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No antivirus is nothing more than fanboy idealism

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I actually just ran ClamXav (first time in a couple months) and it gave me 2 hits on Windows software that I run in Wineskin: WinRAR and Popcorn Audio Converter. I'm quite certain those are false positives since I got the installers direct from the developer websites. I even downloaded the most recent version of WinRAR and Clam still says the installer is a virus. This is really aggravating, even though false positives are nothing new, because you just don't KNOW when to trust the results of a scan.

So when are you running your next course ?? ;P

As to fasle positives, this is what really annoys me, and think if this happens all the time to people not in the know, how many times, a App like WinRAR would get trashed because of this.

I feel sorry for those Devs that loose out because of it.
 
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Actually, you don't really "Code for a Mac" or any other OS. Major viruses come from major production groups, rather than some young kid with social problems, as in the past. The writer(s) is an expert in C, C++ or one of the other languages that can intersect with other code and is also a whiz at reading raw code and hex streams. It is no different than a group trying to write a device driver for an closed device, except for the criminal part.

And the actual testing, nowadays, would be done on a VM version of the target OS. Who would want to actually load windows over and over every time a test was run? Then, if the virus was feasible, it would be run "for real" on a real target.

The need for a particular machine with a particular OS is trivial. A malware group could order a dozen Macs if they needed. Or two hundred. That is obvious from the reports about the few malware groups that have been arrested, or just found out about.

If a hole had been discovered to allow a drive by virus on a Mac had been found, we would have that virus today. Therefore, no holes have been found. Note, that this does not say that a hole doesn't exist - just that, if it does, then it is unknown so far.

Unfortunately, the laws about turning malware loose on the Internet have punishment mandates about equivalent to "I'm going to tell your Mother on you."

But those sorts of people aren't "Mac haters". They are cold, rational, "business people" of a kind. Note that I don't believe Macs are just as easy to compromise as Windows is, just that what I mentioned may play a small role in the dearth of Mac malware. Still, your post is one outstanding explanation of what goes on in that "business".
 
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vansmith

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The fourth definition is the one used in the New Testament, as when the apostle Paul wrote to "the saints at Ephesus", etc.
"a designation applied by the members to themselves" - I like this. Problem solved. ;)
 
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"a designation applied by the members to themselves" - I like this. Problem solved. ;)

Does that mean I can call myself Pope Brent Paul ?? :D
 
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And to think.... this thread started out as a discussion about anti-viruses now we have entered into Saints and Popes! We digress... ;-)

Lisa
 
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Well if Dre can call himself a doctor, then sure, why not?

Ill take that as a yes then !!

And to think.... this thread started out as a discussion about anti-viruses now we have entered into Saints and Popes! We digress... ;-)

Lisa

Shows the OP and Thread topic might have reached its peak ;)
 

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And to think.... this thread started out as a discussion about anti-viruses now we have entered into Saints and Popes! We digress... ;-)

As internet forums go…Mac-Forums is way way way better than most!:) With many internet forums...the OP doesn't even get their question answered…before the "fun or flaming" begins!;)

- Nick
 

vansmith

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As internet forums go…Mac-Forums is way way way better than most!:) With many internet forums...the OP doesn't even get their question answered…before the "fun or flaming" begins!;)

- Nick
i can help with that. Everyone here is terrible. Does that work?
 

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pigoo3

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Not saying Mr. Kaspersky is right or wrong…one things for sure…he's not an unbiased observer:;)

Quote from the article:

"Mr. Kaspersky heads Kaspersky Lab, a security firm that provides antivirus software for both Windows and Mac."

I'm sure Mr. Kaspersky's company would LOVE to sell more AV products to Mac Users.;)

- Nick
 
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Not saying Mr. Kaspersky is right or wrong…one things for sure…he's not an unbiased observer:;)

Quote from the article:

"Mr. Kaspersky heads Kaspersky Lab, a security firm that provides antivirus software for both Windows and Mac."

I'm sure Mr. Kaspersky's company would LOVE to sell more AV products to Mac Users.;)

- Nick

Funny how he makes this claim, yet fails to actually explain WHY he thinks it.

I'm sure from Mr. Kaspersky's point of view, it's obviously a ploy to sell more of 'his' product, but I wanted to touch on the idea that Macs are behind in Anti-virus protection, hence my motive behind displaying the article link.
 

pigoo3

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I'm sure from Mr. Kaspersky's point of view, it's obviously a ploy to sell more of 'his' product, but I wanted to touch on the idea that Macs are behind in Anti-virus protection, hence my motive behind displaying the article link.

It's an interesting article. Thanks for linking it!:) Knowledge is power!:)

- Nick
 
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There's another thread here where a user seemed to be having a problem with Safari being hijacked by adware. I ran across something another member here posted with links to an adware removal tool, so I ended up suggesting that. It appears to have resolved that person's problem. The thread for everyone's reading pleasure:
http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/switcher-hangout/313218-popup-misery-please-help.html

An article on Safe Mac:
The Safe Mac » Mac adware menace continues

And Safe Mac's Adware Removal Tool:
The Safe Mac » Adware Removal Guide


So... *ahem*... what was that I was saying about XProtect not being infallible? *toots horn*
 
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vansmith

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Funny how he makes this claim, yet fails to actually explain WHY he thinks it.
While I join you in thinking he's being a bit sensationalist (and likely trying to serve his own interests), I think he's right in suggesting that Apple is behind in being mentally prepared for such a problem. The only advantage MS has in this area is that they're used to dealing with malware, Apple isn't. The lethargic response to the FlashBack problem and the destructive Java exploit of a few years back are perfect examples of this. Thankfully, Apple seems to be more proactive as of late (inclusion of XProtect and the removal of the "virus free" tagline from their website are starts).
 
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This has been an interesting read as I'm running Sophos because of Flashback and am now seriously thinking I've been wasting resources in doing so. Makes me wonder about Chrome because of MacInWinn's statement about sites reporting back to Google are you opening a door that wouldn't be if using Safari?

This is one of the reasons I have really come to enjoy my mac's, Microsoft internet explorer just sucks too badly to even use it...even in windows 7 ultimate, that I had to resort to Google Chrome, I really am not a fan of anything Google with some of their practices, one of the reasons I cannot wait to get rid of my android phone and get the iPhone 6 plus. Safari serves my purposes perfect and it is so nice not to have to use google's browser just to access the internet reliabily. still use google as a search engine since i have not found one i like better yet but as soon as i do i will quit using google for that too.
 
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still use google as a search engine since i have not found one i like better yet but as soon as i do i will quit using google for that too.


Have a look at DuckDuckGo, she ain't pretty but **** it's fast.


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