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Antivirus on a M1 Mac - Is Norton Antivirus any good?

M

Marty_Macfly

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 26, 2020
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272
Hi All,


I just noticed, Norton Antivirus works on Macs :)

​

2 questions:


Q1) Can anyone advise if the Norton Antivirus is working ok on a M1 Mac?
Crash issues?
Performance issues?

I've had a M1 crash issue with an adblocker app so far, so I am a bit apprehensive about installing something as invasive as an antivirus app without real world recommendations on it for the M1 / BigSur platform.



Q2) Can my multi laptop subscription also include a MAC as well? :)
I have a Norton Antivirus subscription for my Windows laptop. Had it for years and it works fine.

Can I install onto a MAC as well as windows laptops? :)
(I recall the package said I could install onto up to 3 or 5 laptops Be great if I could mix Macs with Windows, as the antivirus is a pretty expensive yearly charge.)




Hope someone out there is the same situation as me and can advise.

Regards
Martin
 
I’ve run macOS since 2004 and the only time I’ve ever used antivirus was briefly when operating in a Windows environment to prevent inadvertently passing on Windows malware to Windows users, not for MacOS itself.

I personally do not consider it to be at all needed under macOS, but each to their own I guess.
 
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The Malwarebytes 2020/2021 State of Malware Report makes a strong case for Mac malware protection. It is true that the majority of Mac malware is adware- but adware can be extremely dangerous- capturing passwords and riddling the machine with hooks into malicious sites. It is also true that most Mac malware requires the user to download something, for example installing Adobe Flash, clicking on a download link, etc. It is all too easy to do this- without thinking, especially when one is tired/vulnerable and/or the site appears trusted, such as Filezilla's FTP software site.

Most malware protection is not optimized for the Mac M1 (Universal). All are compatible with Big Sur and will run using Rosetta 2. Some of the major packages use a considerable amount of memory- with CPU utilization changing constantly depending on computer activity. Norton uses around 400-500 MB of ram and does a fair amount of writing to disk. Bitdefender currently uses about 1 GB of system memory. This memory utilization appears fairly constant, but can increase over on-time. Vendors feel the need to use significant amounts of memory to address the wide number of threats and to enable a quick machine response. Again, the better designed packages will not cause an appreciable or noticeable slowdown on modern machines. Norton and Bitdefender both fall in this category.

Malwarebytes Premium uses a minimal amount of memory, but CPU usage can fluctuate, though their 4.8 release allows one to limit CPU utilization for weaker machines. Malwarebytes Premium uses a different approach than most Mac antimalware vendors. While it is hard to assess- they appear to do quick scanning mostly for in memory threats, do not support scanning the entire drive/specific folders or external drives and I believe retire detection for threats no longer active in the field. Unlike the others mentioned, I have not seen 3rd party validation of its anti malware claims (AV Test/AV Comparatives).
 
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SlCKB0Y said:
I’ve run macOS since 2004 and the only time I’ve ever used antivirus was briefly when operating in a Windows environment to prevent inadvertently passing on Windows malware to Windows users, not for MacOS itself.

I personally do not consider it to be at all needed under macOS, but each to their own I guess.
Click to expand...
I have been using Mac's for years, even in an office setting where others used windows and have NEVER used any antivirus software.
 
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New Macs do not need anything as everything is already built in. Plus there are no viruses currently in the wild for Macs.

Norton is the worst piece of software out there. As mentioned, malwarebytes is all you would ever need.
 
This debate—whether or not Macs need virus/malware protection—is always interesting, although folks say "I've never used one and never got a virus" doesn't hold water. Concurrence is not causality, and some anecdotal experiences don't really add up to evidence. "I text while crossing the street, and I've never gotten hit by a car" doesn't comprise a compelling argument for texting while you cross the street.
 
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srbNYC said:
This debate—whether or not Macs need virus/malware protection—is always interesting, although folks say "I've never used one and never got a virus" doesn't hold water. Concurrence is not causality, and some anecdotal experiences don't really add up to evidence. "I text while crossing the street, and I've never gotten hit by a car" doesn't comprise a compelling argument for texting while you cross the street.
Click to expand...
I agree.

I see a lot of people on the forum state that if one stays away from sketchy sites, one should be safe. I don't subscribe to that advice, although it is good to stay away from sketchy sites. I am of the mindset that any website one visits can pose a malware risk. As such, I think it is prudent to be proactive and protect your Mac against Malware.

Assumptions and anecdotal stories taken as fact could lead one to get in trouble one day.
 
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There's a good read here from Apple.

App security overview

Apple provides layers of protection to help ensure that apps are free of known malware and haven’t been tampered with.
support.apple.com

Protecting against malware in macOS

In macOS, malware defenses are structured using the followingApp Store, or Gatekeeper combined with Notarization, and XProtect.
support.apple.com

You will find no AV software that will work as well as your brain.
 
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since 1990, i only encounter 1 malware virus thingee which was in 2019 running opera trying to open a photo of a shark and that froze my iPad were i could not do anything, no ransom ware, just locked. I tried opening the same link in Safari-Edge on the MacBook Air, which stopped the procedure- so i removed opera and contents on the MacBook air. then I restarted the iPad, removed opera app and i was good to go!
and others are stating you dont need that on any apple products.
 
srbNYC said:
Would be good if Malwarebytes had a non-Intel version
Click to expand...
Currently testing it on the M1. Seems OK.

The case could be made that even Malwarebytes is not needed on a Mac. Per Apple;

"The technically sophisticated runtime protections in macOS work at the very core of your Mac to keep your system safe from malware. This starts with state-of-the-art antivirus software built in to block and remove malware. Technologies like XD (execute disable), ASLR (address space layout randomization), and SIP (system integrity protection) make it difficult for malware to do harm, and they ensure that processes with root permission cannot change critical system files."
 
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Just stay away from pirate apps, pirate websites, crypto apps/sites, porno sites.

Don’t open office documents from strangers.

If you do get office documents from work open them in Google online and use or convert them there.

Then you won’t need anti virus anything.
 
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I also have never run anti-virus on Mac (for any family or work computer, including that used by kids).

When I used a Windows machine primarily (2004-2008), I still avoided Norton and relied on adware scans and the built-in protection tools. I had one virus attack during that period (a download I thought was legit but in retrospect was dicey), and was able to get everything back just using what Windows tools existed at the time.

Every machine I've seen Norton running on is filled with performance issues and annoying notifications.
 
ArPe said:
Just stay away from pirate apps, pirate websites, crypto apps/sites, porno sites.
Click to expand...
I knew a person who was a developer for acertianpeornsite in 2009 and he stated that the sites had to be clean, virus free and fast, or they would not succeed and be shut down in a week. He explained how these site are based on competition and reputation on these sites are incredibly strong, safe and probably the best streaming on the the planet because there is too much money a site can lose in minutes if something goes wrong.
this was at the Jacob Javits Center at a web expo.
 
Hiya All,


Many thanks for all the feedback, much appreciated :)


hhhhmmmm.... some more research needed then. Shame Norton isn't a instant "Yup install it, its ok" - Seeing as I am already paying for the package for my windows laptop already :)



Best wishes
Martin
 
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