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I have one setup at home, one running on my office network and recently set one up in the cloud with OpenVPN so I can have its benefits when on the road.
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Do you use antivirus software?
- Thread starter donawalt
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I have one setup at home, one running on my office network and recently set one up in the cloud with OpenVPN so I can have its benefits when on the road.
After Virex did more damage to me by deleting multiple unread emails, and then got bought out by McAfee, I simply don't trust anything McAfee says.
The version of Virex I was using detected malware in incoming email and was supposed to kill the malware. What it did was kill the entire post, which meant that I never saw it and therefore could not update my filters to get it. Worse, if I checked mail and there were 10 posts in the queue and post #3 had malware, then Virex would delete post #3... and 4, and 5, and 6, and 7, and 8, and 9, and 10, even though the other posts did NOT have malware. Worse, Virex would not say that it was deleting all the posts. Worse, at the time I was mostly using POP, so all those posts were gone for good. Worse, Virex would flag the malware that caused it to delete post #3, and 99.9% of the time it was for Windows malware, and where it wasn't for Windows malware it was for something I had protection against. Shortly after I found out what Virex was doing, it was gone for good. Virex was comparatively benign compared to McAfee and Norton on Windows, both of which deleted system files causing the machines in question to not boot. On several occasions the easiest solution to the problem was to reformat and reinstall. It was a good thing that I had good backups or I would have been quite annoyed.
I have been using Macs since 1984. I have been using DOS since 1981. I have been using Windows since 1985. Virex has done more damage than all Mac malware I have ever encountered. McAfee and Norton on Windows have done more damage than all DOS and Windows malware I have ever encountered.
Sophos and ClamXAV haven't caused the problems that Virex and others have, but they slow the systems they're on down and the only benefit is that they catch swarms of Windows malware which can't affect the Macs anyway.
There is currently no major malware threat for Macs. There used to be lots of major Mac malware, but that time passed more than 20 years ago.
All that vendors like Intego, McAfee, and Norton are doing is trying to drum up business using scare tactics to make people afraid of a non-existent threat.
I've been in IT for 30 years, and seen many MACs get viruses. You are not immune to viruses. If you think there are no threads or major ones, you really have no clue. Please read that second link I put. Here is an example of a lady that had many on her MAC. Have you ever been to a DefCon Conference? Yeah, the amount of MACs that are shown to get infected is actually funny. Don't be dumb and ignore the facts.
Software who works on fear to make money is an old story.
Software which does more harm than the problems they are supposed to solve is at least as old as the above.
Still to take appropriate measures in any computer and in any OS paired with Good Common Sense are as important nowadays as they always were.
Mac computers are part of the online world and that world is a dangerous one.
To put one's head in the sand and say that macs are 100% malware free and nothing should be done is not the clever way to run any online computer system.
Even small or less frequent danger is still danger.
Ed
I tend to not take seriously anyone who refers to Macintosh computers as MACs.
There are no current major threats for macOS. The last major threat for Macs in general were SevenDust and the AutoStart Worm, from 1997. There have been a number of malware threats since, almost all of them trojans or adware. Defences against trojans are simple: don't click on them. Defences against adware are also simple: use an adblocker.
Funny, since Apple refers to them as MACs. On their website. MAC. lol
And again, for you to think there are no major threats shows how much you don't know.
'Appropriate measures' in most cases would be taking action against adware, usually by running an adblocker. The other gentleman who replied posted a screen shot of someone who had a lot of adware on their system. Adware is not a major threat. It is not a reason to slow down your system with a full-out anti-malware system such as Sophos; an adblocker, with MalwareBytes if you're feeling paranoid, will do fine. Sophos actually slows the machine down more than adware does.
Educate yourself please. Also, you are the type that will get infected because you don't believe it.
https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/mac-software/can-macs-get-viruses-3454926/
Can Macs Get Viruses & Do Macs Need Antivirus Software?
https://macpaw.com/how-to/can-mac-get-a-virus
https://www.macworld.com/article/32...ting-serious-security-no-longer-optional.html
Mac Malware Getting Serious - Security No Longer Optional
https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/mac-software/can-macs-get-viruses-3454926/
Can Macs Get Viruses & Do Macs Need Antivirus Software?
https://macpaw.com/how-to/can-mac-get-a-virus
https://www.macworld.com/article/32...ting-serious-security-no-longer-optional.html
Mac Malware Getting Serious - Security No Longer Optional
Show me an article that is dated this year from a reputable source that says different than the ones I proved to you that are only a few days old that back your statements up.
You have no idea what you are talking about.
[doublepost=1543852022][/doublepost]
right, you're about to become the first person I block on this site. Say goodbye.
So all these people on the web and big companies have no idea what they are talking about? And my 30 years of experience and now working in a bank, also? Just because you are wrong and don't agree with it.
Laugh.
Like I said, back your statements up.
[doublepost=1543852080][/doublepost]
Oh wow, I'm sorry. You can't handle being wrong and corrected. How about you still post those links that back your information up? But you won't do that.
It's not wise to depend on advice from a company that is biased and wants to sell you antivirus software.
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. The only true malware in the wild that can affect your Mac is a handful of trojans, which can be easily avoided by being careful about what apps you install (no pirated software). 3rd party antivirus apps are not necessary to keep a Mac malware-free, as long as a user practices safe computing. In addition, some antivirus apps have themselves been used to introduce malware to Macs. In general, macOS malware is so relatively rare, that only a very small percentage of Mac users have ever encountered any.
PS:
MAC = Medium Access Control or Media Access Control
Mac = Macintosh
Apple never refers to a Mac as MAC
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Because I typed caps doesn't make you right. LOL.
And again, anyone who ignores McAfee or these other companies with documented proof, then you are blinded. It isn't just Mcafee that is saying it either.
Malware on Mac O/S is not rare. Quit telling yourself that as you will get people in trouble like the lady I posted above which had tons of infections on her Mac.
Then you get your machine infected and come crying to people like myself in IT to fix it because you assumed it couldn't because it's a Mac.
[doublepost=1543859986][/doublepost]https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/apr/19/mac-users-malware-flashback
"Are you reading this piece on a Mac? Do you have any antimalware software on your Mac? Wait, that's right, you don't need it, do you? Because the received wisdom is that the Mac operating system – OS X – is superior to Windows and is immune to the plague of trojans, viruses and other assorted nasties that can cripple a Windows machine.
Think again. In fact, OS X is no more or less immune to attack than any other operating system, and the recent spate of attacks means it's time for Mac users to become responsible members of the wider computing community. Malware isn't just about causing havoc on one machine any more."
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One of the reasons why he's now plonked is that he literally cannot tell the difference between MAC and Mac and yet expects others to take him seriously.
There are some adware and adware-related spyware malware out there. All can be blocked by adblockers. I use uBlock Origin. I also don't go to certain sites.
The vast majority of JavaScript attacks don't work on Macs. Using NoScript or similar will stop even those which do.
There may be a day when there is again a major malware threat for macOS. That day is not today. Current antimalware systems will, by definition, not be able to stop the new threat, as the new threat, like new Windows threats, will be written to evade existing antimalware. Once there is a major threat, then antimalware vendors will produce products which can kill it, and _that_ will be the time to invest in Mac antimalware. Current antimalware uses system resources at best and is actively dangerous at worst, and simply cannot be expected to defend against any new major threat and has little to do as there is no existing major threat.
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sci...ac-users-risk-malware-infection-report/story/
75 percent of Mac users risk malware infection —report
""Welcome to the wonderful world of Apple denial. There are no pesticides to save this crop," wrote BetaNews.com managing editor Joe Wilcox, referring to some Apple users' refusal to acknowledge their machines are vulnerable to malware."
75 percent of Mac users risk malware infection —report
""Welcome to the wonderful world of Apple denial. There are no pesticides to save this crop," wrote BetaNews.com managing editor Joe Wilcox, referring to some Apple users' refusal to acknowledge their machines are vulnerable to malware."
You apparently haven't done much homework on this topic, other than relying on what a few biased AV software companies report. Malware on macOS is extremely rare. If you look at the numbers of infected Macs, it's a very tiny percentage of all the Macs in operation. Most Mac users will never encounter malware of any kind.
The screen capture you posted showed multiple versions of the same adware, which is relatively innocuous. Adware is more "annoyware" than "malware", since it doesn't usually cause the same level of problems caused by trojans, worms and virus malware. Adware is easily avoided or removed.
Nice post of 6-7 year old links. They prove my point about malware being rare on macOS. The Flashback trojan that the first article referred to affected an estimated 600,000 Macs, which is 0.75% of the estimated 80 million Macs in use at the time. That means that 79.4 million of the 80 million (99.25%) did NOT encounter the Flashback malware.
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And you belong in this group with the other user that is in denial.
[doublepost=1543860420][/doublepost]
Again, no. I go to security conferences and get to know the insights of what is happening out there and see it happen. The fact is, certain users including yourself are in denial and refuse to believe it's a problem. When the facts are out there. When you go to conferences like I do for my job, you will learn stuff like this. That last article tells it how it is and I sadly see it in a few here.
I am not here to convince you, but I am here to stop you from telling misinformation to other users. I don't want them to learn it wrong and their information is leaked because of malware on their Macs.
So, I am done. I posted enough facts, and neither of you have done that either to prove me wrong, because you can't.
Oh and btw, Adaware, Viruses all fall under the big category of "Malware". Educate yourself or no one will take you seriously.
Yes, on my malware-free Mac.
No, I don't have anti-malware software on my Mac, and no, I don't need it, because I practice safe computing, which is far more effective in avoiding malware than any antivirus app.
I think you meant "perceived wisdom" rather than "received wisdom", which doesn't make sense. And no, it's not because one OS is superior to the other. Preferable to me, yes. Superior can't be quantified without criteria.
Also, no one is claiming that Macs are immune to malware. If you take the time to read my posts before responding, you'll see that I stated that in my first post in this thread. It's just that unlike Windows, all macOS malware can be avoided by practicing safe computing.
If you consider a "recent spate of attacks" based on a 6 1/2 year old article, it proves that you're not up to date on this topic. That article also referred to the Flashback trojan which affected less than 1% of all installed Macs.
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[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]
You are replying to a snip out of the article. Shows how smart you are.
You don't know you are malware free because you don't have anything to tell you are. lol
And there are more recent articles, but you again, won't prove me wrong with any articles that say otherwise. I am waiting. And it proves you aren't because it's much worse today than it was 6 years ago. The other article from macworld i posted was posted this week.
You mistakenly assume to think that because you've attended some conferences that your knowledge or experience is in some way superior to others in this thread, without having any clue to their knowledge and experience.
I'm not in denial; I'm simply well-informed.
That last 6+ year old article proved my point about macOS malware being relatively rare.
If that were really your goal, you would absorb new information from those of us who know what we're talking about, adjust your statements, and stop spreading false information about the state of malware as it relates to Macs.
Again, what experience do you have? I have 30 years of IT security experience, you nothing. You are in denial. You keep telling people there are no viruses out there. But there is. You are not well-informed when you have not posted any links backing anything you say up.
Quit your dreaming.
[doublepost=1543861976][/doublepost]Reposting this since you like to ignore it.
https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/mac-software/can-macs-get-viruses-3454926/
Can Macs Get Viruses & Do Macs Need Antivirus Software?
https://macpaw.com/how-to/can-mac-get-a-virus
https://www.macworld.com/article/32...ting-serious-security-no-longer-optional.html
Mac Malware Getting Serious - Security No Longer Optional
Again, you make an assumption, which isn't wise. It's not just the number of years (I was programming and optimizing mainframe operating systems when Gates and Jobs were in high school), but what you've learned that relates to the topic at hand that counts.
Here we go again. I can't count how many times I've had this exact discussion with uninformed people who come to this forum to spread false information, so if you want to save time, read some of the dozens or hundreds of threads on viruses to see how this plays out. If you're not inclined to do that and prefer to repeat the process, please post a link to one true virus that has ever infected a computer running macOS (Mac OS X). Before you do, be sure you understand the differences between a trojan, a worm and a virus. I'll wait for your discovery. If you want to save yourself some time, I'll give you the answer: There has never been a true virus in the wild that can infect macOS/Mac OS X. There are trojans and other forms of malware, but not a single virus. Never.
You haven't posted a single link that proves there is a macOS virus in the wild.
Yes, I read the article. Macs CAN get viruses, since they're not immune, but they DON'T get viruses because none have ever been released into the wild. Not a single malware mentioned in that article is a virus, and all can be easily avoided by practicing safe computing, without needing anti-malware software.
Another advertisement from a company whose software should be classified as malware. Read the dozens of threads in this forum about CleanMyMac from that company. At best: useless. At worst: potentially damaging to information. Who's uninformed?
Again, another advertisement from an anti-malware company, trying to sell you on using its software. This is not the kind of research I'd expect from a 30 year veteran of IT security.
As I figured. You still haven't posted any facts proving your point. Please provide us links that say they don't recommend AV programs on Macs because there aren't that many malwares.
I've posted a ton of links that actually back up everything I have said. You seem to be very uneducated. Here is another to educate yourself some more.
https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/mac-security-privacy/
"Although many people think of all unwanted, damaging, and invasive programs as “viruses” the definition of these attacking programs has become refined into several different categories and the umbrella term for these damaging programs is “malware.”
Malware types include viruses, worms, Trojans, remote access Trojans, rootkits, spyware, adware, ransomware and botware."
I'm done as you are a lost cause.
Who is "they"?
Except in all those links, many of them outdated, you still have failed to post a single link pointing to a true macOS virus.
Again, no macOS virus mentioned. C'mon, you should be able to find ONE virus for macOS. Just one!