Greetings! I asked a friend of mine (PhD in EE/Computer Science from Harvard) who is a senior consultant in computer security with both commercial and US government clients this question. And I added, "And if so, why? -- is it the fact that the Mac community is so small that it is not a big challenge to the hackers, or is there something inherent in the Mac architecture that makes it safer?"

His answer: Some of both. Certainly the Microsoft/PC model is a more enticing target for bad guys, but remember that the Mac rides on a UNIX kernel. UNIX was developed (in the '70s?) by Bell Labs for one purpose: To provide security on multi-user systems. Back then they were called minicomputers -- the DEC VAX was typical. The goal was to make it very easy for a user to get to his own data, but very difficult to get to someone else's data.

My friend felt the PC was full of security holes and probably always will be.

earle
*