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Antivirus for iMac?

H

hasteveha

macrumors member
Original poster
I just switched to OSX from windows and I am wondering do I need to worry about spyware and virus's? Do I need an anti virus program? If so what do you guys recommend?

Thanks in advance
 
While you don't need to install any anti-virus/security software per se, you should not become lackadaisical towards security. Specifically, downloading freeware applications from "shady" sources can put you at risk. And never run a terminal command if you don't understand it; some more unix-savvy users get a laugh out of telling less unix-savvy users to run malicious commands under the pretense that it will help them 🙁
 
dont even be bothered looking for any software. there is stuff out there.. but seirously, dont bother.
 
As long as you don't do anything you don't think is safe (this includes, not to jump to conclusions, downloading shady "video codecs" from questionable websites). Remember, for an application to do harm, it must have your password... if you don't give things you think are questionable your password, you have nothing to worry about.
 
iToaster said:
As long as you don't do anything you don't think is safe (this includes, not to jump to conclusions, downloading shady "video codecs" from questionable websites). Remember, for an application to do harm, it must have your password... if you don't give things you think are questionable your password, you have nothing to worry about.
Click to expand...

very well put!!

what iToaster means is if you get a "out of date codec click OK to update" style message, DONT CLICK IT!!

simple as that.
 
AlexisV said:
Well you can, just don't run the program that downloads.
Click to expand...

i once had one that was a dmg and started mounting itself, luckily i had time to hit cancel. i didnt want to find out what would happen after that (not game enoug haha)
 
DoFoT9 said:
i didnt want to find out what would happen after that (not game enoug haha)
Click to expand...

It would have mounted the DMG and shown the contents. You would have needed to click on the application, click through the installer dialogs, and give it your password for it to do anything.

OS X is good about security. Anything that happens is user error.
 
Tallest Skil said:
It would have mounted the DMG and shown the contents. You would have needed to click on the application, click through the installer dialogs, and give it your password for it to do anything.

OS X is good about security. Anything that happens is user error.
Click to expand...

its something like 99.7% of computer errors are user errors anyways haha.

im just wondering... what if you could have a .dmg file, and have an app that could auto launch, kind of like when you load a CD/DVD window, but the actual app. i guess it needs to be opened before it can be installed anyways.
 
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