I need antivirus protection for college...

[Malus]

Hi,

I'm going to college this Saturday, and it is required to have an antivirus program installed on your computer (even though I will probably be the 1 out of 10 kids that use a Mac down there).

Anyway, to my question. I heard that Norton has nightmarish compatibility with Tiger, so I was going to go with Mcafee Virex, but I can't seem to just get one lisence to it. They say I need to buy at least 5...which is 200 bucks!!

If anyone can help me out to get one lisence to Mcafee Virex, or can suggest a better antivirus prgram, I would be much obliged.

[MacDawg]

Guess your college hasn't heard... no Mac viruses
But I guess you could spread a MS Office virus to a PeeCee :o

I think Virex is free if you have a .Mac account
I have it, but never use it

You might try VersionTracker to see if there something available

Woof, Woof - Dawg http://homepage.mac.com/k.j.vinson/pawprint.gif

[mad jew]

I don't use antivirus so I may not be much help, but for what it's worth, I'm pretty sure Norton works well with Tiger now (as well as Norton can). It didn't initially though.

[Heb1228]

There's a fre one I've heard about the these forums. I don't remember the name but you should be able to find it with a search.

[eva01]

didn't someone here write a fake antivirus software

[MacDawg]

I don't use antivirus so I may not be much help, but for what it's worth, I'm pretty sure Norton works well with Tiger now (as well as Norton can). It didn't initially though.

Norton did well in the old days... System 6 and 7, but after that it took a nose dive in my opinion. But my experience was more with Norton Utilities than with the Antivirus. I'm not too trusting these days.

Woof, Woof - Dawg http://homepage.mac.com/k.j.vinson/pawprint.gif

[Heb1228]

I've got antivirus software on my computer. Its called OS X. :D

[mad jew]

I'm not too trusting these days.


That's fair enough. I think all OSX antivirus programs will be pretty bad though and sometimes it's okay to go with one of the market leaders. Still, I wouldn't ever let it near my Macs.

[MacDawg]

didn't someone here write a fake antivirus software

You know, I think you are right... someone did write it or had access to it. It was just for these occasions. Hmmmmmm, where could we find that thread...


Woof, Woof - Dawg http://homepage.mac.com/k.j.vinson/pawprint.gif

[Malus]

I've been searching for it, but to no avail.

[joepunk]

My University has McAfee Virex for free for the students to download onto their computers. Why not wait and ask if your school has a program for free.

[yippy]

If your university requires it they probably offer something to you free or cheap. Check that out.

Also, how are they going to know if you have AV software installed? As long as you never get a virus.....

[Malus]

My University has McAfee Virex for free for the students to download onto their computers. Why not wait and ask if your school has a program for free.

My Uncle is a prof there, I asked, and they arn't to keen on giving software out for free :(

[Malus]

If your university requires it they probably offer something to you free or cheap. Check that out.

Also, how are they going to know if you have AV software installed? As long as you never get a virus.....

I'm not sure, but they do. I guess something scans your computer for it before you can log onto the internet. So no antivirus = no internet.

[MacDawg]

You can try this http://www.clamxav.com

Never used it, but it is mentioned here

Woof, Woof - Dawg http://homepage.mac.com/k.j.vinson/pawprint.gif

[mkrishnan]

I've been searching for it, but to no avail.

ClamXAV, a version of ClamAV, is the major OSS free AV program: link (http://www.markallan.co.uk/clamXav/)

AFAIK, it detects but cannot cleanse.

And yeah, most big universities in the US now seem to give free licenses to one AV or another....

[ohcrap]

I'm not sure, but they do. I guess something scans your computer for it before you can log onto the internet. So no antivirus = no internet.
Have you ever personally seen a computer without AV be restricted from the net?

It seems to me (call me crazy) that a good AV program would stop such a script from running at all, am I wrong?

[Heb1228]

Have you ever personally seen a computer without AV be restricted from the net?

It seems to me (call me crazy) that a good AV program would stop such a script from running at all, am I wrong?
Also, whatever software they use to scan a windows computer for virus protection seems like it wouldn't work on a Mac. I don't think they can tell if you have it or not.

Also, if anybody knows anythign else about that fake AV software, let me know!

[joepunk]

Ok, here is a link (http://www.restek.wwu.edu/security/viruses/) to my University restek website page on viruses.

At the bottom is a link to the Mac version of McAfee Virex. From there you are on your own. Good luck.

[Malus]

Have you ever personally seen a computer without AV be restricted from the net?

It seems to me (call me crazy) that a good AV program would stop such a script from running at all, am I wrong?

I know the people who fix the computers around campus (I actually will be working there as well), and they told me to get antivirus software so I can get on the net.

Also, my cousin left her computer over winter break, when she got back to it, she was not up to date with current updates, so she had to take it back home get the updates, then take it back up to college.

I personally think it is stupid for the smart people who don't open suspicious files to buy unnessisary software cause the guy across the hall will open anything, yes...even thisisavirus.exe

[zap2]

some free one, why spend the $$ on one that cost $ OSX will do all an antivirues can

http://www.pure-mac.com/virus.html

like to free one(or 2)

[ohcrap]

I know the people who fix the computers around campus (I actually will be working there as well), and they told me to get antivirus software so I can get on the net.
Let me know when you find out how it works. I'm curious..

[faintember]

I believe that my university requires it, but i live off campus, so i have no clue as to how it works in the "real world" setting of the dorm.

I can connect wirelessly or via ethernet to the schools network with my PB with no problems (that is otherwise having to fool the network into letting you on in the first place, lol).

Anyways, i am in charge of the computers in our Electronic Music Composition lab, and the first thing i do when the tech guys install Norton after we get a new computer is to delete Norton. Sorry, but i do not need a virus scan starting every time i insert my flash drive.

Basically, i dont think that they can tell about the AV if you are using your Mac. Here (http://www.versiontracker.com/php/search.php?PHPSESSID=9cf87409263dc38309e2aa1057f8a01b&mode=basic&action=search&str=anti+virus&plt%5B%5D=macosx&x=0&y=0) is a list of what VersionTracker has listed.

[ohcrap]

Basically, i dont think that they can tell.
Neither do I. MAYBE on a PC, but I really doubt they would be able to tell without actually installing software on the host computer and actively running it before establishing any network connection, even then this action should spark an alert with any respectable antivirus program (oh, and maybe even Norton :D ).

[Malus]

Neither do I. MAYBE on a PC, but I really doubt they would be able to tell without actually installing software on the host computer and actively running it before establishing any network connection, even then this action should spark an alert with any respectable antivirus program (oh, and maybe even Norton :D ).

I doubt that it will notice for a mac, but it does know if your not updated with Windows. I dunno, I just wanna make sure that I can connect while I'm down there.

[eva01]

WOOOOOOO I FOUND IT


http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=133969&highlight=.sh


i just rememberred that it had a .sh to the end so i searched the forum for that and found it ^^

[iJon]

I get this all the time with new Mac buyers and going to my University. The school says you must have it installed, but there is also no way of them knowing if you do or not. I tell all my Mac buyers not to any bother with what they say about installed virus software.

All our school does is if they detect a virus on a Windows machine they shut down your internet until you get it fixed. I just wouldn't worry about it to be honest.

jon

[Leareth]

If you do need a good and free* AV go with Sophos (www.sophos.com)
at my campus its a free download to students, and most Universities have free AV software might have to look around for it though, ask at the computer/bookstore on campus they will point you in the right direction.
Avoid Norton, it just plain sucks
Virex is good and I used it all the time before i got sophos
:)

[Eluon]

my school never found out I don't have antivirus software on my computer. like a previous poster- I do have antivirus software- it's called OSX.

[e²Studios]

If you do need a good and free* AV go with Sophos (www.sophos.com)
at my campus its a free download to students, and most Universities have free AV software might have to look around for it though, ask at the computer/bookstore on campus they will point you in the right direction.
Avoid Norton, it just plain sucks
Virex is good and I used it all the time before i got sophos
:)


Norton will infect your machine more than a virus could. A friend of mine put Norton 9 on my iBook and it took me a bit to figure out how to actually get the damn software removed. The uninstaller on the CD wouldn't work, someone on these boards actually pointed me to a file from Norton that finally got rid of it.

You have the best anti-virus around its called OS X, use the firewall make sure windows sharing is off and i really don't think you will have any issues.

Ed

[Bern]

Norton will infect your machine more than I virus would?? LOL :rolleyes:

I have always used Norton Antivirus for all my Macs and have never had any problems with it. I don't use Norton Utilities I just buy the standalone Norton Antivirus and it always runs like a charm.

The reason I have it is because I communicate with a lot of peecee's and wouldn't want to be a carrier of some unknown virus I could inadvertently pass around, it only causes grief for all concerned.

Norton Antivirus 10 (for Tiger) works very well and the interface is much more user friendly than previous versions. You can purchase it from Symantec via ESD.

[yg17]

Hi,

I'm going to college this Saturday, and it is required to have an antivirus program installed on your computer (even though I will probably be the 1 out of 10 kids that use a Mac down there).


Unless your IT department is going to send people around to each and every computer on campus and actually look at the installed programs to see if you have AV installed or not, there's no way for them to tell. My college's IT department tells us the same, we need AV and SP2 :rolleyes: I don't have AV, and obviously don't have SP2 and IT hasn't said a word to me

[Plymouthbreezer]

Yeah, they really won't know.

Just run the faux AV script if anyone asks. ;)

[ajampam]

OUr university too requires it and they provide nortonAV for free....I dont personally like it too much....I feel it does slow me down....as for your requirements, if you really need to have one, then I would suggest the clamXav...most people seem to have pretty good opinion about it and its free!!! If you dont like it you can always throw it out...atleast you are not paying for it....better still, the mock AV program!!!! :D

[Malus]

Thanks everyone, for all your help :)

[Sdashiki]

Seeing as how they have no way to enter your computers hard drive and look for an AV program do what every good american does:

LIE and say you have it, and go on the internet.

How can you connect your machine to the ethernet port in your dorm, and then NOT be able to connect because "you dont have an AV program installed". Its a stupid thing to even ask students, smart IDEA though. Telling students THEY MUST or not get the internet is a strong point, BUT gimme a break its just words and not actions.

Since the world doesnt have just ONE AV program, how can any Univ. "scan" every computer (PC, linux, Mac) for every AV program out there....

THis is pure and utter BS, especially for a mac user.

DONT install an AV program, its a waste of time. NO one is going to come knock down your door and slap you in the face saying "NO!!!!!"

[Hunts121]

my college was implementing a system similar to this and a girl got in a screamfest with one of the IT guys over that. "why do I have to buy antivirus if macs don't have them?!?!" He wouldn't show her how to log on to the new network. Basically it takes your machines MAC address and adds it to a database or something to allow you to connect. If you don't go through the web portal initially, you can't get access (you only do it once though, once logged it is saved). However I went to IT and the guy there was like officially we don't support macs, then he reaches underneath the counter and pulls out his ibook and shows me how to get my powerbook online lol. I found that amusing. All I had to do was register it as a PDA or a game console, enter the airport ID and that was it. Thank god I graduated, that network is a *****torm.

Also this program (portal, whatever) DOES scan your computer for an antivirus program and to see what version of Windows you are running. Currently our netowork only officially supported Windows 2000 and Windows XP Professional (garbage)....unless you register it as something other than a computer like I did

[floyde]

I doubt that it will notice for a mac, but it does know if your not updated with Windows. I dunno, I just wanna make sure that I can connect while I'm down there.

I might be wrong but, as others have pointed out, it is extremely unlikely that this verification program will be able to detect if you have AV software installed on your Mac (especially if they let you choose any software you like).

Contrary to popular belief though, it is possible to prevent network acces to computers that don't have the proper security updates or even antivirus software (they have a similar system here at work). However, these soultions are pretty much Windows-exclusive so you don't have to worry about them.

My advice: lie and say you have one installed (if they ask you about it just open a window of system profiler, they won't know the difference ;) ) or get the cheapest one you cand find as you will have no use for it.

[wdlove]

I also have used Norton Antivirus with all of my Mac's. Never had any problems with program.

[DJY]

If you have a .Mac account - there is always Virex.
Admittedly I didn't like having to go back to 7.2 when i upgraded to Tiger...
nor does it seem overly a good AV app...

but at least it is "one" - and might meet your College's requirement!

[tobio]

I think it should be the University's responsibility to provide you with an antivirus client, wether it be Mcafee, Norton, Sophos or whatever.

It is their servers and internal security they are concerned with, not your personal computers'. Large organisations such as universities can purchase vast numbers of licences in bulk for pennies compared to a single licence subscription, if your university doesn't do that then I suspect they are either being cheapskates, or possibly they are not very au fait with current technology, and wouldn't notice if you had antivirus installed or not.

Mcafee ePolicy Orchestrator (the enterprise managing antivirus server) has an optional component called system compliance checking, which will let you restrict computers from joining the network until they match your set criteria, for example up to date virus definitions. I wouldn't expect universities to be using that feature because of the number of different systems connecting, but blocking computers without antivirus is certainly possible to do.

[Malus]

My Dad went out and got Norton for me...so, its on my comp now, but it seems to be...working? Or well, its there, and not making my system screwed up so just so it stays like that, I'm happy.

I thank everyone who helped me with this question :)

[Einrel Koral]

Have you ever personally seen a computer without AV be restricted from the net?

It seems to me (call me crazy) that a good AV program would stop such a script from running at all, am I wrong?
Yeah, I have. My college instituted a program like that this year; as soon as you connect your computer to the internet, it forces you to download their anti-virus, anti-spyware program and update all the definitions before you can access anything but the college's website. Much to my amusement, though, they just let my Mac right through; either they're not worried about Macs or the college is small enough (and therefore the Mac population is small enough) that they didn't even plan for that possibility.

[ohcrap]

Yeah, I have. My college instituted a program like that this year; as soon as you connect your computer to the internet, it forces you to download their anti-virus, anti-spyware program and update all the definitions before you can access anything but the college's website. Much to my amusement, though, they just let my Mac right through; either they're not worried about Macs or the college is small enough (and therefore the Mac population is small enough) that they didn't even plan for that possibility.
That's a very different story. Forcing PC users to download an AV program is different than scanning a students computer for any AV program before allowing access.

And your Mac was probably let through because the script used to initiate the AV download was not programmed to run on a Mac. Let me say, though, that I'm no programmer. It's nice to think your college knows enough to let Mac's through without any hassle, but that may not be the case.

Who knows. I don't. Do you? :p

[lmentop]

nortons is terrible. sorry, but its just bad.

the way my school works is you have to register at their start page in order to get access to any site besides the start page. and i guess there is where it detects if you have the lastest updates on your computer. so if you dont have say SP2 on your pc then they dont allow you to register or get access to any website besides the start page that checks whether or not you have SP2. if you have a mac though they only reccomend that you have the latest updates and some av software. they dont care if you dont though.

[jaw04005]

If you have a .Mac account - there is always Virex.

Apple no longer offers Virex with .Mac subscriptions. They haven't since the release of Tiger because of McAfee's pricing of Virex 8. However, it does appear that Apple is currently keeping the last definitions update of Virex 7 (7/27/05) on their server as of now.

From .Mac Members Central...

"At this time, Apple is continuing to provide DAT files to current members who have previously downloaded Virex. Please note, Virex 7.2.1 is compatible with Mac OS X v10.4 "Tiger". Virex 7.5.1 is only compatible with Mac OS X version 10.1.5 through 10.3.9."

[jaw04005]

I think it should be the University's responsibility to provide you with an antivirus client, wether it be Mcafee, Norton, Sophos or whatever.

What ever happened to individual responsibility? If you are a Windows user whether novice or expert, it is your responsibility to keep your computer maintained! :mad: If all universities provided Anti-Virus and Spy-Ware solutions the following would happen:

1. Elimination of personal choice between McAfee, Norton, AVG, and others.
2. Windows only version of software.

Most universities forget that there are others users with alternative operating systems (primarily Mac although some Linux users as well) that should not be required to PAY for another student's anti-virus software.

[tobio]

What ever happened to individual responsibility? If you are a Windows user whether novice or expert, it is your responsibility to keep your computer maintained! :mad:

Yes.... But...

If I was the university administrator, caring as I am, I do not care if some windows newbie student gets infected with some virus that he got on his "mom and dad bought me a laptop and paid all my tuition fees" new computer, and all his MP3s are gone and his system gets trashed. As you say, it is individual responsibility. He should have known to install some antivirus and keep his computer maintained.

I would care however if my servers had got some infected files uploaded to it, which hence spread to other students computers and other important servers that are mission-critical in the day to day running of the university. that is where it would all of a sudden become my responsibility. Therefore I would request a few thousand dollars from the IT budget to go on a blanket licence of (insert antivirus program of choice) then force all students who use my systems to have antivirus installed and up to date. If they don't supply their own, then they can install the one I give them for free. The point i was trying to get at in my earlier post, was a few thousand dollars from the IT budget, to a university is peanuts. and why should I expect the thousands of students in the university to care if I get a virus? My individual responsibility is to keep the servers clean, what kind of administrator would leave that job to the students???

[NicP]

Yes.... But...

If I was the university administrator, caring as I am, I do not care if some windows newbie student gets infected with some virus that he got on his "mom and dad bought me a laptop and paid all my tuition fees" new computer, and all his MP3s are gone and his system gets trashed. As you say, it is individual responsibility. He should have known to install some antivirus and keep his computer maintained.

I would care however if my servers had got some infected files uploaded to it, which hence spread to other students computers and other important servers that are mission-critical in the day to day running of the university. that is where it would all of a sudden become my responsibility. Therefore I would request a few thousand dollars from the IT budget to go on a blanket licence of (insert antivirus program of choice) then force all students who use my systems to have antivirus installed and up to date. If they don't supply their own, then they can install the one I give them for free. The point i was trying to get at in my earlier post, was a few thousand dollars from the IT budget, to a university is peanuts. and why should I expect the thousands of students in the university to care if I get a virus? My individual responsibility is to keep the servers clean, what kind of administrator would leave that job to the students???

While i understand your point i think its unfair to have students pay (through fees) for antivirus when the only OS that is plagued by viruses is windows, its unfortunate that security measures required to keep windows virus free must be provided by third parties and isnt inherit of the OS itself.

Anyone buying a windows computer must factor into their purchasing decision the additional cost of antivirus software required for their OS choice, i wouldnt expect the IT department at my university to provide me with an OS, why should they be responsible for providing software that should be part of the OS already?

But of course thats just my opinion :P

[madmax_2069]

man what i would do is just try to connect to the net without any av software on it at the collage. if it wont connect on the internet without it then u have no choice but u shouldent need a av to go online at the collage all they use is prolly a proxy server type of deal to split all the connection up i have never really herd of virus's for max osx or trojans or spyware so u shouldent need a av ok here is my point i also have a pc with win xp pro i had is on the dsl for about 1 month and its about dead with all the trojans and virus's and spyware .and this mac with mac os 9.2.2 on for the same amount of time with nothing even stoping it no virus's no trojans no spyware .cause all of that stuff is written for the pc not a mac u can even download a pc specific virus and do any thing with it on a mac u can put it any were and deleat it cause it wont affect a thing in a mac os invirament cause its not written for a mac or mac os

[Bern]

nortons is terrible. sorry, but its just bad.....

How is it bad? You make a statement without any relevant back up.

Like I said I have always run NAV on all my Macs for so many versions and never had a problem... not ever. It never interferes with the OS or any other software on my Mac.

[mkrishnan]

Like I said I have always run NAV on all my Macs for so many versions and never had a problem... not ever. It never interferes with the OS or any other software on my Mac.

I have to admit that I ran Norton on Panther and also had no issues above and beyond minor ones. I think there is broad consensus that Norton's Disk Utility-esque product...commander or whatever it is called, is bad and evil. But NAV ... I ran NAV for most of a year, using my Mac in mixed Mac/PC environment, never got a virus flag, and decided to eliminate it. To be honest, I also ran it for two years on my Desktop PC, running Win98 (yeah, yeah) also got no hits, and also decided not to bother anymore.

[Malus]

Just to recap this whole thing, I'm in college, the scan program didn't even recognize my computer and it just let me onto the network with no problem. My roommate on the other hand, didn't have his Windows XP updated with some service pack, so he was not able to get onto the network.

So, you guys were right, the program didn't care about my Mac, cause it is teh awesome.

Also, I bought the latest version of norton for OS 10.4 and it hasn't affected my computer is a negative way yet.

[madmax_2069]

sweet your in there