In the computer industry, there are several myths that have been around for many years. Two of the most popular concern Apple computers. The first myth is that Apple computers cannot get viruses, and the second myth is that Apple computers cannot be hacked. These myths have been around so long that many Apple users believe them. As a result, they leave their systems unprotected, which leaves these Apple users very vulnerable to an array of hacker and virus attacks.

Yes, there are Apple computer viruses. According to CNET, Apple has been the victim of several major attacks concerning security and virus issues involving its operating system. Recently, Apple's in-app purchase system was hacked. Apple responded very quickly with a temporary solution and promised to fix the problem in the next major version of its iOS.

There have been a several situations concerning virus attacks on Apple computers. Probably the most harmful attack was the Flashback Trojan, which infected an estimated 600,000 Macs. As a result of the numerous infections discovered, Apple announced that it will take steps to add malware protection to its OS X operating system to help eliminate the recent surge of security and malware problems.

The Impact On IT Professionals At Midsize Businesses

Just when IT professionals at midsize businesses thought they had enough to worry about, these recent reports about Apple security come to the forefront. Security and virus issues for Apple technology devices will have a major impact on IT professionals at midsize businesses because Apple is now a mainstream company.

In recent years, the popularity of Apple technology devices has hit an all-time high. With products such as the Macintosh computers, iPad and iPhone, Apple has enjoyed tremendous success, which has crossed over into the business world as many Apple users have begun to use Apple devices in the work environment. Therefore, IT professionals at midsize businesses must account for Apple technology devices that run the Apple iOS.

Just as viruses and hacker attacks have caused IT professionals many problems with the Windows operating system, now these midsize business IT professionals must deal with attacks on Apple's iOS. Why has there been a sudden surge in attacks on Apple's iOS? The reason is the dramatic change in Apple product popularity.

For many years, Apple was primarily a niche technology company; however, with the development of devices such as the iPad and iPhone, Apple went from niche to mainstream with millions of Apple product users. Apple has caught the eye of everyone, including those on the dark side of technology, such as hackers and virus developers.

Information technology professionals at midsize businesses must now be concerned with Apple security problems and issues. Apple is working hard to uncover any vulnerabilities that might be in its iOS and developing methods to deal with the surge of Apple computer viruses that have been discovered on its systems. However, IT professionals at midsize businesses must be proactive in their efforts to incorporate security measures for Apple technology products because of recent security attacks regarding Apple devices.

This post was written as part of the IBM for Midsize Business program, which provides midsize businesses with the tools, expertise and solutions they need to become engines of a smarter planet. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter.