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Smart Is More Important Than Secure
David Utter
Staff Writer
2006-09-01
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Flaws, exploits, and patches for vulnerabilities all put the topic of computer security in the news regularly, but the typical PC user has more to fear from social engineering than malicious code.
 | | Smart Is More Important Than Secure |  |
It really doesn't matter if someone uses a Windows-based system or a Mac OS-solution on a regular basis, according to McAfee's Allysa Myers on the McAfee Avert blog. Social engineering, not malware, poses the bigger threat.
Myers took on the question while assessing the back-to-school computer market, and how people may choose between Mac or Windows for the PC they buy. Neither platform is completely bulletproof when it comes to security issues.
That consideration should mean consumers need to look at the features they need, and the potential for requiring technical assistance. For college students, the required features may dictate the choice of platform depending on their major; the option exists for buyers to pick up an Intel-based Mac and dual boot Windows XP on it too.
Beyond the feature set, Myers said the two central ideas behind how secure a machine will be are application/OS vulnerabilities and social engineering:
The response of the vendor is the biggest consideration and arguably at this point the major players aren't leaving actively attacked holes open for extended periods of time. With a firewall and anti-virus software in place, the average user will be reasonably safe.
That leaves social engineering:
No amount of OS security or security products will prevent you from putting your home address, phone number, credit card information, etc. out on a website if you're truly determined.
The "something for nothing" promises that whip around the Internet in a multitude of forms have to be seen for what they are, an information grab. Software in the PC can't replace using the software inside one's skull, and the smart computer user will be the more secure one any time.
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Tags: PC, Security, Malware, Social Engineering
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About the Author:
David Utter is a business and technology writer for SecurityProNews and WebProNews.
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