Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Antivirus For MAc oSx
- Thread starter cowman007
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
There are, however, nefarious java applets, and statistically speaking there's a high probability that something nasty will show up sometime. There's no harm in trying to be a little pro-active.
True - no harm no foul, but I still don't run it (yet). I practice good browsing habits and generally good computing habits, so if something comes out, then I'll worry about it.
Currently, however, I roll without it.
Virus, what virus
There are no virusses for Mac yet, there is some nasty software out there, and there are some security issues, but nothing that could cripple your system in a sneaky un detected way. Virus protection is only useful to prevent passing them on from a PC, via your Mac, to another PC, your Mac will not be affected, but the other PC will.
Do not worry, but keeping a watch full eye is a good idea, you never know.
There are no virusses for Mac yet, there is some nasty software out there, and there are some security issues, but nothing that could cripple your system in a sneaky un detected way. Virus protection is only useful to prevent passing them on from a PC, via your Mac, to another PC, your Mac will not be affected, but the other PC will.
Do not worry, but keeping a watch full eye is a good idea, you never know.
There has been a few viruses on the Mac OS. non that have been threatening at all, but there have been a few. As the platform becomes bigger and more widely understood there is the potential to see some more popping up. There is already malware and spyware for the Mac, not as apparent, but its there. more bigger threats could be just around the corner. General common sense in regards to internet usage is still the best medicine, but if the program is free why not use it.
This is discussed every other day. There are no self-propagating malware (true viruses) for OS X. There are several proof of concept trojans that you'd have to be a fool to intstall, and if someone can physically access your Machine, they can run some damaging apps. You can also stick a fork into your own eye and fill your CD tray with peanut butter, or just rip out your own hard drive and cause "data loss". Most mac users don't worry about this stuff because it's not really a problem. I never have any AV software running. I think that people are basically evil, too, and I still don't filter any email attachments that go out to my friends and relatives (who insist on forwarding every single internet myth chain email to me still) for PC malware. Sorry for the negativity, the chimp made me do it...
Where? AFAIK, there currently is not even a rumor of "nefarious java applets." Java applets run in their own "sandbox." Even if they are "nefarious," they cannot so anything outside their "sandbox." It has been years since there have been reports of an applet that managed to break out. Sun quickly fixed the problem.
There are no virsues for OS X. Using an anti virus program is a waste of time and computing resources. 
Touché. Sandbox they may be. Call me paranoid, but for how long? I will however continue to use AV and require it for all corporate installations.
Frankly I'm fairly certain that the average intel Mac user isn't using that much of their available resources. And the fact that Widgets are a true waste of resources apparently doesn't cause anyone to shout "STOP USING WIDGETS!".
Just because there are not current viruses on OS X does not mean you should not run antivirus software. We even run antivirus software on our Solaris boxes.
If you exchange files on a regular basis with Windows users, you should run the software. Especially in a business environment where you can be found liable for propagating viruses. Just because it doesn't "affect" you doesn't mean you are off the hook.
If you exchange files on a regular basis with Windows users, you should run the software. Especially in a business environment where you can be found liable for propagating viruses. Just because it doesn't "affect" you doesn't mean you are off the hook.
Java's stakeholders are not asleep at the switch. The vulnerbilities that cropped-up in the past were caught and fixed. They will catch and fix any that appear in the future. This is not to say that you should not run AV. But the point remains: There are no Mac viruses. There are no Java vulnerabilities that affect the Mac. The only reason to run AV is to disinfect contaminated files that you receive from Windows users.
Antivirus software is only truly effective against known viruses, and since there aren't actually any for OS X, running antivirus on a Mac won't prevent anything other than passing on Windows viruses to Windows users. It can't truly protect against something that doesn't even currently exist.
That's one way to look at it. Another way is to remember that DATs are released often, and when there is some sort of malware widely released for OS X, there will be a DAT soon to follow.
I use Norton.
It's pretty good its found a couple trojan horses but wouldn't do much anyways they were for mostly to wreck havoc on windows
It's pretty good its found a couple trojan horses but wouldn't do much anyways they were for mostly to wreck havoc on windows