

In 2006, a marketing analytics firm reported that Microsoft Windows accounted for 97% of the market and that Apple only had a 2.47% market share. The higher frequency of attacks on Windows likely stems from the fact that Windows was a vastly more popular operating system. The problem became so bad that in 2002, Microsoft launched its Trustworthy Computing Initiative and temporarily stopped work on Windows Vista so that it could focus on addressing the security flaws that had long plagued Windows XP.Īlthough they were not immune to malware, Mac systems of the time suffered comparatively few infections. Early desktop versions of Windows proved to be extremely susceptible to both hacking and malware attacks. Back then, PCs relied on DOS (disk operating system) and faced frequent attacks from boot sector viruses.

Since the 1980s, Macs have had a reputation for being far more secure than PCs, especially when it comes to malware attacks. Usually, they involve an attacker who poses as someone else (such as a technical support engineer) to trick a user into giving up passwords or other sensitive information. Social engineering attacks also come in various forms. It can perform various tasks such as stealing passwords and credit card numbers, monitoring user activity or causing a complete system failure. Malware is a catch-all term that refers to any program or file that is harmful to a computer user. Two of the most pervasive risks, malware and social engineering attacks, can target both platforms. Regardless of whether a desktop is running Windows or macOS, numerous security risks remain a threat.
