CyberSecurity Myths

Cybersecurity Myths: Busted, Debunked, and Roasted

I’ve learned from working in cybersecurity and just watching modern politics that myths spread faster than a virus from China. Over the past little while, I’ve had conversations with friends, colleagues and even a few well-meaning but totally misinformed people who have shared their absolutely (not) foolproof security advice. From the classic “I don’t need a password manager; my dog’s name with a ‘123’ at the end is uncrackable” to “Hackers only target big companies, so I’m safe”, I’ve heard hundreds of them and tried to stop my face from giving “the look”.

So, in the spirit of setting the highlighting these—and maybe having some fun along the way—this article (and future additions) will tackle some of the most common cybersecurity myths Ive come across. If you’ve ever wondered whether incognito mode makes you invisible or if Macs can’t get viruses, strap in. Let’s separate fact from fiction and ensure you’re not the next victim of security superstition.

So without further ado lets start with that very Myth

Macs Are Safer than PCs

Okay, so this is one of those Myths I’ve discussed several times over the years. Still, a comment on a work conversation last week sparked this deep dive into Myths and my attempt to dispel them with research and evidence—if only to be foiled by naysayers, gossipers, and influencers.

So, are Linux and Macs more secure than PCs (Microsoft Windows)? Let’s have a look.

First, for this article, let’s define Macs as devices running an Apple operating system, PCs running a Microsoft Windows operating system, and Linux as devices running any flavour of Linux OS.

Second, I’ll only look at vulnerabilities coming from Malware, not privacy, another article for another day, especially following recent news about Apple in the UK.

Third, I’ll only be focussing on desktops at this point, as mobile devices are two to three articles that I may do later.

What is safe? For this article, I will keep it light and high-level and say it is an “operating system that keeps the bad guys out, the malware away and your data locked down through its built-in security.”

Setting aside the types and stereotypes of those who may own or use Linux, Macs or PCs (and there is lots of mud-slinging here), we must look at the most relevant attribute: Market Share, which is broklen down in to two areas to look at.

Market Share: User Count

According to Statcounter, in February 2025, Microsoft Windows dominated the desktop operating system market with 71%, Apple OSx with 16%, and Linux with 4%. Therefore, it stands to reason that, by the sheer number of users of Microsoft Windows, they would have the most vulnerable and, thus, the least safe. However, despite those with Linux machines (and Macs) fiercly maintaining they are the safest, the stats don’t reveal this.

According to reports by Elastic and Malwarebytes from 2023, roughly 54% of all instances were found on Linux endpoints, with 39% on Windows systems when looking at all of Elastic’s data. And just 6% of the malware detections were found on Macs.

This tallies with the rough Market shares of Mac and Windows but disproves the idea that Linux is safer by some margin.

Not content with relying on reports from two companies that make their money from selling products or services that happen to target this vertical, I looked at an independent (as far as I can tell) source for vulnerabilities: the National Vulnerability Database.

Based on the last two years’ data, Windows has accounted for 14% of all CVEs, Linux 16% and Mac 4%, which is broken down into their criteria as follows

1. Windows:
   • CVE Severity Breakdown:
     • Critical: 15%
     • High: 35%
     • Medium: 40%
     • Low: 10%
2. macOS:
   • CVE Severity Breakdown:
     • Critical: 10%
     • High: 30%
     • Medium: 45%
     • Low: 15%
3. Linux:
   • CVE Severity Breakdown:
     • Critical: 20%
     • High: 40%
     • Medium: 30%
     • Low: 10%

So again, the Linux folks who believe (and many would die on that hill) that Linux is safer appear to be misinformed. In contrast, the Mac Users may be less wrong (sorry, I can’t say it the other way, lol) in so much that fewer vulnerabilities and Malware are found on the sample of machines in the two reports.

Market Share: Gold Digger Hackers

However, another factor to consider when looking at market share may turn the tables on this: the fact that most threat actors are Gold Diggers. Most are those who know that while it is easier to go after those using Linux due to the number of vulnerabilities found, the popularity and sheer number of opportunities and potential victims available to target on Windows and Mac make them much more valuable targets. Therefore, from a purely rational perspective, Linux, due to its minimal number of users, is the least likely to be attacked and, thus, could be said to be the safest.

So which is safest, and is the myth valid?

Looking at the above, it might seem that one system has an advantage over the other in terms of safety. However, it is difficult to conclusively say that one of the three here is more or less immune to common malware threats than the others, especially as we have only looked at one of the factors, not users and their usage breakdown or security add-ons that help protect them.

Here are my thoughts on each

Linux has had the most reported vulnerabilities over the past two years, much higher than Windows.

Windows remains a significant target, with many CVEs, mainly due to its enterprise and consumer systems dominance.

macOS has fewer CVEs but is not immune. The lower numbers are likely due to its smaller market share and stricter app ecosystem.

So, are Linux and Mac safer than Windows?

No, they are not.