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AntiVirus

C

Creel

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 7, 2008
13
0
Melbourne
Hi,

just got my first iMac 24", what a beauty!!
Can anyone please recommend a good Anti Virus software, I am using Trend Micro on my PC's but they do not have one for Mac (yet).
I don't like Norton, any other suggestions would be really appreciated, thanks.
 
Let me make this as simple as possible. You don't need anti-virus software on OS X. If this is a work laptop and you must have anti-virus software for ITs sake, then go for Norton or McAfee. If you just want to scan email attachments so you don't spread Windows-based viruses, then go for ClamXav.

Again, you don't need anti-virus software like you do on Windows. Just play it safe by following these tips.

1. Don't go to or download from shady sites. Pr0n sites are usually the ones that can infect and exploit any system.

2. Make a standard account in System Preferences for daily use. The account you made when you first got your Mac is a Administrator. Use that only when you need to make critical system changes. Search the forums for additional details. If you can't figure it out, post in the Help section.

3. Turn on the firewall. This is a requirement for all of my home and office computers. To some, it's an optional precaution.

4. Optional: Run LittleSnitch. It's an app that tells you of all incoming and outgoing connections.

5. Optional: Within Safari, uncheck the box that says to Open "safe" files after downloading. This could be a point of attack, theoretically.

Hope this helps.
 
OK, thanks for that.
Its only for home use....been using PC for the last 15 years, so am so used to having to use protection etc :)....just love this beasty!!!!
 
If you really want to install antivirus program, I would go for: Intego VirusBarrier with NetBarrier. I have been using it for almost a year. Unlike Norton Antivirus, there is no noticeable decrease in performance. I am considering whether or not to renew the license given that there has been no know virus for the mac.
 
hajime said:
If you really want to install antivirus program, I would go for: Intego VirusBarrier with NetBarrier. I have been using it for almost a year. Unlike Norton Antivirus, there is no noticeable decrease in performance. I am considering whether or not to renew the license given that there has been no know virus for the mac.
Click to expand...

Oh god! Why?

The most you will ever, ever, ever need on a computer running OS X is ClamXav.
 
well I guess old habits die hard...I will try out ClamXav, sounds like a great little thing to have as a bit of extra security and piece of mind, so thank people! :)
 
Creel said:
well I guess old habits die hard...I will try out ClamXav, sounds like a great little thing to have as a bit of extra security and piece of mind, so thank people! :)
Click to expand...

You won't ever use it... (or at least you won't ever really have a reason to use it)

I downloaded ClamXav about a year ago and ran it once. My computer came back completely clean (of course)

I'll run it again just for kicks.
....
....
Yep. Clean as a whistle.
 
There sure are alot of threads about virus scanners...

I ran clam on a windows machine this week. Thirteen hours later, it found three problems. It sure is thorough.
 
In ClamXav preferences you can set ClamXav Sentry to scan your email inboxes and your downloads folder if you want the effect of real time scanning. You really don't need to do this but if it gives you peace of mind, why not. ClamXav uses the same antivirus engine as Mac OS X leopard server and Linux based server OSes so you will not find a better antivirus program by spending money. Note if you set up ClamXav Sentry do not set ClamXav to Quarantine infected files because it will move your whole email inbox to quarantine if one of your emails is infected. Manually delete any infected files that you find on your system, they can't infect your computer but I have seen locked up systems because someone double clicked a viruses .exe file (rebooting by pressing the power button fixes the problem).
 
Haha, i woudnt even mind sending viruses to windows boxes. "Not my problem" Its "Their fault" because they still use acrade windows boxes.. :rolleyes:
 
johto said:
Haha, i woudnt even mind sending viruses to windows boxes. "Not my problem" Its "Their fault" because they still use acrade windows boxes.. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Arcade? You mean like Pac-Man? ;)

Either way, that's just a bad attitude. So you'll waste bandwidth and cause others' grief because you are somehow better?

I use Windows still because I still need some Windows programs, and it works well with my ham radio equipment. Does that mean I deserve to have a virus passed on? Of course not.
 
Windows PCs don't require antivirus software, FYI. Being careful on the internet is far more important. Same reason Macs don't require them. (but viruses are made for Macs far less often because of the user base size)

All in all, being careful on the internet is far more important.
 
frozenlead said:
Windows PCs don't require antivirus software, FYI. Being careful on the internet is far more important. Same reason Macs don't require them. (but viruses are made for Macs far less often because of the user base size)

All in all, being careful on the internet is far more important.
Click to expand...

True, but only to those who are computer literate. Those who don't know the difference from IE and Firefox or a desktop and a screensaver need it big time.
 
...I was under the impression that the internet was the internet, whether it goes on a Mac's screen or a PC's screen. There's no literacy required on either end. Firefox is available on Mac, too, and I'd recommend it over any other browser. Desktops are on both machines, as are screensavers. I don't know what you're trying to say.
 
frozenlead said:
...I was under the impression that the internet was the internet, whether it goes on a Mac's screen or a PC's screen. There's no literacy required on either end. Firefox is available on Mac, too, and I'd recommend it over any other browser. Desktops are on both machines, as are screensavers. I don't know what you're trying to say.
Click to expand...

He's trying to say, on a PC, where viruses can download, install, and run themselves without the end-user knowing, you need to be smarter about where you go on the Internet.
 
..And the same thing can happen on a Mac.

At any rate, not going to sites that sport such viruses is a far better first line of defense on a PC or a Mac.
 
frozenlead said:
Windows PCs don't require antivirus software, FYI. Being careful on the internet is far more important. Same reason Macs don't require them. (but viruses are made for Macs far less often because of the user base size)

All in all, being careful on the internet is far more important.
Click to expand...

That market share argument holds no water. If that were true there would be at least one (just one single virus) for OS X. Is there a single virus for any Mac running OS X? Nope.
 
frozenlead said:
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Apple-Mac-Malware-Spyware,news-3067.html
https://forums.symantec.com/syment/blog/article?message.uid=306008
http://arstechnica.com/journals/app...trojan-variant-goes-after-criminally-ignorant
http://gizmodo.com/373779/linux-last-man-standing-in-pwn-2-own-thunderdome
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxqZzISdXZs
http://www.macforensicslab.com/Malware_on_Mac_OS_X.pdf

Ah, no.
Click to expand...

Two of those links are about trojans (which are not viruses and require the end user to be a complete buffoon), one is on YouTube, which is not a source of any unbiased information, one is to a news article about the recent, years-old Apple article about A/V that only catches Windows viruses, and the last is about malware in general... not adding to your point at all.
 
I believe the argument was that OS X does not have viruses. That was a quick google search, and I think it proves fairly well that viruses have been created for OS X and will continue to do so - and will become more apparent as OS X gains market share. Those links have plenty of valid information; especially the one concerning Apple's own recommendation.
 
frozenlead said:
I believe the argument was that OS X does not have viruses. That was a quick google search, and I think it proves fairly well that viruses have been created for OS X and will continue to do so - and will become more apparent as OS X gains market share.
Click to expand...

What, that list? No, it didn't. There aren't any viruses. There's a trojan or two, but no viruses. There is no self-downloading, self-executing malicious code for OS X.
 
You can't say that. To do so is woefully ignorant. There are no OS X viruses that you know of. Since OS X is software, I assure you, a virus can be created for it, and since people are people, I assure you, one has been made for it. In any case - trojan, virus, malware, are all exceedingly bad and any of their presence on any system is, well, bad.
 
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