Macs get it too.

Linux theoretically can get these problems, but because every Linux machine is different, the malware would have to be written to be cross-distribution. (ie: One may work in Debian, but not in Fedora / Red Hat... depending on how things work out).

Nonetheless, some people write viruses for Debian specifically: http://www.securityspace.com/smysecure/catid.html?id=1.3.6.1...

It won't work on Red Hat, but the x86-specific 64-bit Debian was an attractive enough target for whoever wrote that one... I'm sure I can find a Red Hat Virus, Fedora Virus, Ubuntu virus, etc. etc. But they become increasingly rarer and rarer the fewer people use that specific distribution / OS.

Having Java installed but with Java disabled in your browser, like I suggested, means Java applets won't run in your browser at all. You'd need to download and execute the .jar or wrapper (which would be a executable anyway) which is no different from downloading any normal executable and running it.

As far as I know, if you run it, and it's written intelligently enough, you're in trouble no matter what OS you're on.

It doesn't matter if you're on Windows, OSX, Linux or System i V7, if you approve the app to run, it'll run.

Java is a bit dangerous that way, but it's also a bit awesome that way :-)