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Infernos

macrumors member
Sophos

Sophos has an antivirus package for the Mac that is free. Don't fool yourself into thinking you don't need anti-virus. No operating system is that secure. I've been using Macs since the early 90's and a few have come along. Keeping anti-virus installed and up to date has protected me each time.
 
Nov 28, 2010
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Sophos has an antivirus package for the Mac that is free. Don't fool yourself into thinking you don't need anti-virus. No operating system is that secure. I've been using Macs since the early 90's and a few have come along. Keeping anti-virus installed and up to date has protected me each time.

Sophos should be avoided, as it could actually increase your Mac's vulnerability, as described here, here and here.

And the 90s were more harmful for Macs than the current time and past decade, but then again, I am using Macs only since 2004 without any AV, and strangely enough, I haven't had any malware yet. As I already wrote, I even tried to get some via file sharing or sex documentary sites, but it did not happen yet. Maybe I am doing something wrong.
And are you talking about viruses or trojans or ... ? Could you specify? What have you encountered? Please don't tell me it was a virus for Mac OS X, only for Mac OS.

PS: I haven't fooled myself, I have educated myself and thus am able to live without AV software. I understand not everyone has the luxury to do so, but that is what we are here for with our 1st world problems.
 

2012Tony2012

macrumors 6502a
Dec 2, 2012
741
3
Did you read the thread? That's been discussed quite a bit.

So why are some people so persistent on using an AV when there are no virus/malware in the wild today? Even if a new one was released today, the AV wouldn't help them as it would not have the signature for the new virus, correct? And by the time the AV app updates the signature for the virus, the whole world would probably know and hear about a new virus infecting Macs, including Apple themselves so they would release something for it, correct?

So why bother when an AV?
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,540
941
Sophos has an antivirus package for the Mac that is free.
Bad choice, as simsaladimbamba described.
Don't fool yourself into thinking you don't need anti-virus.
You don't need it if you practice safe computing. You're welcome to use AV if you want.
No operating system is that secure.
No antivirus app provides any higher security than simply practicing safe computing. Antivirus app detection rates are less than 100%.
I've been using Macs since the early 90's and a few have come along.
As already stated, there has never been a true virus in the wild since Mac OS X was released over 11 years ago, and all OS X malware can be successfully avoided without the use of any 3rd party AV app.
So why are some people so persistent on using an AV when there are no virus/malware in the wild today?
There is OS X malware in the wild. There are no OS X viruses in the wild. Many are persistent in their claims that antivirus is needed on a Mac because they haven't let go of Windows mentality, or they're uninformed about the facts about Mac OS X and malware, or they just like to contradict whatever is said. Some companies insist that all users have antivirus installed as a requirement for joining their networks.
Even if a new one was released today, the AV wouldn't help them as it would not have the signature for the new virus, correct? And by the time the AV app updates the signature for the virus, the whole world would probably know and hear about a new virus infecting Macs, including Apple themselves so they would release something for it, correct?

So why bother when an AV?
Exactly.
 

JoeRito

macrumors 6502a
Apr 12, 2012
505
155
New England, USA
More malware headed OS X's way... go with ClamXAV. Its naive to think the increasing user base will not attract malware.
 
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Nov 28, 2010
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Wow, thats a bit of a shocker, had no idea, been recommending sophos to people

So what is the better free anti-virus?

After reading this thread and that Malware FAQ (got linked to twice), I suppose ClamXAV is that candidate. Maybe confirm my suspicion by reading the thread?
 

Weaselboy

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 23, 2005
34,071
15,493
California
After reading this thread and that Malware FAQ (got linked to twice), I suppose ClamXAV is that candidate. Maybe confirm my suspicion by reading the thread?

Serious question. Why do you post here if the users obviously annoy you so much? Is it just for the joy of putting people down or something else?
 
Nov 28, 2010
22,670
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Serious question. Why do you post here if the users obviously annoy you so much? Is it just for the joy of putting people down or something else?

Holidays?

Am just getting tired I suppose, but you are right.

Btw, I do not feel joy putting people down, I am just astonished at people's disability to read before posting. But maybe I am just to hard on them.
 

Mike MA

macrumors 68020
Sep 21, 2012
2,089
1,811
Germany
Preferably a free program, but i just want something to protect my computer from malaware and any other harmful viruses.

As many have suggested, just get yourself ClamXav and crawl your system once in a while...
 

xTRIGGER092x

macrumors regular
Jul 21, 2011
205
0
Antivirus isn't necessary just yet; that being said, malware is on the rise (as seen by the Flashback trojan back in the spring) for Mac and protection will probably be necessary in the next few years. Until then, I'm not using any AV. From my experience with AV on Macs, they just weren't very good. Sophos seemed adequate, but slowed down my machine a bit, and ClamXAV, while low-impact, seemed useless when it came to actually finding infections. I'll take the risk of flying solo until the time calls for it.
 

tshrimp

macrumors 6502
Mar 30, 2012
412
3,436
OP. Sophos and Avast both have free AV for the Mac. For those who say Macs don't get them that is your right to have that kind of confidence, but even for me I will take Apples warning when they say "....no computer connected to the Internet is completely immune to all viruses and spyware..."

http://www.apple.com/why-mac/faq/#viruses

But with that said is it much less likely on a Mac than a PC currently.
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,540
941
OP. Sophos and Avast both have free AV for the Mac.
I recommend avoidance of Sophos, as it could actually increase a Mac's vulnerability, as described here and here. You don't need any 3rd party antivirus app to keep a Mac malware-free, as long as you practice safe computing, as already stated in this thread.
 
Nov 28, 2010
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Interesting I am new to masc and just got my I mac so was wondering about AV programs weather to install or not ? looks like http://www.clamxav.com/ is the most talked about

Look at post #3 for a more detailed answer, including links.

I for myself have not AV software installed, I do not need them, and I visit some sunny sites, that normally get ratted out to be some kind of illness.
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,540
941
What do you guys think of iAntivirus on the Mac App Store?
iAntiVirus has a bogus malware definitions list, making their detection accuracy untrustworthy. They also make inaccurate claims about the existence of Mac malware, in order to hype the need for their product. This post will give details.

You don't need any 3rd party antivirus app to keep a Mac malware-free, as long as you practice safe computing, as described in the following link.

Mac Virus/Malware FAQ
 

Nightarchaon

macrumors 65816
Sep 1, 2010
1,393
30
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 .
 
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GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,540
941
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.
 
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Nov 28, 2010
22,670
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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).
 
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Nightarchaon

macrumors 65816
Sep 1, 2010
1,393
30
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

----------

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.
 

Apple fanboy

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Feb 21, 2012
55,097
52,713
Behind the Lens, UK
Wow the big guys have got my back today! Thanks simsaladimbamba & GGJstudios.

Truth is I have had a Mac since November last year and have no Anti Virus software. I have had no problems (and certainly less than I ever had on my PC, and that was running Norton). No viruses or malware issues. I was a little skeptical at first but the safe practises suggested in the FAQ helped me out no end.
 
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