morticia63

Q: My understanding is Apple is no longer providing security updates for i-Mac OS X 10.6.8 with Snow Leopard installed. Is this true?

I've heard that if you have an i-Mac OS X 10.6.8 with Snow Leopard installed it no longer automatically nor manually provides Security updates or any updates for that matter. If this is tru, then I suppose anyone running this OS X system is completely vulnerable to any phishing, malware, viruses and so on. Is this true?

I really need to know so I can choose to either get a new computer or purchase an anti-virus protection program. This is the whole reason I purchaed an Apple product instead of staing with Windows P.C. I am at a complete loss and don't know what to do. Please assist answering these questions from a highly qualified specialist in this area. I greatly appreciate any feedback as soon as possible. Thanks, T.J.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8), snow leopard

Posted on May 22, 2014 12:17 AM

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Q: My understanding is Apple is no longer providing security updates for i-Mac OS X 10.6.8 with Snow Leopard installed. Is this true? ... more

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  • by a brody,

    a brody a brody May 23, 2014 5:20 AM in response to andyBall_uk
    Level 9 (66,876 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    May 23, 2014 5:20 AM in response to andyBall_uk

    Apple may not have charged for it directly.  But by placing notices all over the walls of 10.6 users without warning people of the impending incompatibility, they charged the minds if nothing else.    

     

    https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6971

     

    And the people who fall for the trick, they suddenly realize they didn't prepare, well additional cost comes of that.

     

    I'm not questioning Apple's policy.   But to say it is "free", implies free without strings attached.  There are strings attached if you like it or not.

  • by a brody,Helpful

    a brody a brody May 23, 2014 5:21 AM in response to morticia63
    Level 9 (66,876 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    May 23, 2014 5:21 AM in response to morticia63

    That's OK, with my experience, I have dealt with people of all degrees of experience.   I have no qualm over helping a novice versus an expert.   We are all in this boat together.

  • by MlchaelLAX,

    MlchaelLAX MlchaelLAX May 23, 2014 5:26 AM in response to a brody
    Level 4 (2,256 points)
    May 23, 2014 5:26 AM in response to a brody

    a brody wrote:

     

    I'm not questioning Apple's policy.

     

    I think it IS fair game to question such a policy of continuous pop-ups promoting a "free" upgrade to Mavericks without warning about its inability to run incompatible software!

  • by a brody,

    a brody a brody May 23, 2014 5:35 AM in response to MlchaelLAX
    Level 9 (66,876 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    May 23, 2014 5:35 AM in response to MlchaelLAX

    I agree it is fair, but I won't do so on this forum, since that's not allowed :-)

  • by andyBall_uk,

    andyBall_uk andyBall_uk May 23, 2014 6:15 AM in response to a brody
    Level 7 (20,495 points)
    May 23, 2014 6:15 AM in response to a brody

    >>"free", implies free without strings attached.

    No.

    Free may imply something different to you, but most people accept that free means there's no need to pay directly for it.

    You & others, may question a free car, saying that the fuel & insurance costs extra... that's your business, just as refusing or suggesting the reversion of security updates is, even when that leaves those you advise at risk.

  • by a brody,

    a brody a brody May 23, 2014 6:21 AM in response to andyBall_uk
    Level 9 (66,876 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    May 23, 2014 6:21 AM in response to andyBall_uk

    Security updates have their place.     If there is a critical issue, such as the one that faced 10.9.0 and 10.9.1, I see all the reason to follow through with it.     Some make their needs known only under extreme situations where the user exposes themselves with risky tactics, but we can discuss this on other forums.      

  • by WZZZ,

    WZZZ WZZZ May 23, 2014 9:00 AM in response to a brody
    Level 6 (13,112 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 23, 2014 9:00 AM in response to a brody

    a brody wrote:...and only use anti-virus to prevent yourself from being a typhoid Mary.

    I would disagree. The implication that  A-V is only necessary to prevent the passing on of Windows malware is really incorrect. Since it is looking more and more likely that Apple has discontinued security updates for Snow Leopard (it is extremely unlikely that there will ever be a formal announcement about this from Apple), there is certainly no harm in running Sophos, my recommendation, which is even capable of picking up some really virulent Mac adware infections, like Geneio, which, as far as I know, Apple still refuses to block. Even for newer systems, it may be useful, as Apple is known to be lackadaisical when it comes to updating definitions for XProtect, its rather limited native A-V. I am dual-booting Snow and Mountain Lion, and run Sophos on both. The only minor drawback is that I may notice  a tiny bit of lag at the moments when Sophos is doing its stuff.

     

    Not what you wrote, but I will reply to the comment that Apple is continuing support for Snow Leopard because it has updated Facetime. It would be a mistake to conclude from the Facetime updates that Apple is continuing to support Snow Leopard. Since Facetime for Snow is only available by purchase through the App Store, it should be considered as a special category. If there were an update for Safari, which hasn't been updated since last September, or any of the other native Snow Leopard applications, that would be entirely an entirely different matter. In any case, what most people mean by the discontinuance of support, is the discontinuance of security updates.

     

    And in the rather safe than sorry category, I think Firefox, or even Chrome, which are being updated, are preferable to the now quite dated Safari 5.1.10.

  • by a brody,

    a brody a brody May 23, 2014 9:24 AM in response to WZZZ
    Level 9 (66,876 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    May 23, 2014 9:24 AM in response to WZZZ

    Yes, safe than sorry makes sense, but you should be careful about anti-virus software that might get in your way unnecessarily.    With slower performance machines, the ones more likely to run older operating systems, make sure you aren't attached to their use under Mac OS X all the time.    Use it as a matter of prevention when you have data that may be at risk.   I for one do not use Microsoft Office to open Word or Excel attachments, rather use LibreOffice which does not have the macro viruses.    I do not open attachments from sources I am unfamiliar with in anycase.    In the 26 years I've run Macs, I've not once run into an actual virus.

  • by MlchaelLAX,

    MlchaelLAX MlchaelLAX May 23, 2014 9:35 AM in response to WZZZ
    Level 4 (2,256 points)
    May 23, 2014 9:35 AM in response to WZZZ

    WZZZ wrote:

     

    Since it is looking more and more likely that Apple has discontinued security updates for Snow Leopard...

    Why: because of the passage of two weeks since the last time you postulated publicly that Apple has discontinued security updates for Snow Leopard?

     

     

    WZZZ wrote:

     

    ...I will reply to the comment that Apple is continuing support for Snow Leopard because it has updated Facetime. It would be a mistake to conclude from the Facetime updates that Apple is continuing to support Snow Leopard. Since Facetime for Snow is only available by purchase through the App Store, it should be considered as a special category.

     

    Based upon your logic: "Since Snow Leopard is only available by purchase through the Apple Store, it should be considered as a special category." 

     

     

    WZZZ wrote:

     

    ,,,it is extremely unlikely that there will ever be a formal announcement about this from Apple...

     

    And yet, Snow Leopard is still currently available to the public for purchase through the Apple Store. 

     

    So you are suggesting that Apple is currently selling a version of OS X that is security flawed, with no announcement that they have ceased providing security updates, and exposing themselves to the legal liability that this conduct would entail?

     

    You're entitled to your (flawed) opinion, but: I don't think so!

  • by WZZZ,

    WZZZ WZZZ May 23, 2014 9:32 AM in response to a brody
    Level 6 (13,112 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 23, 2014 9:32 AM in response to a brody

    In the 26 years I've run Macs, I've not once run into an actual virus.

    I'm sure you know that "anti-virus" is a badly named catch-all for any kind of malware. There IS malware for OSX. And besides, the Flashback episode came pretty close to being a "virus."

     

    And pre-OSX there were numeous viruses.

     

    See T Reed on There are no Mac viruses.

  • by MlchaelLAX,

    MlchaelLAX MlchaelLAX May 23, 2014 4:08 PM in response to WZZZ
    Level 4 (2,256 points)
    May 23, 2014 4:08 PM in response to WZZZ

    WZZZ wrote:

     

    It would be a mistake to conclude from the Facetime updates that Apple is continuing to support Snow Leopard... In any case, what most people mean by the discontinuance of support, is the discontinuance of security updates.

    So, you are suggesting that Apple goes out of its way to support Facetime for Snow Leopard with an update,or two while eschewing all future security updates?

     

    REALLY?!?

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