[macintologist]

Let's say that OS X marketshare went up to 50%. Now a sizeable part of the market is using OS X, which means a lot of idiot computer users to expoit.

Could it be possible to write annoying intrusive spyware/adware for Mac OS X that would pop up all the time asking you to buy the full version of some software and what not, like you have on Windows?

Is Mac OS X secure enough so that you have to be REALLY stupid to let that happen?

[CharlesS]

Well, Safari doesn't do ActiveX, so it would be a lot harder to find a way to make an app launch just by browsing a web site...

It wouldn't be hard at all to write a spyware app that would run if the user double-clicked on it. It would be much harder to write one that launched by other means.

[saddino]

Originally Posted by macintologist

Could it be possible to write annoying intrusive spyware/adware for Mac OS X that would pop up all the time asking you to buy the full version of some software and what not, like you have on Windows?

You mean like QuickTime Pro?

[CaptainHaddock]

While there's really nothing from stopping people from adding adware into the software programs they offer, the Mac community would lash out pretty quickly at such apps. Unlike how the Windows world works, malicious applications are not accepted in Ostenland.

Fortunately, the people who love Windows in spite of malware and worms will stay on that platform. I don't see the OS X user-base ever hitting 50%.