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do i need anti virus software
- Thread starter nevergettoride
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I've never said you shouldn't run antivirus software. I've said you don't need it to keep your Mac malware-free. I haven't said I don't condone it. I simply don't recommend it.
The same benefit can be achieved without the software installed.
... as did disabling Java in the browser.
I didn't say it was detrimental. All AV apps have some impact on performance, some a little, some a lot, even if they're free apps. It's up to each person to decide if they want to run one. As I've said repeatedly, if you want to run AV on your Mac, do so. My message is the same: don't expect it will protect you from all malware as detection rates are not 100%, and don't think of it as a substitute for safe computing.
Safe computing alone provides better protection than running 3rd party antivirus alone.
Then why such strong comment AV can be of benefit for the lesser informed and the advanced user, and to what cost?
Who knows what the next vulnerability will be, this time Java, by dismissing you simply open more doors to the demons. Trivialising if you will, well it wasn't really OS X, OS X is safe, it was Java, the clock is always running.
Nor do I, not all have your experience & knowledge, some simply need a little assistance. It`s about keeping the community informed, safe and secure. The third party solutions are far from perfect yet some are providing increased safeguards...
Q-6
The problem is that too many times the message is, "Install an antivirus app." Period. Nothing more.
If the message was "practice safe computing AND run an antivirus app", I would be more inclined to agree, but too frequently these threads turn into a debate about doing one or the other. If you have to choose only one, choose safe computing practices, as they have provided complete protection against all Mac OS X malware ever released in the wild. Antivirus apps can't make that claim.
Exactly. Which is why I prefer to educate and inform users about how to protect themselves, rather than simply pass the buck to an AV app that may not do as well in protecting them.
There's no question that they're getting better over time. At the point where running an AV app alone is as secure as practicing those safe computing tips, I'll be recommending that. Until then, I'll keep recommending the more secure solution.
Common sense, like talent, can only get you so far. Ones needs to be vigilant, and USE WHATEVER TOOLS necessary to ensure not only the safety and security of your Mac but that of the network and other computers that may be linked to the "safe" one.
I've been using a Mac since 2006. I never had the ability to become a developer ~~data retention issues in my brain~~ BUT it is very much so possible to download a virus and unknowingly activate it.
After a serious infection, as a newbie, I decided to look for and download an AV application. I found ClamXav and what a delight it is when I scan my system and on the rare occasion it does pick up a virus which, by the way, by definition is malware. My concern, however, is not that my Mac is danger of being infected... It's that files I download on my system, scan and open can still contain malware of sorts and be harmfull to my Windows laptop. On MANY occasions, My laptop detected malware when connecting over the network to my Mac and files, thankfully were denied. I'm not sure why ClamXav appears limited in its virus definitions but it is somewhat lacking.
Common sense can protect you to a point. an AV app is NOT such a bad idea.
That's my 2 cents on the topic. Actually... a buck and a half may be more like it.
)
Common sense, like talent, can only get you so far. Ones needs to be vigilant, and USE WHATEVER TOOLS necessary to ensure not only the safety and security of your Mac but that of the network and other computers that may be linked to the "safe" one.
I've been using a Mac since 2006. I never had the ability to become a developer ~~data retention issues in my brain~~ BUT it is very much so possible to download a virus and unknowingly activate it.
After a serious infection, as a newbie, I decided to look for and download an AV application. I found ClamXav and what a delight it is when I scan my system and on the rare occasion it does pick up a virus which, by the way, by definition is malware. My concern, however, is not that my Mac is danger of being infected... It's that files I download on my system, scan and open can still contain malware of sorts and be harmfull to my Windows laptop. On MANY occasions, My laptop detected malware when connecting over the network to my Mac and files, thankfully were denied. I'm not sure why ClamXav appears limited in its virus definitions but it is somewhat lacking.
Common sense can protect you to a point. an AV app is NOT such a bad idea.
That's my 2 cents on the topic. Actually... a buck and a half may be more like it.
It depends on the person using the computer though, a computer illiterate will probably profit from some AV solution, but a computer literate does not really need AV software.
I belong the the later group and use Mac OS X since 2004 and just for fun tested Sophos for a month in 2008 or 2009 or 2010.
It discovered one Windows trojan in that time, while sucking away CPU resources and resulting in a hotter machine, and I hardly transfer files to Windows users, which should use some AV solution, especially the illiterate group, which is bigger than the other group.
But then again, it is everyones own choice to use common sense and some brain or use AV software. In today's age the latter seems to be preferred, as the former is being pushed back in many other areas than just computer usage.
Or it has always been that way and the world wild wet just makes many people more aware of stupidity.
ClamXAV, except for the most recent version, does not detect the flashback malware. They did a poor job at preparing for this.
My company I work for recently changed their policy about the required AV software from that to NOD32 (they have a corporate license).
Unfortunately the reason that the flashback malware was/is so successful is because everyone believes that OS X is immune to malware/trojans/key loggers and viruses. It doesn't help with everyone always shouting from the rooftops "There are no viruses in the wild for Mac OSX". That just helps perpetuate stupidity imo. Just because there has not been a break-in to houses in my neighborhood ever since I've lived there, doesn't mean I still don't have my handgun next to my bed for protection.
My company I work for recently changed their policy about the required AV software from that to NOD32 (they have a corporate license).
Unfortunately the reason that the flashback malware was/is so successful is because everyone believes that OS X is immune to malware/trojans/key loggers and viruses. It doesn't help with everyone always shouting from the rooftops "There are no viruses in the wild for Mac OSX". That just helps perpetuate stupidity imo. Just because there has not been a break-in to houses in my neighborhood ever since I've lived there, doesn't mean I still don't have my handgun next to my bed for protection.
It was successful because there were no ways to prevent flashback infection as it used an unpatched vulnerability. All the anti-virus in the world couldn't have done anything until the profile was built up first. You didn't have to go to shady sites to get it neither. Infected wordpress sites were a vector.
But as of today, with a fully patched machine, there are no known malware that can infect OS X. The vulnerability that has been used for flashback has been fixed and it as well as the recent most mac trojan both have their signatures in X protect and the OS will explicitly warn the user before they run it.
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