Experts offer Unix virus warnings

Killer worms continue to steal Internet bandwidth and clog Mac user's email boxes, and the problem seems set to intensify. Meanwhile, virus writers are "showing increased interest in Unix," experts told Macworld. Every computer user has seen their in-box clogged with infected emails in recent weeks, and there's a host of viral miscreants to blame. While the commonest viruses only infect Windows, Mac users can still pass infected mails on. The problem is colossal, experts agree, and is likely to grow worse.

The market dominance of the Windows OS exacerbates the problem, as virus writers want to maximize the potential damage they can unleash.

Jan Andresen of U.K. security firm mi2g Ltd. explained the situation today: "Individuals releasing viruses are aiming for mass proliferation and will therefore write code exploiting applications running on the more widespread operating systems. There is no justifiable reason to attack Macs in terms of the costings and economics."

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