The result is that Mac users can no longer rest easy in the "security," real or perceived, of their walled garden--at least no more than users can on their own platform. If anyone needed further proof that "security by obscurity" doesn't work, this is it.

Two closed desktop operating platforms have now "fallen" to malware, in other words. That leaves the open one still standing: .

I'm not saying that Linux is impervious by any means, or that its security is perfect. No computing environment can ever be perfectly secure.

It is worth noting, however, that Linux still hasn't fallen prey to anything near the level of insecurity that Windows and now Macs both have. In fact, several make security one of Linux's strongest selling points, as I've noted before, including the way privileges are assigned, the openness of the code, and the fact that desktop Linux users still make up a smaller audience.