Anti virus for Mac

does anyone have comments about this FREE antivirus
SOPHOS. a British app

If you have a quick look at the security area of these forums I think you will find most of our members avoid such software. The following seems to be true of AV software on the Mac:

1. The viruses being blocked / identified are based on Windows viruses. These viruses do not execute on the Mac unless they are run under BootCamp.
2. There are no Mac viruses "in the wild" AFAIK.
3. There is malware out for the Mac. Many of our members use MalwareBytes for Mac to combat this.

Also, I have to tell you that although not alone in this, Sophos has been blamed by many users on the net for blocking Apple Updates.

This happens because the update requires access to the OS and Sophos sees it as a "threat". Users suggest disabling it when updating.

This, together with what Sly said, makes it a pointless exercise installing AV. Worse still, in many cases uninstalling an AV and all its ramifications within OS can be very difficult.

Avoid them!

Ian

thnks...I read that it really is a cpu/ram hog.
I run malware bytes but it only finds malware apparently.

on windows I used to run AVIRA and see that there is a version for Macs.
comment?

read posts in security area...
I have malware bytes, uBlock .0.9.5.2
ad block 2.66.0 and ghostery

and am pretty cautious about where I download from....
so I can only hope that I will be safe for the time being.....

Since this seems to be aimed at the Mac rather than iPhone/iPad I'll move it to the security area.

IWT said:

Also, I have to tell you that although not alone in this, Sophos has been blamed by many users on the net for blocking Apple Updates.

This happens because the update requires access to the OS and Sophos sees it as a "threat". Users suggest disabling it when updating.

This, together with what Sly said, makes it a pointless exercise installing AV. Worse still, in many cases uninstalling an AV and all its ramifications within OS can be very difficult.

Avoid them!

Ian

Click to expand...

thanks Ian good to know about Sophos...tho I had already discounted it. guess I shouldn't be such a worry wart!!!

everyone's input is so very helpful...I just don't know how I would have got along without this forum.
soooo glad another is being setup. see you there.

There are no viruses in the wild that affect Macs. That might change, but if/when it does, the entire world will react and you'll hear about it. In the meantime, as has been said, all that any AV package can find are Windows viruses that will not affect your Mac in any way.

Most of what the AV packages find are viruses in emails which originated or came through a Windows system and picked it up. About the only justification for running it is to prevent you then forwarding it to someone else if you forward the email. But then, they should have AV software themselves, so it's really up to them to protect themselves.

One last thought. All AV packages protect on known viruses and known vectors of attack to block any new attempts in that vector. There are at this time no known vectors to attack a Mac. So there is nothing the AV can even check on as it sits there. That makes it doubly useless. It has nothing known to check for and no known vectors to monitor. Basically, it's useless.

Thnx Jake
I fully unfderstand the logic on Mac not needing AV.....

Guess my concern is......
if any of my friends (and they all use windows) send me an email and they don’t have a good AV, culd that virus or whatever attached to their email and be activated when I open.

In the past a few times, I get an attachment from a friend and I cannot open it or it is all gobble gook...... so many times I ignore mail&attachments from that friend.

In a word, NO. Windows viruses CANNOT affect your Mac.

If one of your friends were to send an email that is infected there are a couple of things that could happen depending upon circumstances at the time:
1. If the email contains something that leads to an actual Windows virus and you are running the Mac OS when you run it the virus will not run. It could however be passed on to Windows users if you forward an infected email to them.
2. If the email triggers malware such as browser hijacks some of those can affect the Mac but can generally be cleaned up easily.
3. If you are running Windows on your Mac and open the email on the Windows side (BootCamp or virtual machine) the virus could affect the Windows side.

In Sly's option 3, the AV you install on the Mac will not protect the BootCamp (or the virtual machine) from the virus. You will need an AV in the Windows bootcamp or virtual machine, a Windows version of AV.

Thanks for catching that Jake. I didn't exactly make that clear.

Thank you all....... good to know. Now I can put that concern to bed!

And apart from the so called free Combo Cleaner.

Like most PC stuff sold over the net, the download is free, but it then costs AU$65.00 p.a. to get it up and running lol!

As you asked for a Free antivirus software,

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Apparently you didn't read the previous posts..

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I'd also add that it sounds and reads like SPAM to me.

And from the user's comments, they seem to recommend avoiding and is NOT "free"!!!

from orsobou4 This is not real freeware. It will cost you $29.99 for a year as soon as you want it to clean up what it has just found while scanning.

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It looks more like a scammer app to me. ;P




- Patrick
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There are in fact viruses in the wild for macs contrary to what many've commented. I think it's bcuz anti virus isn't usually used on macs or the "less good" like free ones are, also ppl are usually more busy finding viruses for windows as they use up most of the market.

Guys.....

Stop quoting the original message and including the bad link that wants to download automatically. Let's use some common sense. OK?

Links have been removed and if necessary posts have been deleted.

CodeCake said:

There are in fact viruses in the wild for macs contrary to what many've commented. I think it's bcuz anti virus isn't usually used on macs or the "less good" like free ones are, also ppl are usually more busy finding viruses for windows as they use up most of the market.

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Well CC, that may be your belief about viruses for the Mac OS, but as you recently joined and said you'd "like to join with the main intention to help ppl and converse", you're going to have to supply some facts and references to backup such statements if you are expecting to get any sort or respect here.

Just saying…




- Patrick
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We both know Patrick there are some adware and malware about that Malwarebytes for Mac qill take care of b ut no viruses.

Come on CC enlighten us. Windows viruses contain the whole market.

harryb2448 said:

We both know Patrick there are some adware and malware about that Malwarebytes for Mac qill take care of b ut no viruses.

Come on CC enlighten us. Windows viruses contain the whole market.

Click to expand...

Maybe CC includes the nasty adware and malware as a "virus" as so many others do as well.

And that even includes some computer article authors who should know better when writing on computer related stuff.




- Patrick
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