antivirus... please help!

[tm0000]

So let's say a friend IS downloading pirated apps on their MBP. What would be the best antivirus software to help protect it from viruses, adware, malware, trojans etc...?

Thank you very much! I appreciate your help.

P.S. I know it's best to practice safe computing.

 

[chscag]

First, advise your friend (if he's really your friend) not to pirate. Pirating is stealing. Since there are no viruses in the wild that can infect a Mac, all your friend needs is something to detect and remove malware. Malwarebytes anti-malware is a very effective application for doing that.

 

[tm0000]

So, he tried avast and he was downloading torrents and avast kept on warning him not to download it. It didn't warn him for each and every one but most of them.

Do you think that avast was actually protecting the MBP? Is running avast a good idea since it was scanning in real time?

Thank you

First, advise your friend (if he's really your friend) not to pirate. Pirating is stealing. Since there are no viruses in the wild that can infect a Mac, all your friend needs is something to detect and remove malware. Malwarebytes anti-malware is a very effective application for doing that.

 

[Absrnd]

Usually inside the pirated software, you automatically install the malware with the intended software, and a virus scanner, probably will not detect it, until it is too late

 

[tm0000]

Thank you for replying.

So, what would you recommend? Malwarebytes anti-malware?

Usually inside the pirated software, you automatically install the malware with the intended software, and a virus scanner, probably will not detect it, until it is too late

 

[Absrnd]

Thank you for replying.

So, what would you recommend? Malwarebytes anti-malware?

The best inti-vurus is not downloading pirated software, seriously !, you putting your mac and your (and others) private information at risk.
Anti-Virus mostly detects files before installing, but not if it is contained inside pirated (official brand) software.
if you are desperate, install a clone of your mac on a separate partition, so you can delete this when it is compromised.

 

[Gregg2]

Solution: Win the Lottery!

 

[960design]

So, what would you recommend?

Do not download pirated software. We create 'seeds' for tracking distribution. While we do not distribute malware or hidden gems, the seed pirated software does ping your generic location along with some additional information about your device.
Bad actors are not so polite with their redistribution of pirated software. You could easily be giving away accounts/passwords, images, emails, buffer data that pirates then could use to blackmail you.

Stay in the safe lane or download software and then run it only on an air gapped machine.
Just like drinking and driving, you may be lucky a couple of times, but it will catch up with you.

PS. It is typically easier to hack the antivirus than a *nix based system like the Mac OS X.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomas...er-attacks-target-tech-industry/#1a16200a45fc

 

[charlituna]

First, advise your friend (if he's really your friend) not to pirate. Pirating is stealing. Since there are no viruses in the wild that can infect a Mac

Not at the moment but several years ago there were one or two and both were distributed via pirate software.

 

[akash.nu]

I’m baffled how openly people admit to piracy without any guilt feeling at all. I’d like to steal things from OP and see if he / she feels so generous.

 

[Absrnd]

I’m baffled how openly people admit to piracy without any guilt feeling at all. I’d like to steal things from OP and see if he / she feels so generous.

That's a whole different discussion,
if you copied his files, he still would have his files

 

[akash.nu]

That's a whole different discussion,
if you copied his files, he still would have his files

If I was a painter and would have liked to sell what I had created and then OP steals it then I lose my livelihood. Pirating is practically the same here.

 

[Absrnd]

If I was a painter and would have liked to sell what I had created and then OP steals it then I lose my livelihood. Pirating is practically the same here.

No you wouldn't, a copy of a painting would always be an inferior copy, and you would still have the original "master" (unless it is a digital painting )
but yes, if only illegal copies of software, or any digital files, were downloaded, there would be no income for the maker.

 

[akash.nu]

No you wouldn't, a copy of a painting would always be an inferior copy, and you would still have the original "master" (unless it is a digital painting )
but yes, if only illegal copies of software, or any digital files, were downloaded, there would be no income for the maker.

That’s what the OP is saying. He / she’s downloading pirated software.

 

[Absrnd]

 

[[AUT] Thomas]

No you wouldn't, a copy of a painting would always be an inferior copy, and you would still have the original "master" (unless it is a digital painting )
but yes, if only illegal copies of software, or any digital files, were downloaded, there would be no income for the maker.

When it comes to pirating there is only scenario in which this discussion is valid: The user of the pirated software would have bought the software if there was no pirated version. Although, this often isn't the case.

Photoshop is the best example for this: not even 10% of the users that pirated PS would buy it. All those home users would never spend hundreds of €/$ on PS -but they often do contribute to the community, thus promoting the product.
Furthermore I'm pretty sure Adobe deducts a few millions a year from tax to compensate losses of pirated copies. I.e. making money of licenses they would have never sold.