Anti-Malware for macs? Upgrade 2010 mac?

[l_i_g_h_t]

Do you not have to worry about malware or viruses?
If not, what do you guys use to make sure everything is clean?

Also, I have a 2010 macbook pro. Is there anything I can do to make it run faster or should/can I upgrade it? I mean it's not horrible by any means, but I'm just wondering. When I first bought it I did upgrade it to 8gb ram.

Thanks.

 

[keysofanxiety]

1) MWB for Mac: https://www.malwarebytes.com/mac-download/

2) Upgrade HDD to an SSD if you haven’t already.

 

[Martyimac]

Just my opinion but I think you should worry about both Malware and viruses. i use Bitdefender for Mac for Virus protection and Malwarebytes against Malware.
While the Mac still doesn't have very many in the wild issues, there are enough out there that it's better to have a little insurance.
If my luck holds, my having insurance will probably mean I never have the attack.

 

[l_i_g_h_t]

1) MWB for Mac: https://www.malwarebytes.com/mac-download/

2) Upgrade HDD to an SSD if you haven’t already.

Ok, I will do both. Thanks.
[doublepost=1514071729][/doublepost]

Just my opinion but I think you should worry about both Malware and viruses. i use Bitdefender for Mac for Virus protection and Malwarebytes against Malware.
While the Mac still doesn't have very many in the wild issues, there are enough out there that it's better to have a little insurance.
If my luck holds, my having insurance will probably mean I never have the attack.

Gonna go get bitdefender. Thanks

 

[adam9c1]

Highly recommend an SSD.
Your SATA port is SATA II so if I were you I would pick up a used SSD via eBay.
And clean install of OS. It will be a light and day.

I have a 2011 13" at work and it went from a total unusable turd to something usable.
You can also remove the optical drive, install a caddy and put your original drive (or another drive there).

Visit ifixit site for steps.

 

[IHelpId10t5]

Your Mac has multiple layers of security built in including the equivalent of antivirus. I argue that installing antivirus on the Mac actually decreases it's security by introducing vulnerabilities and the potential for unintended information disclosure to an OS that was not at threat in the first place. In addition, antivirus on the Mac is the number one cause of instability, performance problems, and OS upgrade problems. Think very carefully before ruining your brand new Mac with ANY unnecessary software including antivirus, boosters, optimizers, cleaners, monitors, enhancers, or any software that has a name including these terms.

The ONLY way that your Mac will ever be threatened by Malware is if YOU PURPOSELY INSTALL IT. Every threat to the Mac involves the same series of events. If you manage to infect a Mac, it's because YOU are responsible for several of the the following mistakes:

1) Not keeping your Mac OS updated
2) Disabling some of the built-in Mac OS security layers like Gatekeeper and SIP
3) Not keeping your Browser updated
4) Installing obsolete plugins that are unnecessary and security threats (e.g. Java, Flash, Shockwave, Silverlight, etc).
5) Either purposely (e.g. pirated software) or being fooled into initiating the download of untrusted software containing a trojan installer
6) Ignoring the warning that most browsers give about untrusted software downloads at completion
7) Overriding Gatekeeper when warned that the software can't be run because it's not trusted or from the App Store.
8) Purposely entering your administrative credentials to complete the installation

That's right, you would need to do all of that to infect your Mac with Malware.

If you don't believe me, go ahead and Google "Bitdefender Mac". What you will find is not posts of people where Bitdefender (or any other antivirus) helped a Mac user out. Instead, you will find a massive number of posts of users that are having unexpected crashes or major performance problems with their Macs and want to know how to uninstall these unnecessary software applications.

If you insist on installing antivirus on your Mac then choose Malwarebytes. And, when installing it make sure that you only use it as an on-demand scanner.

 

[jbarley]

And if you're still concerned, trying posting your questions in the "MacBookPro" forum, you might get better answers there.
https://forums.macrumors.com/forums/macbook-pro.90/

 

[Martyimac]

If you don't believe me, go ahead and Google "Bitdefender Mac". What you will find is not posts of people where Bitdefender (or any other antivirus) helped a Mac user out. Instead, you will find a massive number of posts of users that are having unexpected crashes or major performance problems with their Macs and want to know how to uninstall these unnecessary software applications.

For the OP. I did as this poster recommended and googled Bitdefender Mac. My take is completely different that the poster I quoted. In the first 5 pages of results I did not find one post about unexpected crashes or major performance issues, not one.
Doesn't mean that there aren't posts about it but I think the comment "Instead, you will find a massive number of posts of users that are having unexpected crashes or major performance problems with their Macs and want to know how to uninstall these unnecessary software applications." is too extreme. Yes there are posts about how to remove Bitdefender from you Mac but they aren't all because of major Bitdefender issues. Truth be told, there isn't an aftermarket program from ANY company, and that includes Apple, that hasn't given somebody somewhere some trouble. Apple mail is the first example of that which comes to mind.
Our Apple User Group recommends both Bitdefender and Malwarebytes, they are both from reputable companies.
The decision is yours, you just have to do some more research especially since you now have widely divergent opinions.
And for further info, I have both installed on my 2011 Mac mini, 2013 Mac Pro and 2015 13"rMBP and have had no issues with either on any of those machines.

 

[l_i_g_h_t]

Highly recommend an SSD.
Your SATA port is SATA II so if I were you I would pick up a used SSD via eBay.
And clean install of OS. It will be a light and day.

I have a 2011 13" at work and it went from a total unusable turd to something usable.
You can also remove the optical drive, install a caddy and put your original drive (or another drive there).

Visit ifixit site for steps.

Ok interesting, I didn't know any of that. Gonna look for the steps to do it. Thanks.
[doublepost=1514085854][/doublepost]

Your Mac has multiple layers of security built in including the equivalent of antivirus. I argue that installing antivirus on the Mac actually decreases it's security by introducing vulnerabilities and the potential for unintended information disclosure to an OS that was not at threat in the first place. In addition, antivirus on the Mac is the number one cause of instability, performance problems, and OS upgrade problems. Think very carefully before ruining your brand new Mac with ANY unnecessary software including antivirus, boosters, optimizers, cleaners, monitors, enhancers, or any software that has a name including these terms.

The ONLY way that your Mac will ever be threatened by Malware is if YOU PURPOSELY INSTALL IT. Every threat to the Mac involves the same series of events. If you manage to infect a Mac, it's because YOU are responsible for several of the the following mistakes:

1) Not keeping your Mac OS updated
2) Disabling some of the built-in Mac OS security layers like Gatekeeper and SIP
3) Not keeping your Browser updated
4) Installing obsolete plugins that are unnecessary and security threats (e.g. Java, Flash, Shockwave, Silverlight, etc).
5) Either purposely (e.g. pirated software) or being fooled into initiating the download of untrusted software containing a trojan installer
6) Ignoring the warning that most browsers give about untrusted software downloads at completion
7) Overriding Gatekeeper when warned that the software can't be run because it's not trusted or from the App Store.
8) Purposely entering your administrative credentials to complete the installation

That's right, you would need to do all of that to infect your Mac with Malware.

If you don't believe me, go ahead and Google "Bitdefender Mac". What you will find is not posts of people where Bitdefender (or any other antivirus) helped a Mac user out. Instead, you will find a massive number of posts of users that are having unexpected crashes or major performance problems with their Macs and want to know how to uninstall these unnecessary software applications.

If you insist on installing antivirus on your Mac then choose Malwarebytes. And, when installing it make sure that you only use it as an on-demand scanner.

Ok thank you for the heads up. I didn't realize any of that. I am use to Windows and having to install all that stuff.
[doublepost=1514085894][/doublepost]

And if you're still concerned, trying posting your questions in the "MacBookPro" forum, you might get better answers there.
https://forums.macrumors.com/forums/macbook-pro.90/

Yeah I thought I did. In my head when I hear mac I just think macbook.

 

[IHelpId10t5]

Ok thank you for the heads up. I didn't realize any of that. I am use to Windows and having to install all that stuff.

l_i_g_h_t, I would personally recommend that you may want to also consider making sure that you are upgraded to the latest version of Windows 10, and then remove all of your previous antivirus software from Windows as well. Recently, Windows 10 Creators Update has rolled in security protections that were only previously available in an additional product called EMET. The new Windows Defender Exploit Guard adds great new features to the existing built-in Windows Defender anti-virus making it a solid contender in the antivirus game for Windows.

It's unfortunate but true that antivirus and other security products installed on Mac and Windows computers are some of the most problematic pieces of software ever devised. Hooking an operating system at very low levels to watch every packet, process, and file that comes and goes from the OS is ripe for abuse (e.g MiM of HTTPS by a major antivirus companies) and has many other unintended consequences such as the likelihood of introducing additional attack surface and vulnerabilities into an OS.

Therefore, I can sincerely state that with a fully patched Mac OS or Windows 10 OS, a knowledgable and security-conscious user is now safer using only the OSs built-in protections.

 

[IHelpId10t5]

I just wanted to clarify that even though I have a strong opinion about not messing up a Mac with real-time antivirus, Malwarebytes and Bitdefender are still good products for Windows and for the rare case where a gullible Mac user has managed to infect themselves.

For those that insist of using a 3rd party antivirus on Windows machines, make sure to carefully consider the product that you choose. Make sure not to just read likely paid reviews on many once respectable tech sites but instead also read user experiences and comments about the products. Despite my insistance that antivirus should never be installed on a Mac as a preventive measure, for Windows PCs prior to Win 10 you certainly need antivirus. For Windows 7 and 8 PCs I have recommended Bitdefender and Malwarebytes to many friends as great choices. Bitdefender has one of the best free products out there that I recommend over any of the paid products simply because of it's minimal footprint and unobtrusiveness. I'll have to complement Bitdefender on being effective but staying out of sight (all you see is a system tray icon). This is unlike so many other Windows antivirus products that seem to put up as many in-your-face dialogs as the malware and fake alert website would.

 

[Queen6]

Go for Bitdefender free version from the store as this is not an active scanner, being on demand only and Malwarebytes. Neither will negatively effect the system. Both give you a window to any possible malicious code being installed.

Q-6

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
"Also, I have a 2010 macbook pro. Is there anything I can do to make it run faster or should/can I upgrade it?"

PUT AN SSD INTO IT.
NOTHING ELSE will give you as profound an improvement in overall performance.
'Nuff said about that.

Insofar as malware/viruses are concerned, download and use MalwareBytes and be done with it.
IMPORTANT: MB exists as both a "subscription" and "free" app, but it is downloaded "as the SAME app".
After 30 days, if you don't subscribe, the app just "converts itself" into the free version.
Works great.