Topic: Mac worm sparks 'virus' debate

[Clive]

February 17, 2006
Veronique De Freitas

Members of the Apple Macintosh community are up in arms following reports that security experts had discovered "the first ever virus for Mac OS X".

Sophos announced on Thursday that MacOSX/Leap.A, which spreads via instant messaging, was the the "first real virus for the Mac OS X platform".

However, angry Mac users said MacOSX/Leap.A could not be classed as a virus and have slammed media reports surrounding the worm.

MacDailyNews stated: "It's not the first time Mac users have been the target of a malicious code. This example is not a virus. Leap-A will not leave anyone "shell-shocked." There are fewer anti-virus products for Macintosh than Windows because there are no Mac OS X viruses."

One Web User reader said: "Let me make this crystal clear: OSX/Leap-A is ABSOLUTELY NOT A VIRUS", while another said: "What was discovered today is not a virus. It is a TROJAN".

However, Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos, has reiterated to Web User that OSX/Leap.A can be classed as a virus.

Cluley said: "OSX/Leap.A is a worm because of the way it spreads - not because of the interaction that a user may have to go through in order to be infected. And worms are a subset of the group of malware known as viruses. So Leap.A is both a worm and thus, a virus. But it's definitely not a Trojan horse!?

Sophos has posted an update on its website where it explains further why OSX/Leap.A can be classed as a virus.

According to Sophos, 79 per cent of computer users believe that Macs will be targeted more often in the future following the arrival of the Leap.A Mac OS X worm. Although, the company's poll also shows that over half of computer users (59 per cent) do not believe that the problem would be as great as for Windows.