computer dumbass question.

[maevele]

so, since I have only macs here, we are continually virus free. Z believes that it will somehow subject our little network to all of the shit that can get in if I get a windows based laptop and run it on our network. This doesn't entirely logic to me, but I've been mac only for so long I have no idea.


So, will a laptop make our network vulnerable and let virii eat our modem or whatever?

Comments

[chris462.livejournal.com]

Adding a PC to your network won't make your Macs any more vulnerable than if the neighbors had a PC.

[(Anonymous)]

But will it make our network vulnerable? Like our modem and router and shit? Because he thinks yes, and therefore I should get a mac notebook, which I'd love, obviously, bu I can't afford.

[chris462.livejournal.com]

The modem and router are already taking the brunt of the shit from the 'net. Adding a PC on the back end isn't going to make that any worse.

[mylaptopisevil.livejournal.com]

no

[lisaquestions.livejournal.com]

Macs are still Macs with a PC on the network.

TBH, I've lived in a household with three PCs and three Macs on the network, two different PCs caught viruses on two separate occasions and in neither case did the viruses spread to any other PC, let alone the Macs (and they wouldn't be Mac compatible anyway).

PCs are not as safe as Macs largely because PCs have historically been more tempting targets. However, it's possible to make a PC relatively safe:

* get a good virus scanner (or even a free one, like AVG)
* get Spybot + AdAware and run them regularly
* browse with Firefox + NoScript
* Be careful where you go and which links you follow.
* Keep backups of important data so that you can restore if you do get a virus and need to reformat

[lisaquestions.livejournal.com]

By this, I mean make the PC safe for itself, because there's no way the Macs are at greater risk.

[maevele.livejournal.com]

but like I asked chris, will it make our network vulnerable? Like our modem and router and shit? Because he thinks yes, and therefore I should get a mac notebook, which I'd love, obviously, bu I can't afford.

[lisaquestions.livejournal.com]

There's no way your PC can spread a virus to the modem, router, or Macs. It just can't happen.

[lisaquestions.livejournal.com]

Let me qualify that: It doesn't happen. Hardly anyone writes viruses aimed at Macs, and modems are firmware, not software. Routers should be completely hardware.

If someone did write a virus aimed at Macs designed to attack through a Windows vulnerability, it'd be all over the internet.

It is possible that people will start writing Mac-specific viruses, but they'll use security holes in the Mac OS and attack Macs directly, not rely on the possibility of PCs connected to the same network.

[lisaquestions.livejournal.com]

Also,

Can a cable modem get a virus?

Same question here.

Can a router get a virus?

Oh, and apparently, Macs have more security flaws than PCs, but they've just never really been a tempting target due to relative lack of Macs compared to PCs.

But just to be clear again, the PC can't make the network more vulnerable to viruses. The PC alone is more vulnerable to viruses because more viruses are written for the PC specifically, but that won't affect the network or anything linked to it.

[maevele.livejournal.com]

Good. Z can shut up and I'll get whatever gotdam laptop I can afford.

[lisaquestions.livejournal.com]

Apparently, the report about Macs having more flaws is inaccurate or slanted or based on Microsoft not reporting everything honestly, but the rest is true.

[chris462.livejournal.com]

That report is pretty much total FUD, IMO.

[lisaquestions.livejournal.com]

You're too late! :)