Anyone think antivirus software for a MAC is necessary?

[GGJstudios]

Actually, reputable porn sites (or what I like to call "websites for training videos") are actually some of the safest places to download from. They want your business, so they won't risk losing it by spreading malware.

Yeah, you keep believing that! Forums are filled with complaints by people who have gotten malware from clicking on porn videos and been prompted to install a "codec" to view the video, only to install a trojan, or have their computer infected with malware that redirects to porn sites or launches browser windows and pop-ups with links to porn sites. They don't care about your business... many get paid by click-through advertising so they force click-throughs by using malware.

 

[CylonGlitch]

@walshinik, this is pretty anecdotal, and it happened to me on a Windows laptop using Firefox with flash enabled, but I was on a reputable "training video" site (you'd recognize the name), and i was able to get something that looked like an antivirus checker. The thing took over my system in record time, and not even pressing the power button in a panic could get rid of its extensive presence in Windows (task manager, login screen, etc.).

Actually it doesn't have to do too much with the company that you're going to. My sister had the same type of thing happen going to the DMV for her state. A decent hacker can exploit the server software and inject their own code into the website and then infect those who come to visit. "Training Video" websites are often targets because of the large number of people going there to educate themselves. Government sites are often targets as well because of the same reason, and because a lot of the time the servers aren't monitored well.

Just because it is a reputable site, doesn't mean it is free of malware; just that a good site will monitor, and correct the problems before it gets too bad.

 

[walshlink]

You bad, bad girl watching those naughty, naughty vids... LOL

You're probably right...that's why I just run all my training videos searches in a sand-boxed VM...

@walshinik, this is pretty anecdotal, and it happened to me on a Windows laptop using Firefox with flash enabled, but I was on a reputable "training video" site (you'd recognize the name), and i was able to get something that looked like an antivirus checker. The thing took over my system in record time, and not even pressing the power button in a panic could get rid of its extensive presence in Windows (task manager, login screen, etc.).

I was a pretty embarassing trip to IT and the guy had a grin on his face all the while he was checking out my problem. Of course I told him I had no idea what had happened, and anyway there was no reason for a girl to be watching "training videos", right?

So, um.. be careful!