I need an antivirus program for my Mac, any suggestions.

[gc15]

Preferably a free program, but i just want something to protect my computer from malaware and any other harmful viruses.

[Apple fanboy]

You don't need one on a Mac.

[krravi]

Originally Posted by Apple fanboy

You don't need one on a Mac.

Wow. Never seen a handle and the message complement one another so much.

[simsaladimbamba]

Originally Posted by krravi

Wow. Never seen a handle and the message complement one another so much.

It is true though.

[krravi]

Originally Posted by simsaladimbamba

It is true though.

http://pcworld.about.net/od/antiviru...le-Encoura.htm

[cgk.emu]

Originally Posted by simsaladimbamba

It is true though.

Yes, you DO. It is irresponsible not to, and to claim that Macs can't get viruses is showing your ignorance. But hey don't trust the guy with his CISSP.

[simsaladimbamba]

Originally Posted by cgk.emu

Yes, you DO. It is irresponsible not to, and to claim that Macs can't get viruses is showing your ignorance. But hey don't trust the guy with his CISSP.

It did not say, that Macs do not get viruses, but as of now, they currently do not get any, and it has been more than decade for those virus writers to not have been successful with this.

Again, running AV is up to everyone's own decision. I, bold I, do not need to run, because I employ the security steps outlined by the FAQ I linked to earlier (feel free to ignore that of course).

I have been using Mac OS X since Mac OS X 10.3 Panther, and guess what, I have not yet contracted one virus (which one anyway?) or any other kind of malware or scareware (aimed at computer illiterate people) in the past eight years. And believe me I tried. I visited sites, that offer pirated applications or movies or music regularly, I even tried those naked sex documentaries video hosting sites several times. And I am still free of malware. How can this happen without AV you ask? (You probably do not, but hey, who am I to judge - ah, yes, I am me.)

PS: Please validate your claim by showing me, that there is any virus for Mac OS X in the wild or that I can get infected with other malware after I employed those security steps I mentioned once or too often for anyone to even recognise them? I can get by without AV, yes, I can, and I have. Just because you do not, does not mean I need to. If you do want to run AV or promote one, feel free to say so. I just said, one does not need to, if one employs those safety things, condoms or so. Ah, I am getting tired of this. These discussions lead nowhere. You have your view, I have my view, I do not budge, and you do not too.

Just let it leave it that and enjoy our real lives. Have a good whatever you enjoy.

[tdhurst]

Originally Posted by krravi

Wow. Never seen a handle and the message complement one another so much.

So what? Have you ever met or heard of a Mac user that's contracted malware or a virus that hasn't been proof of concept on a local scale?

[krravi]

Originally Posted by tdhurst

So what? Have you ever met or heard of a Mac user that's contracted malware or a virus that hasn't been proof of concept on a local scale?

I haven't met anyone, but I will tell you this. Once I heard the Java exploit I rushed to my sister's house to patch her Mac ASAP.

[cla9614]

Thanks for the heads up

[Tanax]

Mac's are only as secure as the people using them.
If you download ANYTHING from outside App Store, an AV is a very valid step to secure your Mac against possible threats. I don't get why people are so hostile and arrogant when it comes to AV on Mac.

[Nightarchaon]

Originally Posted by Apple fanboy

You don't need one on a Mac.

Oh so, so, so wrong, if your browsing the interwebs, you need one, especially on a mac nowadays , with macs being targeted more and more, and with people like you telling people that macs are some holy grail of a virus free computing future, macs are probably MORE in need of virus protection now than windows PCs.

Personally i get around the need by only installing from trusted sources, such as the app store, or certain reputable resellers, i also run Parallels in which i run a sandboxed copy of OSX for testing "unsafe" or "untrusted" software,


But then i work in IT security, so im paranoid up the wazooo.. NOTHING except an unplugged, offline system is "virus proof", anyone telling you otherwise is plain wrong.

Id suggest Clamx personally, along with little snitch .

[GGJstudios]

Originally Posted by Nightarchaon

Oh so, so, so wrong, if your browsing the interwebs, you need one, especially on a mac nowadays , with macs being targeted more and more, and with people like you telling people that macs are some holy grail of a virus free computing future, macs are probably MORE in need of virus protection now than windows PCs.

Nonsense. There has never been any OS X malware in the wild that can't be successfully avoided by practicing safe computing, without using any 3rd party antivirus app. They offer absolutely no more protection than practicing safe computing.

[Nightarchaon]

Originally Posted by GGJstudios

Nonsense. There has never been any OS X malware in the wild that can't be successfully avoided by practicing safe computing, without using any 3rd party antivirus app. They offer absolutely no more protection than practicing safe computing.

Your quite correct, however i find that if someone is asking about antivirus software, its usually because they are doing something, or visiting sites, or downloading things, that might end with an infection.

I go to the extreme of sandboxing and fire walling my live systems from the internet where possible, others may not be as extreme, and some may be carefree and link click happy

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Originally Posted by simsaladimbamba

Have you even read the thread or read the Malware/Virus FAQ that gets linked to?
There are no viruses for Mac OS X and other malware can be avoided via some security steps (disabling Java and so forth).

If you want to be naive and believe there are no mac viruses in the wild, go ahead, nothing short of your system being compromised will make you believe otherwise, so ingrained is the "belief" that macs are virus free.

[simsaladimbamba]

Originally Posted by Nightarchaon

If you want to be naive and believe there are no mac viruses in the wild, go ahead, nothing short of your system being compromised will make you believe otherwise, so ingrained is the "belief" that macs are virus free.

Then you know of one, ONE (1), virus affecting Mac OS X and being in public circulation?

It is not a believe I have, it is that other thing, ahem, knowledge. And since I have been running Mac OS X since 2004 and visiting all those sites being called shady (porn, torrents, wares, ...) and clicking away on them, I still not have contracted one virus or any other malware. Probably due to common sense.

[simsaladimbamba]

Originally Posted by Nightarchaon

Oh so, so, so wrong, if your browsing the interwebs, you need one, especially on a mac nowadays , with macs being targeted more and more, and with people like you telling people that macs are some holy grail of a virus free computing future, macs are probably MORE in need of virus protection now than windows PCs.

Personally i get around the need by only installing from trusted sources, such as the app store, or certain reputable resellers, i also run Parallels in which i run a sandboxed copy of OSX for testing "unsafe" or "untrusted" software,


But then i work in IT security, so im paranoid up the wazooo.. NOTHING except an unplugged, offline system is "virus proof", anyone telling you otherwise is plain wrong.

Have you even read the thread or read the Malware/Virus FAQ that gets linked to?
There are no viruses for Mac OS X and other malware can be avoided via some security steps (disabling Java and so forth).

[simsaladimbamba]

ClamXav, as it is not invasive as others and provides you with enough protection if you need it. But then again, you do not really need AV software anyway, I have successfully run my Macs since 2004 without getting any malware, see below link for more information.


Currently there are zero viruses affecting Mac OS X in public circulation, but there are other kinds of malware existing, that can infect your Mac.
To learn more about malware in Mac OS X and what steps can be taken to protect yourself, read the following F.A.Q.:

Mac Virus/Malware Info by GGJstudios

[gc15]

see i didnt think i would have, but i been going to this website for quite sometime no problems, its just a forum, but today when i went there, chrome made a pop up that said this website could contain malware that could infect your computer, so i quickly backed out of the website. Now im concerned since i been going there for a while now with nothing popping up, and im wondering if my computer got infected or not.

[KattDaDon]

Originally Posted by gc15

see i didnt think i would have, but i been going to this website for quite sometime no problems, its just a forum, but today when i went there, chrome made a pop up that said this website could contain malware that could infect your computer, so i quickly backed out of the website. Now im concerned since i been going there for a while now with nothing popping up, and im wondering if my computer got infected or not.

Your computer is not infected. Chrome is just letting you no the website contains malware so it's protecting you by not going forward into going to the site

[krravi]

If you are a Comcast subscriber you get Symantec Free. But the version of Symantec they have right now isn't working with ML. It's been a while and i have to check again.

[old-wiz]

Originally Posted by krravi

If you are a Comcast subscriber you get Symantec Free. But the version of Symantec they have right now isn't working with ML. It's been a while and i have to check again.

Image

I would never allow anything from Symantec to be installed on any of my Macs.

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Originally Posted by krravi

http://pcworld.about.net/od/antiviru...le-Encoura.htm

Did you happen to notice the article is from 2008???

you do not need antivirus for a Mac, unless you want to make sure you don't pass on windows-viruses that attach to e-mails.

[SDAVE]

If you were on Windows 7, I'd say go for it. Windows 8 is better.

If you're on a Mac, I say you don't need it...UNLESS your Mac is used as a public terminal, and even then you can enable Guest access and disable certain types of files from even opening.

[krravi]

Originally Posted by old-wiz

I would never allow anything from Symantec to be installed on any of my Macs.

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Did you happen to notice the article is from 2008???

you do not need antivirus for a Mac, unless you want to make sure you don't pass on windows-viruses that attach to e-mails.

What about the Java exploit months ago?

[Livewings]

Originally Posted by gc15

Preferably a free program, but i just want something to protect my computer from malaware and any other harmful viruses.

Microsoft Security Essentials is good! Download from Microsoft.

[SDAVE]

Originally Posted by Livewings

Microsoft Security Essentials is good! Download from Microsoft.

Doesn't work well with certain programs. But better than nothing