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Best/Favorite Mac Antivirus Software?

R

Rondofan9

macrumors member
Original poster
May 8, 2011
59
0
"Macs don't get viruses" is completely false, lol. I love macs, they don't get many, PC's get a **** ton because their so common there's people still using their Win98's lol but Macs DO get viruses, and viruses DO slow down your computer, and I'm a clean-freak about everything..

Anyway... lol, whats everyones favorite Anti-Virus software?! I loved Kaspersky when I had windows, not sure what the best mac one is quite yet.
 
Rondofan9 said:
"Macs don't get viruses" is completely false, lol.
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You just demonstrated your lack of knowledge on this subject. You don't need any 3rd party antivirus software to protect Mac OS X from malware. Macs are not immune to malware, but no true viruses exist in the wild that can run on Mac OS X, and there never have been any since it was released 10 years ago. The only malware in the wild that can affect Mac OS X is a handful of trojans, which can be easily avoided with some basic education, common sense and care in what software you install. Also, Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Lion have anti-malware protection built in, further reducing the need for 3rd party antivirus apps.
Rondofan9 said:
Macs DO get viruses
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Prove me wrong: name one. Just one.
 
GGJstudios said:
You just demonstrated your lack of knowledge on this subject. You don't need any 3rd party antivirus software to protect Mac OS X from malware. Macs are not immune to malware, but no true viruses exist in the wild that can run on Mac OS X, and there never have been any since it was released 10 years ago. The only malware in the wild that can affect Mac OS X is a handful of trojans, which can be easily avoided with some basic education, common sense and care in what software you install. Also, Mac OS X Snow Leopard and Lion have anti-malware protection built in, further reducing the need for 3rd party antivirus apps.

Prove me wrong: name one. Just one.
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Lol, don't be so hurt cutie pie...

Trojan

I'm a huge mac fanboy, I got apple stickers on my jeans, well not really but my girlfriend has apple bottom jeans;). Anyway, I love mac, so much better than windows, but they do get viruses, and can be hacked.

Like this incident: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/1253727...nger-immune-viruses-experts-say/#.TvI8smDgJaQ

Thanks for the poster who gave me a good AV software. Peace out, have a merry christmas studios, hopefully santa gets me some knowledge, I lack it you know;)
 
Rondofan9 said:
Lol, don't be so hurt cutie pie...

Trojan

I'm a huge mac fanboy, I got apple stickers on my jeans, well not really but my girlfriend has apple bottom jeans;). Anyway, I love mac, so much better than windows, but they do get viruses, and can be hacked.

Like this incident: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/1253727...nger-immune-viruses-experts-say/#.TvI8smDgJaQ

Thanks for the poster who gave me a good AV software. Peace out, have a merry christmas studios, hopefully santa gets me some knowledge, I lack it you know;)
Click to expand...


So huge mac guy, who read 1 news story in and a "virus" that had a "bug" which do you like..a couple people have told you that you're wrong so tell us which do you feel the best about. You're the expert..
 
Rondofan9 said:
Anyway, I love mac, so much better than windows, but they do get viruses...

Like this incident: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/1253727...nger-immune-viruses-experts-say/#.TvI8smDgJaQ
Click to expand...
That article is completely bogus, since they never even identify what the malware was. They also don't specify whether Daines, who has already been proven to be a liar, was running Mac OS X on his Mac, or running Windows. There is no virus in the wild that affects Mac OS X, and there is no documented evidence that clicking on any website can infect Mac OS X. You still haven't named one virus. I'm still waiting.
 
Rondofan9 said:
but they do get viruses
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You are very, very incorrect. They can get Trojans and maleware and other nasty stuff, but there has yet to be a virus on OS X. Luckally, common sense is all you need to avoid Trojans. Don't download illegal programs or media and things like that, stay away from shady web sites, etc. and you'll be fine.

Mr. McMac said:
I use ClamXav just in case there ever is a mac virus. You never know, right?
GGJstudios said:
It won't help, since no antivirus app can detect a virus that doesn't yet exist. They don't know what to look for.
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Click to expand...
GGJstudios is correct. Think of any real virus. Countless number of people get sick and even died until we had vaccines and cures to fight it. If a brand new virus came out that was unlike any other virus already known (and a Mac virus would be unlike anything we've previously seen), we'd be powerless to stop it until we had enough research to fight it. Just because you had vaccines and medicine for other viruses doesn't mean you'll be any better prepared than anyone else. Over time we may find a way to stop it, but until then you would be just as screwed as the rest of us.

ClamXav is much the same. It looks for some Trojans and stuff (which as I said before that with a little bit of common sense these should never be a problem). It looks for some Windows virus and maybe even some pre-OS X Mac virus (although I could be wrong about that one but it doesn't matter anway), neither which can effect you. It honestly doesn't do much. It will not protect you from a virus if one were to be created (at least not until the virus is studied and a patch can be applied to the AV software to detect and/or remove the virus).

If/When one is created, we'll all hear about it and I'll be one of the first to download what ever AV software protects against it. But in the meantime, all AV software will do is slow down your machine, steal CPU cycles, and eat up hard drive space. If it gives you peace of mind, they go for it. But I, in good conscience, can not recommend it as it is unnecessary.
 
I'm new to mac - GGJstudios are you basically saying that I don't need to buy any additional app/ programme to protect my newly acquired MBA? Is that how it works?
 
jojoba said:
I'm new to mac - GGJstudios are you basically saying that I don't need to buy any additional app/ programme to protect my newly acquired MBA? Is that how it works?
Click to expand...
Exactly. Read post #4 in this thread, including the linked information.
 
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