Anti-virus for Mac?

[ppnkg]

My new iMac arrives tomorrow ( :) :) :) ), and I wonder if there's any point in getting an anti-virus program. I'm not going to have MSoffice on the mac, I decided to go for NeoOffice instead. I know this probably minimizes the risk, but I'm worried anyway, since I'm online for most of the day. Any thoughts/suggestions?

Also, does Mac OS include a firewall? Is it ok?

thanks!

[stridey]

My new iMac arrives tomorrow ( :) :) :) ), and I wonder if there's any point in getting an anti-virus program. I'm not going to have MSoffice on the mac, I decided to go for NeoOffice instead. I know this probably minimizes the risk, but I'm worried anyway, since I'm online for most of the day. Any thoughts/suggestions?

Also, does Mac OS include a firewall? Is it ok?

thanks!

Well, there aren't any viruses for Mac OS X. At all. So, no need for an anti-virus program. It would be a waste of disk space.

And yeah, OS X has a built-in firewall.

[Bern]

However you can still be a virus carrier, which means although it may or may not effect your Mac you can pass it onto your pc friends and colleagues.

I know most people would say tough luck for them, but I prefer not to support the morons who right these viruses by being an unknowing virus spreader on their behalf. Besides I also value my friends and colleagues.

[mchendricks]

I have classes with a professor that said that if she gets a virus from a student, she will fail that student, no ifs, ands, or buts. I use a mac, but I won't take a chance. I have AV software!

Mike

[Deepdale]

I have classes with a professor that said that if she gets a virus from a student, she will fail that student, no ifs, ands, or buts. I use a mac, but I won't take a chance. I have AV software!

Let us not even speculate on the teacher's course of action should she ever get an STD from a straying spouse or partner.

[iEdd]

Nothing to stop someone making virii for mac, or getting a mac to carry it... I got a bonus virus program when I bought Techtool Pro.. So it IS worth installing. :)

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

I have classes with a professor that said that if she gets a virus from a student, she will fail that student, no ifs, ands, or buts. I use a mac, but I won't take a chance. I have AV software!

MikeI hope for your (and all the other students) sake that she knows that almost all (e-mail carried) viruses will spoof their sender address...?

So if she gets an e-mail with a virus it can very well appear to be from you, and AV software won't help you to avoid this... :rolleyes:

[sw1tcher]

http://www.clamxav.com/

[ppnkg]

Ok, I got the point. But the thought of being a virus carrier is really disturbing - and I see how that could give me troubles. ClamXav looks very good - have you had any problems with it?

(The reason I'm asking is my experience with PC AV programs. Norton has always given me serious headaches. So I got Kaspersky AV one year ago, which works fine so far).

[Bern]

I have always used Norton AV, not the utility suite just the standalone AV, with my Macs and have never experienced any problems. Right now I'm using NAV v10. It's fine and very reliable.

[amac4me]

Congrats on the purchase of your new iMac. Is this your first Mac?

[FFTT]

Most people I know strongly avoid Norton's on a Mac.

McAffee or ClamXav

The others are right, you only need a/v protection to catch something passing through you system, but your own machine is reasonably safe.

One thing many users are doing, is setting up 1 major admin account strictly
for installs and maintenance and then setting up a secondary "limited" super user account for all your daily activities.

This would greatly help to prevent any inadvertent installations of unauthorized software.

[absolut_mac]

Anti-virus for Mac?

The Mac is the anti-virus.

Viruses (virii??) die when they enter a Mac. What more can you ask for than that???

[ajampam]

One thing many users are doing, is setting up 1 major admin account strictly
for installs and maintenance and then setting up a secondary "limited" super user account for all your daily activities.

This would greatly help to prevent any inadvertent installations of unauthorized software.

When I set up other non admin accounts, I could not find how to block these accounts from downloading or installing....is there a way in which whenever I would be downloading anything using safari or installing software, I would have to authenticate with the original admin password so that I can monitor everything that is downlaoded on the computer?

[katie ta achoo]

The Mac is the anti-virus.

Viruses (virii??) die when they enter a Mac. What more can you ask for than that???


Hehe, I was thinking the same thing, too.

"anti-virus software?" *holds up Tiger Box*
"Yup! got it!"

[ppnkg]

Congrats on the purchase of your new iMac. Is this your first Mac?

Thanks! - yes it is! (and it should arrive today, I mean how long will it take them to get it from Cork to Scotland?! )

[FFTT]

When I set up other non admin accounts, I could not find how to block these accounts from downloading or installing....is there a way in which whenever I would be downloading anything using safari or installing software, I would have to authenticate with the original admin password so that I can monitor everything that is downlaoded on the computer?

When you set up a new account, you also set certain permissions to allow
or prevent certain actions by that user.

Go to your system preferences and open accounts.

You can then configure each account configuring individual applications as desired including parental controls.

[dops7107]

I use Sophos antivirus (http://www.sophos.com) . Works just fine - not had any troubles yet. I haven't tried the new version (4) but that has more user-friendly auto-updates I think. Worth checking anyway.

[zen.state]

Hehe, I was thinking the same thing, too.

"anti-virus software?" *holds up Tiger Box*
"Yup! got it!"

amen brother :)

[za9ra22]

I can't say I would ever accept the notion that you don't need an antivirus application for the mac because there aren't any infections - after all, if you've got no way to detect them, how do you know you haven't got one?! How will you know if you ever get one?!

Personally, I use clamXav, which I think is entirely simple enough, and which occupies all of 7.7Mb on my startup drive - hardly a lot of space to waste. It can be set to watch the user's choice of folders and when in the background, hits the CPU at about 2-3%, which is not much performance loss in exchange for a bit of peace of mind.

Since my Macs operate in a mixed network with PC servers and workstations it's pretty essential to esnure they are not carrying infections or circulating them - particularly since for obvious infection-control reasons I use one of them for the admin email account.

But what I found particularly satisfying is that as and when a virus attacks PC-based antivirus software, I can always scan the system from the Mac and find the malware files!

[greatdevourer]

They can't harm you, only PCs, which is why I never scan...

And IPFW is teh sex

[gangst]

I use to have AV on my Mac but in the end thought it was useless and not needed. I was running Norton Uilities on my Powerbook and other than just being clutter it made login times alot slower and just got in way of a quick smooth computing experience.
Personally, I'd give AV software a miss unless you get lots of emails/spam and download lots of uknown content off the net, whch you suspect as malicious.

[EGT]

I installed Virex one day then I removed it. You don't need it. Maybe someday but not today.

[punkbass25]

you can't be an active acarrier of a windows virus on a mac... can you have the file on your hard drive? yes
can it replicate and execute code? no
hence its effectively dead and stopped... all anti virus software for OSX is just hot air that your paying for...

what a profitable busines.. i should start an anti virus company for the mac...

i can see it now:
charge $40 per box
cardboard and cd costs like $1.50
1.50/40*100=3.75
100-3.75=96.25% profit margin... whoo! =thats rough

[katie ta achoo]

what a profitable busines.. i should start an anti virus company for the mac...

i can see it now:
charge $40 per box
cardboard and cd costs like $1.50
1.50/40*100=3.75
100-3.75=96.25% profit margin... whoo! =thats rough



Dude! I was at the Apple store today (Vlady is recording my senior recital! YAY!! I <3 vlady!)
and they had boxes of Norton for Mac!!
"Only $40!!"

I saw it, and didn't ask about it, but I thought about it..
"WTF???"


Maybe Steve Jobs and Norton are in cahoots... he wrote a virus for Mac, will release it in 10.4.3.
Time to invest!! Hahaha!


OK, I have such weird conspiracy theories. Hahhaa.



****OK the steve jobs part is totally not true, I don't want to start some weird, unsubstantiated rumor. STEVE JOBS WOULD NOT DO THAT*!!!****



*but Woz might...

AGAIN! Kidding! :)