Weigh Your Net Risks

Consumer Reports surveys the risks associated with Internet use. Quite interestingly, they conclude that Macs are safer than PCs. An excerpt:

• In a nationally representative survey of more than 3,200 households with at-home Internet access, one-third said a virus or spyware caused serious problems with their computer systems and/or financial losses within the past two years.
• Half the respondents reported a spyware infection in the past six months. Of those, 18 percent said the infection was so bad they had to erase their hard drives. To avoid spyware, 51 percent of all online users reported being more careful visiting Web sites, and 38 percent said they download free programs less frequently.
• Sixty-four percent of survey respondents said they had detected viruses on their computer in the past two years. Four percent found them at least 50 times.
• Macs are safer than Windows PCs for some online hazards. Only 20 percent of Mac owners surveyed reported detecting a virus in the past two years, compared with 66 percent of Windows PC owners. Just 8 percent of Mac users reported a spyware infection in the last six months vs. 54 percent of Windows PC users.

Consumer Reports

Die Dulci Fruere