Credited with countering attacks on Firefox

Apple has hired a former Mozilla security chief, Window Synder, to work as the company's new senior security product manager. Snyder first joined Mozilla in 2006, and is said to have professionalized Firefox security response during a time when hackers were turning their attention to the browser. She is also credited with being a security strategist at Microsoft, where she worked on Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and in managing connections with security consultants.

Snyder herself has worked as a consultant since leaving Mozilla towards the end of 2008. Her arrival at Apple may be a sign of a growing security interest at the company, reflecting the fact that size is no longer a defense against the attention of hackers. Snow Leopard is the first version of Mac OS X to have built-in malware protection, and many people have an interest in hacking the iPhone and iPod touch, if often with harmless intentions. Malicious coders direct most of their efforts at Windows, as it is the most popular operating system on a global level.

by MacNN Staff