Do I Need an anti virus on my macbook

[GGJstudios]

sorry.......That is close to COMPLETE GARBAGE

False.

you need active protection not some thing you pull on to check if you have an infection now & again.

False.

oh... and there ARE mac viruses

False.

here is a handy research for beginners, I recommend you study it.
https://www.kaspersky.com/blog/mac-viruses-are-here-to-stay10-examples-of-mac-viruses/556/

False. First, that's not "research". It's a sales pitch from a company wanting to promote their antivirus software. Hardly unbiased.

Second, there is not one true virus named in that article that has ever infected any computer running Mac OS X/macOS. There are a few other types of malware, such as trojans, that are easily avoided without requiring antivirus software. The only true viruses mentioned only affected Mac OS 9 and earlier, more than 17 years ago.

Macs are not immune to malware and no system is 100% secure, but no true viruses exist in the wild that can run on macOS, and there never have been any since it was released over 17 years ago. Be clear about this: Macs CAN get viruses, but they DON’T, because no true macOS virus exists in the wild. Understand that a virus is just one particular type of malware (malicious software) that, when executed, replicates itself by modifying other computer programs and inserting its own code. There has never been a macOS virus in the wild, but there are other types of malware.

Other forms of macOS malware (Trojans, worms, rootkits, etc.) in the wild can ALL be avoided by practicing safe computing, without requiring any antivirus or anti-malware apps to be installed.

Practicing safe computing means using common sense and staying informed.

Keep macOS and your apps updated at all times. Many of these updates include patches to vulnerabilities that can prevent attacks. If you have outdated software, your system may be more vulnerable.

Be careful about what you install on your Mac.

• Don’t install pirated software, from bit torrent sites or any other source.
• Don’t install anything without investigating to make sure that the app and the site you download it from have good reputations. Asking in this forum is a great way to learn what is safe and what isn’t.
• During the installation process, read everything carefully to make sure you’re not installing unwanted software that may be bundled with the primary app.
• Do install apps from the Mac App Store.
• Do install apps directly from developer sites that have a good reputation.
• Pay attention when installing apps, to make sure you install only the app that you want, and not any unwanted add-on apps that may be bundled with it. If you need help, ask for it.
• Don’t let anyone else have access to your computer, and especially don’t let anyone else install something without your permission.

Use common sense when surfing the Internet. If you’re unsure about anything, ask in this forum or ask someone you know who is informed and experienced.

• Be extremely careful anytime you are asked for any password or any personal information, including your name, phone number or email address. Make sure you only enter that kind of information in an app or website that you are certain that you can trust.
• Install and use a reputable and effective ad blocker on your web browser
• Avoid shady websites, especially any that try to get you to download anything to install, such as a codec to enable your system to play a video.
• Only update your apps from within the app itself or from the Mac App Store.
• If you are surfing the web and see a message pop-up or receive an email saying that you need to install or update anything, be very suspicious and do not allow it. For example, if a site tells you that your Adobe Flash is outdated, do not update it from that site. Instead, go directly to the Adobe site to install the update.
• The same holds true for pop-up messages that tell you that your Mac is infected with viruses or malware. These are lies. No website can scan your Mac to find malware. These are all attempts to get you to buy something or install something that you shouldn’t. Don’t do it.

Adware is software designed to generate and display online advertisements on your computer. While not true malware, adware is usually unwanted and a nuisance, but it can easily be avoided by practicing safe computing (see above).

Antivirus and anti-malware apps are not required to keep a Mac malware-free, as long as a user practices safe computing. Some antivirus apps have themselves been used to introduce malware to Macs, so they can increase vulnerability. Many who have relied on antivirus apps and did not practice safe computing have had their systems compromised by threats that their antivirus app did not detect. No antivirus or anti-malware app has a 100% detection rate, but since Mac OS X (macOS) was introduced, practicing safe computing has effectively defended against 100% of macOS malware in the wild.

If you haven’t been practicing safe computing and you want to check your system for any malware you may have allowed to be introduced, use MalwareBytes to scan your system. It’s free and doesn’t need to be continuously running. Just scan once and practice safe computing from this point forward.

In general, macOS malware is so relatively rare, that only a very small percentage of Mac users have ever encountered any.

 

[Kevbasscat]

i see thank you, is this as good as norton then?

part of me thinks if its free it cant be that good?

help is much appreciated

Have you ever wondered how and why these antivirus companies seem to now what's on the horizon 99% of the time? I'm not making accusations or blaming, but...if their apps really were all that great, they'd put themselves out of business, right? I just can't help but wonder, who exactly writes these viruses, and how do these companies seem to know what's on the horizon? It feels like the cat watching the birdcage, to me, and so easy for the alleged protectors to write and understand. It's kind of like when or if someone accuses you of cheating. The innocent would never make accusations, because it doesn't even enter our minds, but the guilty certainly do, don't they? They can't help but think aabolt it. Just common sense haha.

I can tell you, I've used nothing but Macs exclusively since 1999, and iPhones since they were first introduced and I'm on the web every minute, and have never had a virus, and only one adware, which was removed with a simple terminal command anyone can type. Yes I do visit some of those sites now and again tbh. I'm honest, and a real adult, so I don't hide from anyone or anything, ever. If someone wants to judge me because of my honesty, chances are..... I think Apple does a great job protecting us and nothing harmful has ever been on any my devices.