Anti-Malware programs

[abcdgoldberg]

Hello
I was reading through old issues of Maclife and found an article talking about malware software. They made a reference to objective-see.com where there are about 15 programs written by Patrick Wardle. Does anyone have experience with these? Should all of them be downloaded? Are some better than others? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance, Charlie

 

[pm-r]

Why not do some Internet searches with your browser, Google etc., and concentrate on the more recent articles???

Old issues of Maclife Sure won't include any of the more recent stuff, and it certainly is a readily and fast expanding software area.

Personally, I just use an older version of Malware Bytes for Mac.app and in its free mode and run it occasionally but manually.
Malwarebytes Premium | Anti-Malware Protection

See also:
Malwarebytes for Mac. Download Free and Review [Latest Version] macOS






- Patrick
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[krs]

I think running malwarebytes that Patrick mentioned and also DetectX Swift occasionally will cover you now when it comes to malware on the Mac.

 

[ferrarr]

I don't worry about malware anymore. Just use smart browsing.

 

[pm-r]

I don't worry about malware anymore. Just use smart browsing.

If I may, I daresay you may be okay and avoid Malware for a while until you come across a site that is a bit smarter than you and overcomes your smart browsing techniques.

There are some pretty sneaky sites out there.




- Patrick
======

 

[krs]

^^^

Not only that - there are other ways to pick up malware as well, not just by browsing.

 

[Rod]

Patrick, you mention using an "older" version of Malwarebytes, do the older versions get definition updates? Just wondering. I gave up on Malwarebytes when it was bought out and started adding things like a background assistant and yearly subscription charges. I did put up with the free version badgering me to upgrade for a while but now I just have DetectX Swift.


Sent from my iPhone using Mac-Forums

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Hello
I was reading through old issues of Maclife and found an article talking about malware software. They made a reference to objective-see.com where there are about 15 programs written by Patrick Wardle. Does anyone have experience with these? Should all of them be downloaded? Are some better than others? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance, Charlie

Your first clue that this Web site might not be kosher is that they highly recommend "CleanMy Mac".

If you are worried about malware (and you shouldn't be, there is very little malware in the wild for the Mac, and the Mac has several layers of anti-malware software built-in), you can just use:

VirusBarrier Free Edition (free)
Intego VirusBarrier Scanner on the Mac App Store

This is a full version of Intego's anti-virus program VirusBarrier [usually $40/year] minus some [but not all] of the automated scanning features in the commercial version.

Didn't the listmoms just create a sticky about malware a few weeks back?

 

[pm-r]

Patrick, you mention using an "older" version of Malwarebytes, do the older versions get definition updates?

My copy of Malwarebytes seems to be v. 1.3.1, and yes it seems to go off and download any new definitions available each time it is launched.

I just run it manually any time something seems a bit goofy or suspicious and it never nags me about an update or paid version.

There is some sort of Malwarebytes daemon that pops up a dialogue message occasionally saying that it has quit that I haven't been able to find its source to trash it, but no big deal.

Anyway, it works for me.




- Patrick
======

 

[pm-r]

Your first clue that this Web site might not be kosher I.

I don't know about things being kosher or not, but I used to have the same sort of opinion about Clean my mac.app but I have been using it occasionally over the last several months and I must admit I'm quite impressed, but the user must have a rough idea of what they are doing.

Neither does the Application hold the user to ransom as some other cleanup programs have a nasty habit of doing.

I will say that I was quite impressed when CleanMyMac 3.app cleaned up a small problem that Onyx wouldn't and also Trashed some old files that provided some extra free space on my hard drive.

I don't know why so many seem to give it such a bad reputation and tend to group it in with applications like MacKeeper.app etc. I for one find it to be quite useful as do some sites who recommend using it.

Just saying... I now keep it as one of my Mac maintenance tools and use it occasionally and find it works quite well.

EDIT:
PS: I have not used the latest version of CleanMyMac X 4.6.3 that requires OS X 10.10.0 or later and I believe it's price went up a bit from the older version.

CleanMyMac X for Mac. Download Free and Review [Latest Version] macOS





- Patrick
======

 

[Rod]

I don't know about things being kosher or not, but I used to have the same sort of opinion about Clean my mac.app but I have been using it occasionally over the last several months and I must admit I'm quite impressed, but the user must have a rough idea of what they are doing.

Neither does the Application hold the user to ransom as some other cleanup programs have a nasty habit of doing.

I will say that I was quite impressed when CleanMyMac 3.app cleaned up a small problem that Onyx wouldn't and also Trashed some old files that provided some extra free space on my hard drive.

I don't know why so many seem to give it such a bad reputation and tend to group it in with applications like MacKeeper.app etc. I for one find it to be quite useful as do some sites who recommend using it.

Just saying... I now keep it as one of my Mac maintenance tools and use it occasionally and find it works quite well.

EDIT:
PS: I have not used the latest version of CleanMyMac X 4.6.3 that requires OS X 10.10.0 or later and I believe it's price went up a bit from the older version.

CleanMyMac X for Mac. Download Free and Review [Latest Version] macOS

Good gosh Patrick, wash your mouth out with soap! Just kidding
I think if you do a search on this forum you will find that I have defended CMM almost every time it has been mentioned. I have been using the app since inception, years ago and although I agree that it could potentially do harm it is a tool like any other and requires the user to understand what they are about to do before giving it permission to run, especially some of the optional scripts like "Free Up Purgeable Space". I maintain you could cause similar problems with OnyX if you change default settings or even Daisy Disk or Find any File if you delete files from the UI without understanding the implications.
Both my wife and I use Clean My Mac X and she simply runs the Smart Scan and Clean with never a problem. We have both trashed hundreds, probably thousands of gigabytes of unneeded data over the years.
Others will argue that everything it does can be done manually and of course they are right but I'd like to see them do it while making a cup of coffee and in the same time.

 

[pm-r]

Thanks Rod.



- Patrick
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