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Have you ever got a virus on your MAC?
- Thread starter specops
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There are no viruses for Mac OS X.
There do exist some trojans -- programs that claim to do one thing while in reality they do another. For example, some pirated copies of iWork contained "extra features". But if you're not downloading and running shady things, you shouldn't need to worry too much about it.
That's not to say that it'll never happen. But so far it hasn't been a problem, and if/when it does become a problem, you'll surely hear about it long before you experience it for yourself.
There do exist some trojans -- programs that claim to do one thing while in reality they do another. For example, some pirated copies of iWork contained "extra features". But if you're not downloading and running shady things, you shouldn't need to worry too much about it.
That's not to say that it'll never happen. But so far it hasn't been a problem, and if/when it does become a problem, you'll surely hear about it long before you experience it for yourself.
Mac since 2001
I've been using Macs since 2001 and never got a virus. But if you are worried ClamAV is a good solution.
I've been using Macs since 2001 and never got a virus. But if you are worried ClamAV is a good solution.
No viruses here and I'm into all kinds of shady business on my computer.
The key trick is that if something asks your password it better has to have good reasons for it. Generally it's background apps or things that start after booting that need admin access.
The key trick is that if something asks your password it better has to have good reasons for it. Generally it's background apps or things that start after booting that need admin access.
Been using Macs since 1993 and have never seen or gotten a virus. There used to be a few for the classic OSes like OS 9 and earlier, but I never got one. So far to date there are absolutely, 0, actual viruses for OS X. There are a few Trojan type things but those are such that they only effect bootleggers. Enjoy your Mac worry free, you're safe. 
I think I caught a cold virus once while I was on my Mac sitting in a crowded room. Took me a week to get rid of it and I was miserable all week.
seriously, never had a virus, never used a virus scanner on a Mac.
seriously, never had a virus, never used a virus scanner on a Mac.
Definitely luck.
OP, if you would use a search engine like MRoogle or its little sister Google, you would find more than 5000 threads and pages about the non-existing thread of Mac OS X viruses.
But to be definitely clear, you can get viruses with Mac OS X, but those will be Windows viruses, and as Windows and Mac OS X apparently use a different architecture, those Windows viruses can't do anything to Mac OS X.
OS X does have some antivirus built-in out of the box , right? A firewall for one. If Apple keeps on selling a lot of Macs, viruses will be written and released for the OS X platform im sure... its just that still , the majority of computer users , use Windows - so it makes sense for virus developers to write viruses for Windows and not for OS X .
Good for us
Good for us
Just a quick point. A firewall isn't anti-virus.OS X does have some antivirus built-in out of the box , right? A firewall for one. If Apple keeps on selling a lot of Macs, viruses will be written and released for the OS X platform im sure... its just that still , the majority of computer users , use Windows - so it makes sense for virus developers to write viruses for Windows and not for OS X .
Good for us
Virus developers? That makes is sound so... legit and mainstream
And it "makes sense... to write viruses for Windows and not for OSX"
When does it EVER make sense to write a virus?
Not busting your chops here, just thought it was an interesting way to phrase it
I get what you are saying though
OS X does have some antivirus built-in out of the box , right? A firewall for one. If Apple keeps on selling a lot of Macs, viruses will be written and released for the OS X platform im sure... its just that still , the majority of computer users , use Windows - so it makes sense for virus developers to write viruses for Windows and not for OS X .
Good for us
Yep, market share is the only incentive for writing viruses.
That's why there were viruses for Mac OS 8 (not X).
Setting the virus record straight: debunking the market share myth
my argument against the market share thing is that if some one wrote a viable virus for mac and released it the writer would be famous for writing the first mac virus. surly that is a great incentive to do it.
OP you really should have added a poll.
No viruses ever, and no antivirus software running either. And not a sniff of a trojan or anything either.
No viruses ever, and no antivirus software running either. And not a sniff of a trojan or anything either.
^ This.
And since you (the OP) want to hear more answers, no, I haven't. But perhaps you can do as another poster suggested and do a search about this to ease your mind.
This really is all that needs to be said--you can't get something that doesn't exist so why just keep asking the same question. If one existed, it would be all over this forum and that would end the conversation of a virus existing or not.
