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Void5150

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 19, 2014
50
0
Hello, I have a MacBook Pro.

I was just wondering, is it possible to get a virus from watching YouTube videos? I mean directly from watching them. I have Adblock blocking all advertisements.

Thanks!
 

JoEw

macrumors 68000
Nov 29, 2009
1,583
1,291
If you have flash player yes it is very possible, but unlikely.

Use html5 and Adblock and it's pretty hard to get a virus.
 

Void5150

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 19, 2014
50
0
Is there a way to check if I got a virus? I don't really want to install anti-virus software if I don't have to.

I'm probably being a bit paranoid, but I haven't noticed any differences on my computer.

Thanks! :)
 

Peter Franks

macrumors 68020
Jun 9, 2011
2,036
87
I'm a bit confused as to why you would ask if you can get a virus from YouTube, unless you were experiencing something that would lead you to believe you have a virus, but then you say, I haven't noticed any differences on my computer.

So why would you ask, it's a confusing question?

You can download ClamXav but I've a feeling you don't need to
 

GGJstudios

macrumors Westmere
May 16, 2008
44,545
943
Hello, I have a MacBook Pro.

I was just wondering, is it possible to get a virus from watching YouTube videos? I mean directly from watching them. I have Adblock blocking all advertisements.
No, it's not possible, since there are no OS X viruses to catch. Macs are not immune to malware, but no true viruses exist in the wild that can run on Mac OS X, and there never have been any since it was released over 12 years ago. The only malware in the wild that can affect Mac OS X is a handful of trojans, which can be easily avoided by practicing safe computing (see below). 3rd party antivirus apps are not necessary to keep a Mac malware-free, as long as a user practices safe computing, as described in the following link.
Read the What security steps should I take? section of the Mac Virus/Malware FAQ for tips on practicing safe computing.
 
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