Recently I posted a few questions requesting newbie help on these forums. One was regarding this exact concept. Someone argued the semantics of a virus and other forms of malware, and argued that it was spreading "misinformation". I figured I would take this as an excellent opportunity to remind the Mac community that the only reason Windows has so many malware problems is purely based on their market share of business systems. Apple has picked up an immense amount of momentum in the past few years, as we are all aware. Some of the most awesome products I use everyday are my iPad, and iPhone. Some extremely huge innovations to these, as well as Apples other core product lines have increased their market share considerably. This malware attack is the direct result of gaining market share.
Let me be the first to welcome [some of] you to what the rest of the world has been dealing with for a quarter century!
Now for the part that I tell all of my Windows-based customers:
The only way to protect yourself fully is to disconnect from the Internet altogether. Since that is obviously not possible, the next best step is to pay attention to what you click, where it comes from, and where it takes you. If you don't trust it, don't click it. Make sure you run routine scans on your computer. Especially so, when you encounter something that you just simply didn't expect to see. As with the human body, early detection can make a huge difference. Malware detection early can be an "oh crap moment". Ignoring it could lead to lengthy police/bank/credit investigations and in some rare cases, even litigation.
So, with open and warm arms, welcome!
Regards,
jvalentine - a recent switcher