Apple Fails to run Virus Check? Must be Microsoft’s fault
Apple has been shipping iPods since September 12th that contain the virus RavMonE.
Now there are many interesting aspects of this story. The virus is considered a Windows Worm in general, however this worm appears to be carried by an iPod and thus by extension could be considered an iPod worm now too.
If a human dies of Avian flu, the name implies that the birds are to blame as they were the source of the virus. The thing is the human was susceptible to the virus just as the bird or avian population was susceptible.
Now, Apple may blame Microsoft for not being virulent enough against viruses, but what does it say about Apple products if they are just as susceptible to a virus as a Windows based product. To me it says that both products are susceptible. I don’t pretend to live in a fault free world and so I would say they are both to blame.
Finally, the reports are coming out today, October 17/18, about this iPod worm. It seems to me that Apple had two additional failures. They failed to do a virus check on their products when they started shipping over a month ago on September 12th and they failed to make this public once they finally discovered the problem over a week ago.
Technorati Tags: iPod Worm, RavMonE hits Ipod, corporate blame spin
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Actually its Apple’s subcontractor, Foxconn, who are to blame - not Apple.
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I had not read myself that Foxconn was the manufacturer of the products that shipped without being virus scanned or not, but it seems likely that this can be inferred since we are talking about the Video iPod.
Even then, Apple’s responsible for providing the requirements to their subcontractor and they are responsible for ensuring that their subcontractor operates according to those requirements.
If Foxconn fails, it is Apple’s name on the product and Apple is accountable. They can fire Foxconn or take some other corrective action if they so choose, but Apple is primarily responsible for their own products.
I wonder what the Ford Pinto explosion debate would have been like 30 years ago, if Ford had outsourced the manufacturing of the Pinto to Asia???? hmmmm
Regardless thanks for the great point!
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Its a Windows worm, not an iPod worm, since it affects Windows, and not the iPod. You can email a Winows worm to a mac or linux box, which will carry the worm just like the iPod does, but that doesn’t mean that the worm is then a mac or linux worm. Rember that standard hardware and filesystems mean that malware can be transferred by systems that aren’t at risk. That’s one of the reasons why mac users are supposed to run anti-virus software, to keep from spreading windows malware.
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That does make sense. From the perspective of a biological virus analogy, iPod’s and even Mac’s can be carriers for viruses.
In this case the iPod with the virus functioned much the same as a human carrier of HPV. They can carry and spread the virus, but not be specifically harmed by the virus.
Maybe a different analogy would be that the iPod to a Windows based computer is like a dirty needle to a junkie!
Thanks for that clarification, it does put things in better perspective!
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