hey guys I bought my first mac today and I heard all the horror stories about macs getting viruses. Do you guys have any recommendations for the best anti virus software?
Regards,
Steve
Regards,
Steve
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Best anti virus for mac?
- Thread starter Macrules1337
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1 - There are ZERO Mac viruses - the hoopla about MacDefender or whatever was just a light malware that required the "open safe files" activated in Safari, and THEN required again user interaction to authorize installation of the software in your Mac, whose only malicious action was to lure users into paying for the full version of that "security" utility. At worst, this thing was a harmless Trojan, nothing else;
2 - There is no "best" AV software for the Mac, since no one needs them; unless you want to use your CPU cycles to do your PC friends' protection job, of course.
But if you still want something for the sake of good conscience, you may try the free options iAntivirus or ClamXav.
You read horror stories about Macs getting viruses? Care to provide any links to these lies?
Mac Virus/Malware Info by GGJstudios
There are currently no viruses for Mac OS X in public circulation, only a handful of trojans and other malware, which have to be installed manually via entering the administrator password.
The only anti-virus you need to protect your Mac is education and common sense.
There are currently no viruses for Mac OS X in public circulation, only a handful of trojans and other malware, which have to be installed manually via entering the administrator password.
The only anti-virus you need to protect your Mac is education and common sense.
Currently there are zero viruses in the wild for Mac OS X.
However if you do want a good AV (to check you're not harbouring files which contain viruses for Windows etc) I'd plug ESET Cybersecurity for Mac. Though of-course as your Windows machines will be running a good AV themselves (ESET NOD32) so you don't really need anything on your Mac.
However if you do want a good AV (to check you're not harbouring files which contain viruses for Windows etc) I'd plug ESET Cybersecurity for Mac. Though of-course as your Windows machines will be running a good AV themselves (ESET NOD32) so you don't really need anything on your Mac.
Alright so I am 100% safe without no anti virus? Sweet
You are 100% safe with common sense. Have you read the FAQ? Btw, isn't "without no" a double negative and transforming your sentence to "I am 100% safe AV software"?
sure you need to allow malware to be installed on a Mac running OSX
but a windows virus, worm or other malware can be spread using a Mac running OSX
so if you care about your windows using mates without comon sense , then yes install some anti virus app like "clamXav" its free and is not hogging the system like some costly apps
and dont install Mac defender
but a windows virus, worm or other malware can be spread using a Mac running OSX
so if you care about your windows using mates without comon sense , then yes install some anti virus app like "clamXav" its free and is not hogging the system like some costly apps
and dont install Mac defender
It has nothing to do with market share, but with the UNIX underpinnings.
The Mac OS X Malware Myth Continues
The biggest virus is yourself. Know where you are getting what, from where and know what you are running will prevent most of the virus even for PC. Usually ppl who got infected are those who will click on every download link they see. I even had a client who was so stupid that he filled in the whole bank personal information page and submitted it which later on I pointed out that the URL is actually hosted by a Church. So someone hacked into and made a fake page and sent this guy an email and he fell for it totally....
Viruses are over hyped. 10 years ago they were rampant. Now, with all the antivirus software, it's not an issue anymore. It's the phishing that is causing all the problems and hacks into supposedly secure systems. Your personal computer means nothing anymore to hackers. Your identity is more likely to be stolen from a bank's database than from your pc.
I believe windows having more market share is a factor. Malware developers can get more money by developing on windows than on any other platform Also on windows (at least the latest version) unless you are using a very insecure web browser then most of the malware needs permissions to be executed.
Also on windows (at least the latest version) unless you are using a very insecure web browser then most of the malware needs permissions to be executed.
Once a week, our shared Dell at work gets remotely controlled by the it department because it set off some alarm saying it has a virus. It then takes the it dude about four hours to clean it. Have no idea what is really going on but I wish we would just get rid of the pcs and buy a bunch of macs.
The best (or worst, depending on your perspective) anti-virus for any system is between the chair and the keyboard.
*************. If I had a nickel for every time I read that "market share" crap I could buy 10 fully loaded iMacs.
read this again -- old, but true: http://seekingalpha.com/article/52722-the-mac-os-x-malware-myth-continues
And excuse my ignorance -- but exactly *who* is paying these "malware developers"?
I collect them...
I have a lovely collection of nasty old .exe stuff that has been attached to emails over the years; we used to GET them all the time, they just didn't do anything to us. So now when the Nigerians send me an invite, I send them a bunch. These are all pre 2002, so they're probably all rendered harmless now, but it's the thought that counts!
Been on a Mac since 1998...NEVER had a virus, and so far, there ain't such a thing. The PC world keeps telling us there must be, but nobody seen or got one. They tell us about all the 'vulnerabilities' there are in the system, that it's only a matter of time, etc., but nada. Nothing. Squat. So far, it's all talk. And I'm sure when something DOES happen, Apple and the open source community will squash it like a bug, quickly. I think that's what's happening now, they get news of vulnerabilities from open source geeks and they close the gaps before anyone has even noticed they're their.
And as you know from your days on the dark side, the PC anti-virus program scam is sometime WORSE than the viruses themselves. I remember Norton all but made my computer a useless piece of junk because it took up ALL the resources of the machine. So don't install anything, and let your PC friends deal with those problems. And try to invite them in from the dark side.
Cheers,
Cameron
Alright so I am 100% safe without no anti virus? Sweet
I have a lovely collection of nasty old .exe stuff that has been attached to emails over the years; we used to GET them all the time, they just didn't do anything to us. So now when the Nigerians send me an invite, I send them a bunch. These are all pre 2002, so they're probably all rendered harmless now, but it's the thought that counts!
Been on a Mac since 1998...NEVER had a virus, and so far, there ain't such a thing. The PC world keeps telling us there must be, but nobody seen or got one. They tell us about all the 'vulnerabilities' there are in the system, that it's only a matter of time, etc., but nada. Nothing. Squat. So far, it's all talk. And I'm sure when something DOES happen, Apple and the open source community will squash it like a bug, quickly. I think that's what's happening now, they get news of vulnerabilities from open source geeks and they close the gaps before anyone has even noticed they're their.
And as you know from your days on the dark side, the PC anti-virus program scam is sometime WORSE than the viruses themselves. I remember Norton all but made my computer a useless piece of junk because it took up ALL the resources of the machine. So don't install anything, and let your PC friends deal with those problems. And try to invite them in from the dark side.
Cheers,
Cameron
I second that anti virus program are a piece of junk. Especially if you have machines which are not the fastest. My C2D pc takes 5 minutes to reboot and then takes another 3-4 mins because the anti virus program makes it unusable. And all of a sudden anti virus program does it's scheduled scan and will not even realize its doing it. During this time the pc is again unusable.
Never had a virus problem with mac.
Never had a virus problem with mac.
Yep, it's just amazing...at work I have this relatively old Pentium 4 PC with Windows XP, which actually performs OK (for Office and Internet, bien sûr) on a daily basis.
However, EVERY time I turn it on, it starts this pathetic routine of AV checks and downloads via McAfee, something that simply BLOCKS me from doing any work (even opening a mail message) for at least 30/45 minutes.
Of course I've contacted the IT department, but their only solution will be to replace the CPUs in two months...otherwise they say the AV is absolutely necessary and works fine anyway...
Some of you have short memories - one of the first computer viruses was nVIR, which infected Mac's. I knew several people driven to despair because a variant of it impeded time-critical work.
In any case, I've never had a computer virus on a Mac since then, but I have had at least three PC's get viruses over the same time. I currently have Sophos Anti-Virus installed, which is free and seems to be mostly hassle free. Occasionally you might want to flag some programs so that they are not scanned, because some do seem to trigger a lengthy scan even though they are not infected.
In any case, I've never had a computer virus on a Mac since then, but I have had at least three PC's get viruses over the same time. I currently have Sophos Anti-Virus installed, which is free and seems to be mostly hassle free. Occasionally you might want to flag some programs so that they are not scanned, because some do seem to trigger a lengthy scan even though they are not infected.
You should read your own links:
There has never been a virus released into the wild that affects Mac OS X in the 10 years since it was released. No one is saying that there never were viruses for Mac OS. In fact, the first virus ever introduced in the wild was for Apple computers.
Read the warnings in this thread that have already been posted about Sophos, which is not recommended.
- erm... No need to read my own links, for I know nVIR is obsolete , but the point is that viruses on the Mac are not unknown. As the saying goes, those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. Because viruses are a pain in the a$$, I prefer to use a free anti-virus program.
- What warning about Sophos in this thread? Perhaps you should pay closer attention when reading... Besides, I recommend Sophos. I do not expect it will catch everything, and I accept it slows things down sometimes. Obviously your opinion about Sophos differs from mine... m'eh.
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