What it is: There’s a new macintosh trojan horse that infected a popular media player.
One of the biggest problems with desktop operating systems like Windows, Linux, and macOS is that they allow anyone to download and install software. Back in the early days, this was an obvious feature but in today’s world of malware, it’s a huge problem. Although most malware targets Windows, a handful of new malware targets macOS (and sometimes Linux).
Malware creators simply target the most likely targets. Since Windows is the most dominant operating system on PCs, most malware authors focus on Windows. But as the Macintosh grows in popularity, malware authors are targeting macOS. That means malware will continue targeting the Macintosh, and that’s why desktop operating systems are obsolete.
What protects the Macintosh and Linux from major malware infestations is that most malware targets Windows. There’s no good way to stop malware infestations other than user knowledge and that means the less knowledgeable users out there, the more likely they’ll get infected by malware. Since Linux is largely used by knowledgeable computer experts, their knowledge keeps them from clicking on suspicious links (for the most part) that could infect their Linux PCs.
Because malware is such a threat to desktop operating systems, that means the future is no longer desktop operating systems. Major corporations constantly get hacked through malware because they have a large user base of less knowledgeable computer users (who are more likely to click on malware links) and because they have weak security. So the best operating system is one that restricts novices form clicking on malware links and has greater security, and that operating system already exists: iOS.
Of course, nothing can stop people from their own mistakes, but iOS goes a long way towards keeping people from installing software downloaded form any source by restricting apps to the App Store. Apple tried to create a Mac App Store but since users will always have the option of downloading software form other locations, it’s still too easy to infect a Macintosh with malware by mistake.
By restricting apps to the App Store, iOS eliminates much of the security headaches that come from blocking malware and removing it afterwards. Eliminate desktop operating systems from a corporation and you immediately reduce security risks.
As the iPad grows in capabilities, it will become the next standard operating system. The iPad is slowly becoming more powerful until one day it will equal the power of a laptop. When that happens, laptops will be obsolete.
That’s why Apple keeps iOs and macOS separate. There’s little reason to merge the two since iOS will eventually dominate. Microsoft is trying to bring Windows into the mobile computing world but it still brings along its baggage of allowing users to download software from any source.
Your next computer will likely be an iPad. It might not happen next year, but it will happen eventually. The Macintosh will still be around just like Windows will still be around. It’s just that most people will prefer the security and ease of use of an iPad over a typical laptop over time, and that time will come faster than you think.
To read more about the latest macOS malware, click here.
