Virus checker for mac

mrblue · mrblue #1 (**permalink**)

06-29-2011, 06:01 AM

Im looking for a decent virus scanner for my macbook pro, its really just for scanning files to check for viruses as they may later be passed onto a pc running xp pro.

schweb · schweb #2 (**permalink**)

06-29-2011, 08:17 AM

Official antivirus, malware, and firewall FAQ

BrianLachoreVPI · BrianLachoreVPI #3 (**permalink**)

06-29-2011, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrblue

Im looking for a decent virus scanner for my macbook pro, its really just for scanning files to check for viruses as they may later be passed onto a pc running xp pro.

Why not let the XP machine do the virus checking rather than slowing your machine down unnecessarily?

schweb · schweb #4 (**permalink**)

06-29-2011, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianLachoreVPI

Why not let the XP machine do the virus checking rather than slowing your machine down unnecessarily?

FWIW, I've never had an AV software slow down my Mac.

BrianLachoreVPI · BrianLachoreVPI #5 (**permalink**)

06-29-2011, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schweb

FWIW, I've never had an AV software slow down my Mac.

Well - I will admit I have not either - since I've yet to install any.

In this case I'm definitely guilty of just being presumptively biased based solely on other threads I've come across, not first hand experience.

To the OP - ClamXAV gets quite a few recommendations from folks here - although I still think I'd just let the Windows machine be responsible for protecting itself if that's your sole reason for wanting AV sw.

harryb2448 · harryb2448 #6 (**permalink**)

06-29-2011, 06:15 PM

And let us know when you find a Mac OS X virus. It will be a word first and headline news. And my MDD FW800 was slowed down using NAV.

MYmacROX · MYmacROX #7 (**permalink**)

06-29-2011, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by harryb2448

And let us know when you find a Mac OS X virus. It will be a word first and headline news. And my MDD FW800 was slowed down using NAV.

FYI, the OP was looking for Windows viruses on his/her Mac to protect Windows computers from infection.

harryb2448 · harryb2448 #8 (**permalink**)

06-29-2011, 07:05 PM

Well OP should install Microsoft Security Essentials or ClamWin on that partition simple.

Top-Cat · Top-Cat #9 (**permalink**)

07-01-2011, 06:02 AM

I use Sophos, and its free, I am happy with it.

HelpdeskRules · HelpdeskRules #10 (**permalink**)

07-03-2011, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schweb

FWIW, I've never had an AV software slow down my Mac.

You've not installed Avast for Mac yet then!

It scans every single file you open, copy or move etc. and when I was copying some large 500MB+ files it just took ages so I uninstalled Avast and will stick to using ClamXav for ad-hoc scans.

John T · John T #11 (**permalink**)

07-05-2011, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Top-Cat

I use Sophos, and its free, I am happy with it.

The best place for Sophos is the Trash! It has been shown to actually slow a system down.

Top-Cat · Top-Cat #12 (**permalink**)

07-05-2011, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John T

The best place for Sophos is the Trash! It has been shown to actually slow a system down.

So what do you use then ?

schweb · schweb #13 (**permalink**)

07-05-2011, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianLachoreVPI

Well - I will admit I have not either - since I've yet to install any.

In this case I'm definitely guilty of just being presumptively biased based solely on other threads I've come across, not first hand experience.

That's why it's always better to have first hand knowledge than to repeat the FUD of the anti-anti-virus zealots.

Quote:

Originally Posted by harryb2448

And let us know when you find a Mac OS X virus. It will be a word first and headline news.

He was specifically talking about wanting to avoid passing on Windows viruses from his Mac, he knows there aren't OS X viruses. That is a very valid use case and one we lay out clearly in the FAQ.

While I can appreciate your personal distaste for antivirus software, I'm not sure what value sarcastically responding to the OP does for helping him?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Top-Cat

So what do you use then ?

The FAQ linked in this thread has links to many AV software packages. Many of us here just use ClamXav which is free for ad hoc scanning, or I just have mine setup to scan my downloads folder as well, since 99% of what I download at some point ends up there. And yes, I have caught and stopped a few Windows viruses from school files that would have been shared.

John T · John T #14 (**permalink**)

07-07-2011, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Top-Cat

So what do you use then ?

Nothing! I don't use Windows and so have no need.

schweb #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 27, 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 13,213 Mac Specs: MacBook Pro \| LED Cinema Display \| iPhone 4 \| iPad 2	06-29-2011, 08:17 AM Official antivirus, malware, and firewall FAQ schweb \| community leader flickr » facebook » twitter » tumblr » google+ » about.me Mac-Forums: On Twitter \| On Facebook \| On Flickr
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harryb2448 #6 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 28, 2007 Location: Nambucca Heads Australia Posts: 14,055 Mac Specs: iMac i5 2.7GHz OS X.8.3	06-29-2011, 06:15 PM And let us know when you find a Mac OS X virus. It will be a word first and headline news. And my MDD FW800 was slowed down using NAV. *Hang on to those original install discs like grim death! Using OS X.7 or later make a bootable USB thumb drive before running Installer!*
	QUOTE Thanks

harryb2448 #8 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 28, 2007 Location: Nambucca Heads Australia Posts: 14,055 Mac Specs: iMac i5 2.7GHz OS X.8.3	06-29-2011, 07:05 PM Well OP should install Microsoft Security Essentials or ClamWin on that partition simple. *Hang on to those original install discs like grim death! Using OS X.7 or later make a bootable USB thumb drive before running Installer!*
	QUOTE Thanks

Top-Cat #9 (permalink)
Member Since: May 18, 2011 Location: going to live in Turkey Posts: 29 Mac Specs: iMac 27 (2011) Intel Core i5 Processor Speed: 3.1 GHz Total Number of Cores: 4 Memory: 12 GB	07-01-2011, 06:02 AM I use Sophos, and its free, I am happy with it. "May God stand between you and harm in all the empty places you must walk."
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mrblue #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 24, 2010 Posts: 102	06-29-2011, 06:01 AM Im looking for a decent virus scanner for my macbook pro, its really just for scanning files to check for viruses as they may later be passed onto a pc running xp pro.
	QUOTE Thanks

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