Adware and Malware Prevention

[kat.hayes]

I want to prevent ads and malware on my Macs. I am using ad preventing extensions like Ghostery in my browsers like in Firefox. I frequent some shady sites looking for signs of my company's digital files being pirated so I can file take down notices if necessary. Sometimes I am required to disable my ad extensions to view the content of these sites, otherwise the pages do not load properly.

1. Is there still a need for a separate system wide program like Adguard when using in browser extensions?
2. I also use the free version of Avast for checking for viruses. Is there a need for Malwarebytes also? Do they do the same thing or are they separate purpose programs?
3. What is the worst that can happen on a Mac when visiting a shady site, not directly downloading anything, and having ad preventing extensions disabled? Can dangerous stuff be downloaded automatically or are just trackers, cookies downloaded?

Thanks.

 

[Riwam]

I want to prevent ads and malware on my Macs. I am using ad preventing extensions like Ghostery in my browsers like in Firefox. I frequent some shady sites looking for signs of my company's digital files being pirated so I can file take down notices if necessary. Sometimes I am required to disable my ad extensions to view the content of these sites, otherwise the pages do not load properly.

1. Is there still a need for a separate system wide program like Adguard when using in browser extensions?
2. I also use the free version of Avast for checking for viruses. Is there a need for Malwarebytes also? Do they do the same thing or are they separate purpose programs?
3. What is the worst that can happen on a Mac when visiting a shady site, not directly downloading anything, and having ad preventing extensions disabled? Can dangerous stuff be downloaded automatically or are just trackers, cookies downloaded?

Thanks.

Threads regarding malware in macs create in this forum hot discussions among those saying there are no dangerous malware for MacOS and those who prefer to use at least from time to time for instance Malwarebytes.
There seems to be impossible to conciliate those opposite views.
I personally found that for instance Adware Zap Browser Cleaner finds from time to time some adware I am glad to get rid of.
Most people believe that a virus infection originates in most cases by clicking on a mail attachment one should have deleted instead and not just by surfing.
As long as Windows in its different versions remains the most widely OS used, people running Linux or MacOS and updating on a regular basis both the OS and the software they use should not be in danger.
What the future might bring is impossible to know in advance if the number of MacOS users increases enough to make the programming of malware affecting them attractive for those shady people trying to make easy money since it is all about money.
I am not convinced at all that to visit on purpose dangerous places in the web might be a good strategy, as you say you do.
Ed