Best Anti Virus software for Mac

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I have both and it has not caused issues. If I turn off the one on the Mac, and if I take it out somewhere and connect, I never remember to turn it on, so it just stays on now.
 
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I am sure I have read several times that if one has a firewall set-up on the router, that is was suggested not to have the Mac OS Security pref pane firewall turned on or enabled as well.

This is still valid???

I'm running both like Jake. I haven't had any issues and it's been over two years.
 
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I'm running both like Jake. I haven't had any issues and it's been over two years.


Great Dave.

PS: And it looks like you have a nice new avatar as well!!! Or at least it seems like it to me.





- Patrick
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I am sure I have read several times that if one has a firewall set-up on the router, that is was suggested not to have the Mac OS Security pref pane firewall turned on or enabled as well.

This is still valid???

I have both and it has not caused issues. If I turn off the one on the Mac, and if I take it out somewhere and connect, I never remember to turn it on, so it just stays on now.

I'm running both like Jake. I haven't had any issues and it's been over two years.

Well, this has been a recurrent question - since 2013, I've been using an Apple Extreme router and have had my Mac's computers' Firewalls (FW) set to ON; as have the others stated there seems to be no ill-effect which I agree - now if the macOS FW is OFF, does that really make a difference - not sure?

Over these 5 years or so, I've read a LOT of Apple OS computer books and many of the authors state that if your computer(s) is on a router w/ a built-in FW, that there is no need to use the macOS FW, SO in my mind this is still a debated question - BUT again my experience w/ both FWs ON has not been an issue for me. Dave :)
 
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Well, this has been a recurrent question - since 2013, I've been using an Apple Extreme router and have had my Mac's computers' Firewalls (FW) set to ON; as have the others stated there seems to be no ill-effect which I agree - now if the macOS FW is OFF, does that really make a difference - not sure?

Over these 5 years or so, I've read a LOT of Apple OS computer books and many of the authors state that if your computer(s) is on a router w/ a built-in FW, that there is no need to use the macOS FW, SO in my mind this is still a debated question - BUT again my experience w/ both FWs ON has not been an issue for me. Dave :)

It won't hurt anything to have both turned on, but it won't give you extra protection either. You only need one firewall running. More isn't better. Since the firewall feature in the Mac OS has to be taking up some of your Mac's processing power, it makes sense, then, it leave it off if your router is doing the job. However, if you are using a laptop, and you are on a public Wi-Fi network, it's probably a good idea to have the Mac's software firewall turned on.

My understanding it that unless you are using your Mac as a server, there isn't much need to have a firewall turned on at all:
https://www.howtogeek.com/205108/your-mac’s-firewall-is-off-by-default-do-you-need-to-enable-it/

This is borne out by the fact that of the thousands of folks that I've known on discussion lists and in user groups running no firewall whatsoever, I've never heard a single report of one of them being hacked. But it certainly can't hurt to have your firewall turned on in your router, as long as it's not blocking a program you want to use.

How to turn on your router's firewall:
https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-enable-your-wireless-routers-built-in-firewall-2487668
 
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I would suggest make sure stealth mode of the macOS firewall is enabled.

Well, I've tried Apple's 'Stealth Mode' for a number of years using Steve Gibon's Website Shields Up to determine if my Apple computer is indeed not recognize on the web, basically not being PING'ed - well, tonight recreated the same actions that I've done before, i.e. turned 'Stealth' ON & OFF - notice the combo image below, i.e. seems to make no difference - SO, my question is what does Apple's Stealth mode really do, if anything? Now, I don't need an explantation of what 'Stealth' is but an explanation of Apple's feature - thanks. Dave :)
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Screen Shot 2019-02-22 at 5.53.37 PM.png
 
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Curious, Dave, I ran the Sheilds Up! trials and none failed. You must have some software that opened up some of the security of your system at some time. You might look at the results to see what is open.
 

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Same here - just ran ShieldsUp again and all ports show as "green" - ie not responding.
 
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Curious, Dave, I ran the Sheilds Up! trials and none failed. You must have some software that opened up some of the security of your system at some time. You might look at the results to see what is open.

Hi Jake - I've been visiting Steve Gibson's website since my PC days - just did a re-scan shown below - my IP address was identified (deleted most) - note that all of the ports are mainly closed w/ a half dozen or so in stealth mode - none are opened. But my computer can still be pinged (makes no difference if I set macOS to 'Stealth' or not) - are you getting different results? Dave :)
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Screen Shot 2019-02-22 at 9.00.07 PM.png
 
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Here is my result. All green. I've cut off the IP number.
2019-02-22 09.58.04 pm.png
 
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Here is my result. All green. I've cut off the IP number.
View attachment 29442

Hi Jake - if all of those ports are indeed green, can you share your settings that may help us; also for KRS who states the same, i.e. ALL GREEN - really not sure what I need to do for the same results? Thanks - Dave :)
 

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I just ran my test a thrid time and now I see port 22 is not "stealth", just closed.

Dave, as far as settings are concerned, I had just ticked on the Stealth setting in the macOS firewall.

Anyone know why port 22 is not "stealth"?
It used to be, but everytime I start the Mac when I come back from a trip (where I had turned it off), I get all sorts of questions about allowing this or that.
I try to understand what each question means and decide accordingly, but I always thought when enabling 'stealth' on the macOS firewall, all ports would be in that mode.

ShieldsUp test_3.jpg
 
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I don't know what to say, Dave. I have a Comcast account, with a Comcast modem/router in bridge mode, and a Netgear Orbi mesh network for my house with one base and two satellite wifi stations. The setup on my firewall on the Mac is absolutely vanilla. It's ON, and stealth is checked. It could be that the Orbi is doing the blocking for me, as the IP number Shields Up! can find is the number from the ISP, not the internal LAN IP from the DHCP server in the Orbi. I actually have two IP numbers as both WiFi and Ethernet are connected to the network.

For the Orbi, the settings are straight from the factory, except I changed the login password. It has a DoS protection and feature that disables port scanning.

Given my LAN topology and the Orbi router, I suspect that Shields Up is not getting by them to get to my MBP at all.
 
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I don't know what to say, Dave. I have a Comcast account, with a Comcast modem/router in bridge mode, and a Netgear Orbi mesh network for my house with one base and two satellite wifi stations. The setup on my firewall on the Mac is absolutely vanilla. It's ON, and stealth is checked. It could be that the Orbi is doing the blocking for me, as the IP number Shields Up! can find is the number from the ISP, not the internal LAN IP from the DHCP server in the Orbi. I actually have two IP numbers as both WiFi and Ethernet are connected to the network.

For the Orbi, the settings are straight from the factory, except I changed the login password. It has a DoS protection and feature that disables port scanning.

Given my LAN topology and the Orbi router, I suspect that Shields Up is not getting by them to get to my MBP at all.

Thanks Jake for the information above - my ISP is Spectrum (Time-Warner); using their modem (an Arris - the website config page does not provide much information nor offer much in the way of changing features) - the modem is cabled into my older generation Airport Extreme (802.11n) w/ the most recent firmware (7.6.9) - I'm in the market for a new router or may see what Spectrum has to offer? Not sure if that will make a difference w/ my results on Gibson's website? Dave :)
 
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Here is my result. All green. I've cut off the IP number.
I just ran my test a thrid time and now I see port 22 is not "stealth", just closed.
... ... ...



Gee, sorry folks and I'm beginning to think I shouldn't have asked the question back in post #140. :[
I am sure I have read several times that if one has a firewall set-up on the router, that is was suggested not to have the Mac OS Security pref pane firewall turned on or enabled as well.

This is still valid???

- Patrick
======




Sorry to have created all the extra work and investigations.



- Patrick
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... ... ...
Sorry to have created all the extra work and investigations.

What are you talking about ????
Yours was a very valid question.

I'm glad I checked ShieldsUp again to confirm the stealth settings - but now I'm scratching my head to figure out why port 22 does not show as "stealth"

I also looked at my fairly new HH3000 modem/router from Bell, but can't even find a firewall option there.
 
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@krs, if you click on the port on Shields UP after the report is done, it gives some information about what uses Port 22.
 
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BTW, I had never heard of "Shields UP" but a bit of googling I get:
Internet Connection Security for Windows Users
by Steve Gibson, Gibson Research Corporation

I didn't really see any Mac application using the same name, so is Shields UP a Windows only utility??? Or did I really miss something???






- Patrick
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@krs, if you click on the port on Shields UP after the report is done, it gives some information about what uses Port 22.

Thanks,
I already did that.
It gave me this information:
Name: ssh
Purpose: SSH Remote Login Protocol
Description:
Related Ports:

Background and Additional Information:
Trojan Sightings: Adore sshd, Shaft

But I have no remote log in set up, never had.
I just checked the sharing services on my Mac again, none are enabled.

I used to run ShieldsUp about once a year when I thought of it - always had full 'stealth' on every port, well, except just now.

I have checked everything I can think of on my Mac, nothing is turned on that I can find that would explain why port 22 does not show up as "stealth"
 
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