Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) 
has released several patches to plug some 20 vulnerabilities in Mac OS X, including well-publicized flaws in its Safari Web browser and iChat instant messaging application that were disclosed a few weeks ago.
Another flaw could allow code to be executed on a computer after a visit to an infected Web site.
'Intense Scrutiny'
The emergence of two viruses aimed at Mac users has placed Apple's security measures under a magnifying glass. The patch is not likely to deflect critics any time soon.
It's not uncommon for a software publisher such as Apple to fix flaws in its code, said Andy Walker, author of Absolute Beginner's Guide to Security, Spam, Spyware and Viruses.
"What is notable is Apple is under intense scrutiny now from a security perspective," he told MacNewsWorld.
"Previously Apple's operating system, Mac OS X, was untargeted by virus writers, but two worms aimed at the OS changed all that. Apple had been bragging about its security record pretty loudly and now has to eat its words," Walker said.
Intel Chip Possible Opportunity
The Mac community is divided over whether it can expect an onslaught of malware 
, now that the once-unthinkable has happened. After all, the first Windows viruses were few in number and relatively benign. It is possible that Mac OSes could follow the same trajectory. On the other hand, Mac's relatively small user base may continue to be a disincentive for large-scale virus attacks.
Recent moves by Apple to expand its user base, however, could also result in attracting more malware. Virus writers may smell an opportunity if sales ramp up following Apple's switch to the Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) chip, Walker points out.
How Safe Is the iPod?
Then there is what may prove to be the mother lode for virus writers -- the iPod, with its huge universe of users.
"Let's face it, 78 percent of the MP3 player market is owned by Apple's iPod," Walker said. "If you pair that observation with the recent news of the first OS X worms and then consider that anti-virus companies are predicting that mobile devices will be targeted next by virus writers, then how safe is the iPod?"
A virus aimed at the iPod is not likely to phish personal identification information that could allow identity thieves to drain a bank account -- standard operating procedure for a lot of malware.
Getting a video or audio ad (adware) onto an iPod via a virus, however, would be a feasible goal, Walker said. "Mix that in with the fact that iPod is dominant on the Windows platform too, and I can see an iPod worm as a very possible reality in the not-too-distant future."
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