A new report from US security firm McAfee has suggested that Apple users are complacent about security.

McAfee's Avert Labs said that Macintosh platform vulnerability discovery rates have increased by 228 per cent in the past three years alone, from 45 in 2003 to 143 in 2005, compared to Microsoft's products which saw only a 73 per cent increase.

The report also warns that these vulnerabilities are now being exploited with the same speed and efficiency as PC vulnerabilities.

"Many believe that using an Apple operating system is a form of security in itself, believing that they are far less susceptible to malware than Windows users," said Stuart McClure, senior vice president for global threats at McAfee.

"And while the threats targeting the Mac operating system are low in volume, the use of Apple products does not provide an invisibility cloak from malware.

"Users need to be more vigilant about security as adoption rates soar and attacks on Apple operating systems increase."

McClure also believes that Apple's success with consumer products and its resulting higher profile will entice security researchers and hackers to target Mac OS and other Apple products, such as iTunes and iPods.

Geoff Coats, a graphic designer at New Orleans design firm Zande Newman, admitted that he chose Apple and its Mac OS X because he believed it to be more secure than Windows.

"My experience, and that of many other small to medium sized businesses, has taught me that Apple delivers a much more secure computing environment," he said.

"However, I've recently realised that it might be time to re-evaluate that assumption and begin protecting my Mac from outside threats."