software on apple's side. In fact i'll say that windows have less free software than apple & linux. Plus, there are many softwares in the field of graphic design, music, video (both free & commercial) which are only created for apple (if you inquire you'll know the exact number of industry softwares).

[Little Asterisk 1]

Adobe is evil because adobe is not at all trying to get itself on linux/unix platform. Reason is because of profit which i agree is low on these platform. Apple's point against adobe is valid.

Huh?
Sorry, but if I don't agree with you on one point here than that's this one. In the entire letter "Jobs" (probably a bunch of people from Apple) has written against Flash, not one (as I've skimmed through it now again) is made against Linux. Android runs on Linux, and Flash player exists for Android devices.

Moreover, a lot of the other points from the "love letter" were made false when Adobe showcased Flash working on Nokia devices (I think it was Nokia, but there were also a couple of other) and when it was made clear rollovers do work on mobile devices.

If you think about the Flash development environment, I know that there are some third-party sites which offer such things for Linux (I don't know how often is which updated, but one of them is on SourceForge - http://f4l.sourceforge.net/ ). That reminds me a bit of the development situation for the iPhone.

And also, does Microsoft make Office for Linux? Does Apple make their software for Linux?

No. You don't need macintosh OS to program for iphone.There are emulators that you can use on windows from which you can install MAC OSX and then program for iphone. Many companies in india are actually doing this because buying license for OSX is way costly and even selling the iphone app cant recover the cost immediately.

As I recall (and don't take my word for it, but I think it's somewhere in the Terms of service or something similar), iPhone applications "...Must be produced on an Apple-branded computer". Even if it means you only have to put an Apple sticker on your PC, that doesn't sound very... Hmm, *un-proprietary* to me.

P.S. Here, on the official developer page for the iPhone ( http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ )they actually state:

"Can I develop iOS applications on Windows?"
No. iOS applications can be developed only on Mac OS X.

and

"What are the minimum hardware requirements for iOS development?"
A Mac with an Intel processor.

True, but then again they're trying to tie consumer to their products. For example, celebs and artists use macs. They rarely need OS upgrades, but more of application upgrades are required.

I meant in a hardware sense (hence the "for aesthetic purposes).

Lol, that applies to Dell as well.

I did not know that.

Wrong. Apple is Unix based. Apple uses BSD code. So any application that works on BSD/LINUX can work on apple. You can run almost 60-80% of software that comes with ubuntu on apple OS X. There is free software repository and directories which maintains such software for apple. So there is no shortage of free software on apple's side. In fact i'll say that windows have less free software than apple & linux. Plus, there are many softwares in the field of graphic design, music, video (both free & commercial) which are only created for apple (if you inquire you'll know the exact number of industry softwares).

I'm basing my fact about free software for Macs from a NetTuts article ( https://code.tutsplus.com/articles/one-developers-switch-from-pc-to-mac--net-11831 - search for "The software catch" without the quotes ) and my own experience.

If you say Linux programs do work on Apple computers, great!

Again, I understand Apple makes some good stuff and all, but some of their statements really get on my nerves more than anything.

[mahesh2k 0]

Sorry, but if I don't agree with you on one point here than that's this one. In the entire letter "Jobs" (probably a bunch of people from Apple) has written against Flash, not one (as I've skimmed through it now again) is made against Linux. Android runs on Linux, and Flash player exists for Android devices.

 

Moreover, a lot of the other points from the "love letter" were made false when Adobe showcased Flash working on Nokia devices (I think it was Nokia, but there were also a couple of other) and when it was made clear rollovers do work on mobile devices.

 

If you think about the Flash development environment, I know that there are some third-party sites which offer such things for Linux (I don't know how often is which updated, but one of them is on SourceForge - http://f4l.sourceforge.net/ ). That reminds me a bit of the development situation for the iPhone.

Lol, flash player is like runtime environment so they want maximum possible platforms to cover in it in order to avoid monopoly plus to get their product popular(Besides flash is open-sourced already). Otherwise they'll land in same trouble like microsoft (EU case). Are you telling me adobe is not evil by not letting their products like audition,photoshop made available to linux ? thats indirect monopoly though. On one hand you talk about apple not producing free software and on other you defend adobe for "not-evil" for making software available for their platform. just for starters, is photoshop released for linux ?

 

And also, does Microsoft make Office for Linux? Does Apple make their software for Linux?

Why should they ? is there any compulsion to make software for platforms which are not profitable ? Lol. you're making it look as if we SHOULD force them to make apps for platform which is not profitable.

 

 

As I recall (and don't take my word for it, but I think it's somewhere in the Terms of service or something similar), iPhone applications "...Must be produced on an Apple-branded computer". Even if it means you only have to put an Apple sticker on your PC, that doesn't sound very... Hmm, *un-proprietary* to me.

P.S. Here, on the official developer page for the iPhone ( http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ )they actually state:

"Can I develop iOS applications on Windows?"

No. iOS applications can be developed only on Mac OS X.

and

 

"What are the minimum hardware requirements for iOS development?"

A Mac with an Intel processor.

That's why you need to read the word "emulator" in my post. Plus many developers are actually using it by violating the terms.

 

 

 

If you say Linux programs do work on Apple computers, great!

Let me save you some trouble of googling. Check here and here. I hope you do understand the fact that we're in 2010 not in 2005 to debate on this point. After all, both OSX and Linux come a long way in development.

[Little Asterisk 1]

Lol, flash player is like runtime environment so they want maximum possible platforms to cover in it in order to avoid monopoly plus to get their product popular(Besides flash is open-sourced already). Otherwise they'll land in same trouble like microsoft (EU case). Are you telling me adobe is not evil by not letting their products like audition,photoshop made available to linux ? thats indirect monopoly though. On one hand you talk about apple not producing free software and on other you defend adobe for "not-evil" for making software available for their platform. just for starters, is photoshop released for linux ?

 

Why should they ? is there any compulsion to make software for platforms which are not profitable ? Lol. you're making it look as if we SHOULD force them to make apps for platform which is not profitable.

 

Wait, I don't get you here. You're saying Adobe's product's aren't released for Linux, and that's not good but at the same time you say the fact Microsoft doesn't release Office for Linux is OK?

 

I'm not following you here. Linux is equally unprofitable for both Adobe, Microsoft and Apple.

 

(P.S. The open-source debate was just a sidenote, not really related to Apple but more to the programs offered)

 

That's why you need to read the word "emulator" in my post. Plus many developers are actually using it by violating the terms.

 

If they're programming on Windows, they're (according to Apple) violating the terms of agreement. If they're using Mac OS, that means Apple is doing the same thing they claim Adobe for.

 

Android is much more flexible on this area, where basically anyone can make programs for the platform.

 

Plus, all developers (except for universities) pay $99 yearly so they could make applications for the iPhone, versus the $25 or so one-time payment for Android.

 

Let me save you some trouble of googling. Check here and here. I hope you do understand the fact that we're in 2010 not in 2005 to debate on this point. After all, both OSX and Linux come a long way in development.

 

Gotcha.

[mahesh2k 0]

Wait, I don't get you here. You're saying Adobe's product's aren't released for Linux, and that's not good but at the same time you say the fact Microsoft doesn't release Office for Linux is OK? I'm not following you here. Linux is equally unprofitable for both Adobe, Microsoft and Apple.

Okay,let me be more clear on this. Adobe dropped support and future development of some apple applications because apple launched aparture & similar other products in competition to that of adobe's. Plus adobe is less open with application development, in comparison to other app dev, adobe has very few products open sourced or free in the market. Now apple's point against adobe for fair competition is valid. Why any platform owner wants one popular developer company to drop some product development on their platform. After all, adobe is not a platform/OS etc but more of application development company. Now microsoft and apple are platforms and they can monopolize market to some extent to tie customers to their platform. But if companies like adobe deny development for platform where they're getting competition from the platform makers then that is not good at all.Business can't be done with greedy mindset in the age of open source like this. Even apple released boot camp software that allows windows to install as dual boot system on macintosh computers. Don't you think if we look at these example, adobe is spreading itself too thin ?If it were non-profitable platform like linux then we'll atleast understand why they feel the reason for dropping development of those products,but it's apple where they're dropping development. Do you think it's fair business to dump Microsoft office for OSX if there is alternative like open office exist for Mac ? (i know not so strong argument with microsoft example, but still to give you idea).

 

If they're programming on Windows, they're (according to Apple) violating the terms of agreement. If they're using Mac OS, that means Apple is doing the same thing they claim Adobe for.Android is much more flexible on this area, where basically anyone can make programs for the platform.Plus, all developers (except for universities) pay $99 yearly so they could make applications for the iPhone, versus the $25 or so one-time payment for Android.

No. Case for apple-adobe and apple development on windows compared with android both are different and i'm unsure how you're relating it.

[Little Asterisk 1]

Adobe dropped support and future development of some apple (is it Adobe's applications?) applications because apple launched aparture & similar other products in competition to that of adobe's.

Which applications? I haven't heard about that.

 

No. Case for apple-adobe and apple development on windows compared with android both are different and i'm unsure how you're relating it.

 

Apple banned Adobe Flash from its platform just shortly after CS5 has shipped, which had integrated the possibility to directly export Flash applications from the Creative Suite.

 

Google's Android devices support Flash, which basically means it's not a smartphone-wide thing, but more of an Apple vs. Adobe fight.

 

Not even I am sure what was I thinking of with the rest of the post. I'll inform you if I do remember.

 

And now, a slight digression...

 

But anyhow, as far as we're talking about Flash on the iPhone and iPad and other devices, here's an interesting infographic that tells us the story from the beginning (it was a bit big to embed it in the post:

http://www.coolinfographics.com/blog/2010/5/10/apple-adobe-flash-and-h264-an-infographic-explanation.html

 

Another interesting news I've found out just now is that EU could force Apple to "unban" Flash from the iPhone ( http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ and http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=18915 ).

 

And, finally, I don't know what happened to the lawsuit that was supposed to happen, since I follow the hardware market sporadically - http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

[mahesh2k 0]

Which applications? I haven't heard about that.

Almost all applications on OSX. If you search google with query " Adobe drops OSX" then you'll come across lots of news. But in short adobe is dropping support for all applications in next release. There is no issue from apple side but more from adobe's side.

Apple banned Adobe Flash from its platform just shortly after CS5 has shipped, which had integrated the possibility to directly export Flash applications from the Creative Suite.Google's Android devices support Flash, which basically means it's not a smartphone-wide thing, but more of an Apple vs. Adobe fight.Not even I am sure what was I thinking of with the rest of the post. I'll inform you if I do remember.

Looks like you're merging two stories. Though they're related but it was stand from adobe which sparked when apple first launched aparture which competed against adobe products.

[Little Asterisk 1]

OK, I think we've chatted enough on this matter now. We wouldn't want to turn this topic into a discussion about... Ehm, we already did, didn't we? :)To summarize; I still dislike Apple's philosophy of work and the "War" against Adobe, you still like Apple, we haven't achieved much with our discussion, but what can you do? :)The "byproduct" will be us making a few MyCENTS more, I hope, and enlightening someone who will visit the topic later.Cheers!