trojans, worms, oh my!

Davanw · Jun 21, 2010

This has to stop. Time and time again I have read these threads stating Mac users are free from the world of Antivirus software. This is a myth. And is doing nothing but giving new users a false sense of security on their new computers.

Sure, virus may not exist. Trojans may be rare. But there is plenty of malware out there that targets and affects Mac computers. We cannot keep telling new users they have nothing to worry about.

I agree that it is not necessary to run antivirus software... if and only if you are smart about your computing habits, especially online. However, not all those out there know what is smart computing and what is risky online behaviour. For those users, I do have to recommend antivirus software. There are threats to Mac computers out there. Anyone who believes otherwise is ignorant.

Apple themselves release updates to the OS to protect against malware. So it is clearly a problem and not something to be ignored.

Apple quietly adds anti-malware in Snow Leopard update - CNET News

Flame on!

cwa107 · Jun 21, 2010

Davanw said:
This has to stop. Time and time again I have read these threads stating Mac users are free from the world of Antivirus software. This is a myth. And is doing nothing but giving new users a false sense of security on their new computers.

Sure, virus may not exist. Trojans may be rare. But there is plenty of malware out there that targets and affects Mac computers. We cannot keep telling new users they have nothing to worry about.

I agree that it is not necessary to run antivirus software... if and only if you are smart about your computing habits, especially online. However, not all those out there know what is smart computing and what is risky online behaviour. For those users, I do have to recommend antivirus software. There are threats to Mac computers out there. Anyone who believes otherwise is ignorant.

Apple themselves release updates to the OS to protect against malware. So it is clearly a problem and not something to be ignored.

Apple quietly adds anti-malware in Snow Leopard update - CNET News

Flame on!

See my post here:

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/switcher-hangout/203537-trojans-worms-oh-my.html#post1059788

Not sure why you feel the need to dig this up again unless you're just trolling.

Davanw · Jun 21, 2010

How is it trolling when all I'm trying to do is help the community? If everyone ignores the fact that Mac computers can become infected with malicious software, it will do nothing but spread further and further until we are just as bad as Windows. We need to educate now, before it is too late.

I simply had this thread in mind when reading the latest malware updates released by Apple in 10.6.4

cwa107 · Jun 21, 2010

Davanw said:
How is it trolling when all I'm trying to do is help the community? If everyone ignores the fact that Mac computers can become infected with malicious software, it will do nothing but spread further and further until we are just as bad as Windows. We need to educate now, before it is too late.

I simply had this thread in mind when reading the latest malware updates released by Apple in 10.6.4

I think the concern was addressed adequately in the post I cited earlier in this thread.

Yes, your concerns are certainly valid - there are a handful of trojans that effect OS X. But with a scant amount of caution, there is no need for proactive AV software - particularly when Apple is applying measures in the OS that keep them from even being executed.

schweb · Jun 21, 2010

Personally I do run clamXav on my Mac. It runs a monthly scan and I also have it do real-time scans of my desktop and downloads folder.

But the main reason I do it is because I often work with Windows users and send and receive files from them regularly. While I might not be able to "catch" the virus on my Mac, I do like knowing that I can help prevent spreading the affected file to anyone else. clamXav has identified an infected file probably 3 or 4 times this year already (it identified many more viruses/trojans attached to spam messages, but I don't count those).

I also am of the minority opinion apparently that eventually there will be a real threat to Mac OS X, someone just hasn't been smart enough to do it yet.

dtravis7 · Jun 21, 2010

schweb said:
Personally I do run clamXav on my Mac. It runs a monthly scan and I also have it do real-time scans of my desktop and downloads folder.

I also do that from time to time for the same reason. More worried about passing some virus that will not hurt me, on to some other innocent Windows user.

I also am of the minority opinion apparently that eventually there will be a real threat to Mac OS X, someone just hasn't been smart enough to do it yet.

I don't disagree with you. I feel it will never get as bad as with Windows but there is a chance for sure. Getting into the Unix subsystem will be interesting but it could happen. Again users need to be careful with any file that asks for the root password unless they are absolutely sure what the file is and where it came from.

Nothing is 100% perfect in this life nor 100% secure either.

vansmith · Jun 21, 2010

schweb said:
I also am of the minority opinion apparently that eventually there will be a real threat to Mac OS X, someone just hasn't been smart enough to do it yet.

I don't think many people doubt you on that

. I'm sure most people are aware that a real threat from a credible virus is inevitable. Most people (in the know at least) do not see that time as being now or in the immediate future. To be fair though, no one really knows when that time is coming.

trojans, worms, oh my!

Davanw

cwa107

Davanw

cwa107

schweb

dtravis7

vansmith

Senior Member

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