Best antivirus for Mac

pigoo3 · Feb 3, 2014

burnedfaceless said:
Yea we are.

My only question is why are these experts oblivious to the fact that Macs do get viruses...

What are they...name them. I would sure like to know what they are!

burnedfaceless said:
...and when they do they are more difficult to remove than a Windows based operating system?

Where did you hear this?...sounds like you're a "Mac virus expert". If this is the case...why did you start this thread??

burnedfaceless said:
I'll call Apple well worth whatever they charge.

Lots of luck...and a waste of money. You'll end up with "MacKeeper" installed on your computer. Then you'll REALLY be sorry!!!

As I mentioned before. We are just trying to make you the beneficiary of our knowledge and experience. Seems you are choosing to ignore this. Some folks really do need to learn the hard way!

Lots of luck,

- Nick

burnedfaceless · Feb 3, 2014

I haven't been visiting sketchy sites...I'm pretty smart.

Anyways I'm gonna install this. If it happens again we'll have to get ip logs.

burnedfaceless · Feb 3, 2014

Where did you hear this?...sounds like you're a "Mac virus expert". If this is the case...why did you start this thread??

I heard this from someone who works in the industry...I'll take his word.

dtravis7 · Feb 3, 2014

That is Malware and not a true Virus. There is a difference and I know of no one with OSX including people that do warez and torrents and porn who have ever gotten that Flashback Malware.

dtravis7 · Feb 3, 2014

Which AV you installing?

The one I just recommended looks good.

burnedfaceless · Feb 3, 2014

dtravis7 said:
That is Malware and not a true Virus. There is a difference and I know of no one with OSX including people that do warez and torrents and porn who have ever gotten that Flashback Malware.

Well most hackers will not let you know you are compromised...kind of defeats the purpose.

Thanks for the rec about to download it.

pigoo3 · Feb 3, 2014

burnedfaceless said:
I haven't been visiting sketchy sites...I'm pretty smart.

Anyways I'm gonna install this. If it happens again we'll have to get ip logs.

burnedfaceless said:
I heard this from someone who works in the industry...I'll take his word.

I'm still not sure why you started this thread...since it seems that you are refusing to follow the collective expertise of everyone here. Which BELIEVE ME...far exceeds any knowledge this "someone who works in the industry" has.

And remember...our knowledge is Apple/Macintosh specific. A person who is a Windows expert will have completely different advice.

And if this "someone who works in the industry". is so trusted by you...why didn't you just ask them "what the best antivirus for Mac is as far as preventative??"

Again...good luck!

- Nick

vansmith · Feb 3, 2014

If you want to run A/V for peace of mind, by all means please do so. It is your machine and you are free to do with it as you please. Note though that when looking for protection, it is important to be clear on the language. If a piece of software claims to protect against computer viruses for your Mac, you ought to question their claims as no viruses exist. That said, various forms of malware do and if a developer is smart enough to know this distinction, then you can safely assume that they are at least informed about the Mac "malware landscape."

I, like others, can not recommend any A/V as I don't use any. Consequently, my only advice would be to do some research before installing anything. Try to cut through the zealotry on both sides and make an informed decision. You'll also want to weigh the pros and cons - is the added layer of possible security worth the performance hit?

As for the installation of software and the flaws that come with it, I'd encourage you to perhaps let that fear go. When you work with a computer, you're working with software (an obvious point about the inevitable). The best you can do is use reputable software and make regular use of the updating functionality built-in (if it's present).

burnedfaceless · Feb 3, 2014

vansmith said:
If you want to run A/V for peace of mind, by all means please do so. It is your machine and you are free to do with it as you please. Note though that when looking for protection, it is important to be clear on the language. If a piece of software claims to protect against computer viruses for your Mac, you ought to question their claims as no viruses exist. That said, various forms of malware do and if a developer is smart enough to know this distinction, then you can safely assume that they are at least informed about the Mac "malware landscape."

I, like others, can not recommend any A/V as I don't use any. Consequently, my only advice would be to do some research before installing anything. Try to cut through the zealotry on both sides and make an informed decision. You'll also want to weigh the pros and cons - is the added layer of possible security worth the performance hit?

As for the installation of software and the flaws that come with it, I'd encourage you to perhaps let that fear go. When you work with a computer, you're working with software (an obvious point about the inevitable). The best you can do is use reputable software and make regular use of the updating functionality built-in (if it's present).

Well there is no update on this..no clear way to uninstall it either. Anyways thanks for the thought out response. I have so much work to do.

dtravis7 · Feb 3, 2014

No update on Antivir or something else? If you pay for Antivir it scans for all malware.

Exodist · Feb 3, 2014

pigoo3 said:
If you install antivirus (which is unnecessary)...you will actually slow your computer down (anti-virus programs run in the background using system resources).

You've been warned. Go ahead & install it and learn the hard way. Then you'll be back asking how to uninstall the antivirus app you were so keen on installing.

- Nick

This is why I didn't recommend AVG or Avast also.. I like them, think they run good. But I did not want any back lash from the OP about said system slowing down. :Lips-Are-Sealed:

rainbowcat · Feb 3, 2014

Not to discount what the experts here are saying, but you can try Avast, which is free. I don't run it, but heard it's good. Buying an expensive software package, like Intego or Kaspersky, isn't going to help you, and as others have said, they will slow down your Mac. You really are better off protecting yourself by increasing your security settings, being careful with your email, etc.

dtravis7 · Feb 3, 2014

I just actually tried the Avira package for OSX. I was going to try it on older iMac but it wants a new OS than 10.6. So far just in letting it do it job (It's real time and runs all the time) I did not notice any CPU strain or anything. So far anyway and it's free. The Pay one does more including Malware I believe.

For those who "JUST HAVE TO HAVE" an AV installed, give it a try.

Grin

I unistalled it unless I need it. It found NOThING on my late 2007 iMac which has been upgraded to each new OSX from 10.6 to 10,9. I use it for everything and still with all that usage, not one thing was found. I think that backs up what most here have said!

pigoo3 · Feb 3, 2014

Thread moved to Security Awareness forum.

- Nick

mlyon83 · Feb 5, 2014

I think it's quite humorous for people here to say that Macintosh doesn't need anti-virus software because there's either no viruses for OS X nor other unwarranted thoughts.

Apple itself utilizes Norton anti-virus on their systems. I wonder why this is? There are, and in fact, threats of malware, rootkits, keyloggers, and so-forth that have compromised consumer Apple computers, esp. those utilizing Java with their browsers.

And the exaggerated claims of AV software slowing down your computer? I can't say if this is true or not, but having run Trend Micro, Kaspersky, Intego, and currently using BitDefender, I've never had an issue with my MBP (late 2013, 16GB RAM, 2.3GHz quad-core) falling in performance nor have any of these AV softwares caused issues with my laptop.

Also, believe this or not, one of my virus scanners, when performing a full system scan, picked up a few infected files from Safari. Now isn't that interesting . . .

You can say what you want. That's your opinion. But I'll tell you this: anything that is assembled can be disassembled. That means that because man created OS X, man can certainly exploit it. It's common sense. Think for yourselves.

dtravis7 · Feb 5, 2014

In fact there are billions of full true self installing self replicating virus's for OSX!!! I have 10 virus apps running at the same time just to be sure. Windows is almost Virus free though!

My one disagreement, I have never seen a Mac from Apple that had Norton installed out of the box.

pigoo3 · Feb 5, 2014

mlyon83 said:
Apple itself utilizes Norton anti-virus on their systems.

As dtravis7 mentoned...I also have not seen Norton installed on Mac's in a widespread fashion (not in about 15 years). Norton rarely even advertises towards the Macintosh community anymore.

What "systems" are you talking about?

mlyon83 said:
That's your opinion.

And your post was your opinion. Thank you.

- Nick

vansmith · Feb 5, 2014

mlyon83 said:
I think it's quite humorous for people here to say that Macintosh doesn't need anti-virus software because there's either no viruses for OS X nor other unwarranted thoughts.

I don't think a single person here has suggested that OS X doesn't have vulnerabilities.

mlyon83 said:
Apple itself utilizes Norton anti-virus on their systems. I wonder why this is? There are, and in fact, threats of malware, rootkits, keyloggers, and so-forth that have compromised consumer Apple computers, esp. those utilizing Java with their browsers.

Do you have proof of this?

mlyon83 said:
Also, believe this or not, one of my virus scanners, when performing a full system scan, picked up a few infected files from Safari. Now isn't that interesting . . .

Sure that wasn't a false positive (bad link removed)? If not, care to share what you found? I'd be interested to see how it disproves anything said here (genuinely).

mlyon83 said:
You can say what you want. That's your opinion. But I'll tell you this: anything that is assembled can be disassembled. That means that because man created OS X, man can certainly exploit it.

I doubt anyone would again disagree with you.

mlyon83 said:
It's common sense.

You can't just say "it's common sense" and assume that makes you right.

mlyon83 said:
Think for yourselves.

Who says we aren't? Just because we have a different set of views doesn't mean we don't think for ourselves. No one side has a monopoly on free thought.

dtravis7 · Feb 5, 2014

To Nick, Only time I have ever seen Norton installed from Apple was back in the days when Apple was dying before Jobs came back. Not sure on the years but maybe 1990's sometime. I did see Norton back then on SOME new Macs.

That was System and OS7-9 and NOT OSX. There were a few TRUE virus's back in the Late System and OS9 days.

If Apple installed Norton today it would be the first thing I would remove as Norton is a poorly coded hog of an application.

pigoo3 · Feb 5, 2014

dtravis7 said:
To Nick, Only time I have ever seen Norton installed from Apple was back in the days when Apple was dying before Jobs came back. Not sure on the years but maybe 1990's sometime. I did see Norton back then on SOME new Macs.

That was System and OS7-9 and NOT OSX. There were a few TRUE virus's back in the Late System and OS9 days.

This is pretty much the time period I was thinking of. Back when "Norton Utilities" was big on the Mac platform (before OS X). Back when we were defragmenting all the time!

Norton definitely hasn't been targeting Mac-Users for a very long time. And to be honest...maybe that's because we don't need what Norton is selling!

- Nick

Best antivirus for Mac

pigoo3

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burnedfaceless

burnedfaceless

dtravis7

dtravis7

burnedfaceless

pigoo3

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vansmith

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burnedfaceless

dtravis7

Exodist

rainbowcat

dtravis7

pigoo3

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mlyon83

dtravis7

pigoo3

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vansmith

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dtravis7

pigoo3

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