Sophos v9 vs Avast v8 on mavericks

[NDPTAL85]

Certainly there are some users who don't even know how to use Finder and need help composing an email. However, for anyone who has progressed beyond that neophyte stage, practicing safe computing isn't a complex or tedious thing to do. Make a one-time adjustment to a few settings and avoid doing very specific risky things, such as installing pirated software (the majority wouldn't even know where to look to find pirated apps). It's really not difficult for anyone who's advanced enough to know how to install an app or enter a password.

Simply viewing a flash video can compromise your machine. How do you propose someone practice "Safe Computing Tips" around that issue?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasb...-in-november-possibly-by-chinese-cyber-spies/

If a mainstream site like Forbes can have its Flash advertisements hacked to deliver malware to users, how could you possibly blame the users by suggesting "Safe Computing Tips" could prevent it?

 

[GGJstudios]

Simply viewing a flash video can compromise your machine.

That is simply not true.

How do you propose someone practice "Safe Computing Tips" around that issue?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasb...-in-november-possibly-by-chinese-cyber-spies/

If a mainstream site like Forbes can have its Flash advertisements hacked to deliver malware to users, how could you possibly blame the users by suggesting "Safe Computing Tips" could prevent it?

It would make your arguments more credible if you took the time to read the articles before posting links to them. From the article you linked:

Anyone who was running on any Windows OS above XP and using browsers other than Internet Explorer should have been safe, though targets using other systems could have been affected.

That has nothing whatsoever to do with OS X, which is the OS we're discussing here. The malware described there does not run on OS X. Not to mention the fact that the vulnerability described has already been patched, so even if a Windows user is following safe computing and keeping their OS updated, that malware is no longer a threat.

 

[NDPTAL85]

That is simply not true.

It would make your arguments more credible if you took the time to read the articles before posting links to them. From the article you linked:

That has nothing whatsoever to do with OS X, which is the OS we're discussing here. The malware described there does not run on OS X. Not to mention the fact that the vulnerability described has already been patched, so even if a Windows user is following safe computing and keeping their OS updated, that malware is no longer a threat.

I did read them and yes I know the articles discuss Windows. The point of me posting the articles was to show you that users machines can be infected simply by browsing a website. As in the same thing could happen on a Mac if the Mac has a similar vulnerability. Macs do have software vulnerabilities and if a piece of malware comes out that exploits it before it is patched, a user can get infected Safe Computing Tips or no.

You're doing people a great disservice by telling them that they don't need anti-virus/malware software just because they're using OS X.

 

[GGJstudios]

I did read them and yes I know the articles discuss Windows. The point of me posting the articles was to show you that users machines can be infected simply by browsing a website. As in the same thing could happen on a Mac if the Mac has a similar vulnerability. Macs do have software vulnerabilities and if a piece of malware comes out that exploits it before it is patched, a user can get infected Safe Computing Tips or no.

Your assumptions are based on hypothetical situations that have never happened since OS X was released over 12 years ago. There has never been any OS X malware in the wild that can't be successfully avoided by practicing safe computing.

You're doing people a great disservice by telling them that they don't need anti-virus/malware software just because they're using OS X.

First, I don't tell anyone they don't need antivirus software just because they're using OS X. They don't need it IF they practice safe computing on OS X. The real disservice is deceiving people into thinking they'll be safe if they run antivirus software on OS X. It has been proven that practicing safe computing alone provides better protection than running antivirus software alone. No antivirus app has a 100% detection rate, while safe computing successfully avoids 100% of all OS X malware that has ever existed in the wild.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

The only Mac malware that I have seen so far is adware. The infection happenes with those who don't practice safe computing (incidental clicks on a pop-ups, application installation bypassing Gatekeeper etc.).