i need best anti virus

[lenarw79]

i need best anti virus

 

[Slydude]

Most of our regular forum members don't bother with anti virus software. Is there a reason you think you need it?

 

[MacInWin]

Welcome to the forum! The best antivirus is.....


nothing.....


There are no viruses for OS X in existence. So there is NO need for any A/V and any A/V cannot do anything to protect you.

 

[pigoo3]

i need best anti virus

No you don't.

- Nick

 

[RadDave]

i need best anti virus

Well, welcome to the forum w/ your first post eliciting the expected response, i.e. ROFL!

Now, if you're for 'real', then please explain why you want a virus program for presumably a Mac computer - we'll be glad to help - Dave
.

 

[Sawday]

i need best anti virus

Why? Do you have a Windows PC that needs it?

 

[MightyGem]

Have a read of this:
http://guides.macrumors.com/Mac_Virus/Malware_FAQ#What_security_steps_should_I_take.3F

 

[docx]

Have a read of this:
http://guides.macrumors.com/Mac_Virus/Malware_FAQ#What_security_steps_should_I_take.3F

Or this.
http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/sw...-official-antivirus-malware-firewall-faq.html

 

[docx]

Bitdefender Antivirus
avast! Free Antivirus for Mac

These are the best antivirus which you can download free of cost.

They might be free but they don't do anything.

 

[cwa107]

There are no viruses for OS X in existence. So there is NO need for any A/V and any A/V cannot do anything to protect you.

While technically true, there *is* a growing number of nasties that fall into the broader category of *malware*. That said, there are few true viruses for Windows too.

Why? Because it's getting harder to write a self-replicating, self-propogating, intelligent virus given the prophylactic measures built into major operating systems these days. Also, because it's so much easier and profitable to just trick the user into installing something, rather than go to all that trouble crafting complex code. Once you've made their machine into a zombie, which is easy enough to do with a trojan, then you can use it to do your bidding.

Over and over again, I keep hearing people trot out this line - and while it's not entirely untrue, it is disingenuous to some extent. You and I (and maybe a good number of folks on this forum) are savvy enough to avoid malware and don't need any kind of proactive or reactive anti-virus. But not everyone is.

My suggestion? When this question gets asked, instead of jumping up and down preaching how there's "NO VIRUSES FOR MAC!", explain what malicious threats are out there and how to avoid them. And by all means, recommend a reactive scanner like the free BitDefender (available on the App Store) or the more traditional ClamXAV.

And don't forget that some folks are on mixed networks with Windows machines, so they may need some measure to prevent the spread to Windows boxes.

 

[MightyGem]

Or this.
Official antivirus, malware, and firewall FAQ

Indeed! Had a quick look on the site for something like that, but missed it.

 

[MacInWin]

While technically true, there *is* a growing number of nasties that fall into the broader category of *malware*. That said, there are few true viruses for Windows too.

Why? Because it's getting harder to write a self-replicating, self-propogating, intelligent virus given the prophylactic measures built into major operating systems these days. Also, because it's so much easier and profitable to just trick the user into installing something, rather than go to all that trouble crafting complex code. Once you've made their machine into a zombie, which is easy enough to do with a trojan, then you can use it to do your bidding.

Over and over again, I keep hearing people trot out this line - and while it's not entirely untrue, it is disingenuous to some extent. You and I (and maybe a good number of folks on this forum) are savvy enough to avoid malware and don't need any kind of proactive or reactive anti-virus. But not everyone is.

My suggestion? When this question gets asked, instead of jumping up and down preaching how there's "NO VIRUSES FOR MAC!", explain what malicious threats are out there and how to avoid them. And by all means, recommend a reactive scanner like the free BitDefender (available on the App Store) or the more traditional ClamXAV.

And don't forget that some folks are on mixed networks with Windows machines, so they may need some measure to prevent the spread to Windows boxes.

Well, I'll disagree pretty much with everything but maybe the last sentence. None of the current crop of Antivirus software protects OS X from any of the adware, malware or crapware that exists in the internet, AFAIK. Yes, malware in the broadest sense exists. Stuff that creates popup ads, hijacks browsers, etc. But again, nothing truly malicious like one finds in the Windows world. No bots, no key loggers, no disk wipers, no ransomeware.

If you don't want the popup/browser hijack malware, then you can get AdBlock+ or Ghostery, but they are not antivirus, they are blockers of all sorts of things crawling the internet into your browser. And AdwareMedic can kill those pests if you do get them. But that's not virus, not in any way, shape or form.

ClamXAV is OK, but again, all it can possibly search for is Windows viruses. There is no known vector by which OS X can be attacked. Note that I said "no known" not just "no." Sooner or later someone will find a vector to get into OS X for malicious purposes, but until that happens, no Antivirus developer can write any detection software because like the virus developer, the antivirus developer doesn't know of any vector to use or protect. So, right now, every AV package on the OS X environment is useless, protecting against nothing.

Yes, I know about the Java insecurities and the Flash insecurities, but those are not OS X, they are third party problems. I have neither installed on my machines, and I strongly recommend against both of them. The perceived benefits of them do not outweigh the security risk downsides.

As for tricking the user into installing something truly malicious, there is simply no way to protect against stupidity. It's useless to even try. And I know of no AV package that will find malicious software that was "legitimately" installed by the user. You let Genieo install, you get what you permitted. And if you turned off the protection because you didn't like the prompts from OS X about installing things, then you get what you deserve for leaving the door unlocked. It's not breaking and entering if I don't have to break to enter.

Now if you want to protect your Windows buddies, you CAN use an antivirus package, but it's going to slow down your own machine and they should be protecting themselves. And all it's going to detect are Windows viruses that cannot do any mischief on OS X. I warrant that 99% of what it finds is in emails that show up infected with Windows viruses. So you can be a good guy, suffer the performance hit and do your bit to protect your buddies, but be fully aware that AV is doing NOTHING to prodect OS X.

And I didn't jump up and down. I simply made a factual, true statement that there is no NEED for antivirus software at this time. And I'll stand on that statement. And as for your statement about few true viruses for Windows, the last time I looked Symantec was reporting just over a million viruses (not counting variants--if you include variants, the number is over 17 million). I'm not sure what you think is "few" but if you think a million is a "few," can you send me a few dollars?

So, I'm going to continue to "trot out the line" that there is no need for Antivirus unless and until a true virus vector is found and malicious code detected. And I will continue, as I have, to suggest AdBlock+, AdwareMedic and Ghostery to block the popup crapware if asked.

 

[chas_m]

I don't mean to undermine in any way Jake's brilliant essay here, but there IS a known attack vector for the Mac -- users! I'm not just talking about the naive people who believe a prince in Nigeria needs their help, I'm talking about people who perfectly innocently use download.com (a bad site -- avoid!), install MacKeeper, surf dodgy sites (primarily pirating sites, or porn sites offering installers) or just click on a link in an email from what they think is their bank.

I was just telling a Mac User Group in a presentation tonight that when it comes to downloading, use only these three sources for Mac software:

1. The Mac App Store
2. MacUpdate.com
3. The developer's own company site.

If it doesn't come from one of these three places, do not download. If you are ever asked for your admin password and don't know why, do not give it.

Do not click on any link from an unsolicited email. If you want to check it out, copy the link and paste it into your browser to investigate it, or just visit the claimed site directly.

These simple steps, plus keeping your Flash and Java either disabled or bang-up-to-date, should stop most threats from being a risk to you. OS X has a built-in and silently-updated malware checker, plus a sandbox (meaning apps can't interfere with each other), and locks to prevent installations from unknown developers. But the weak link is YOU. Knowing that is half the battle.

 

[chas_m]

WAnd as for your statement about few true viruses for Windows, the last time I looked Symantec was reporting just over a million viruses (not counting variants--if you include variants, the number is over 17 million). I'm not sure what you think is "few" but if you think a million is a "few," can you send me a few dollars?

And this bears repeating like a yoga mantra!

 

[MacInWin]

Chas_m, I think I covered users under the "stupidity" paragraph. I totally agree with what you said about installing things you don't know about but no antivirus software is going to block that one weakness in the system. Apple has done a good job at sandboxing, protecting installations, trying to get between the user and stupidity, but some people just don't want that protection, so they disable the sandboxing, download anything from anywhere and then wonder why they get crap on their machine. I think that brilliant philosopher, Forrest Gump, said "Stupid is as stupid does."

 

[cwa107]

Well, I'll disagree pretty much with everything but maybe the last sentence. None of the current crop of Antivirus software protects OS X from any of the adware, malware or crapware that exists in the internet, AFAIK.

Sure it does. I don't routinely use an anti-virus myself, but occasionally I'll run the free BitDefender scanner if I've stumbled upon something seedy in my browsing. In fact, I just did this before the holidays as I was looking for an Android emulator and stumbled upon something that didn't quite look legit. Sure enough, BitDefender flagged the .dmg file.

Yes, malware in the broadest sense exists. Stuff that creates popup ads, hijacks browsers, etc. But again, nothing truly malicious like one finds in the Windows world. No bots, no key loggers, no disk wipers, no ransomeware.

This is simply untrue.
Thousands of Macs infected with OS X botnet malware controlled via Reddit | TUAW: Apple news, reviews and how-tos since 2004
Ventir Trojan Intercepts Keystrokes from Mac OS X Computers | The Mac Security Blog
https://blog.malwarebytes.org/fraud-scam/2013/07/fbi-ransomware-now-targeting-apples-mac-os-x-users/

Are they found in the same kind of volume as on Windows? No. But they're out there - and for ordinary users, every bit as damaging as a "true" virus.

If you don't want the popup/browser hijack malware, then you can get AdBlock+ or Ghostery, but they are not antivirus, they are blockers of all sorts of things crawling the internet into your browser. And AdwareMedic can kill those pests if you do get them.

Sure, if you're savvy and aren't annoyed with playing with plug-ins to get pages to display properly at times. Also, you can do the same for safe browsing on a Windows box.

But that's not virus, not in any way, shape or form.

Again, does it have to be a "virus" to be crippling to a user? You are looking at the world through the eyes of an enthusiast. As a knowledgeable user, you are quite safe without any form of anti-virus. YOU do not represent the majority of Mac users, many of whom have come to the platform seeking refuge from this kind of stuff.

I agree that anti-virus is by-and-large unnecessary. Apple has it covered to some extent with XProtect. However, it is disingenuous to continuously trot out the line "there are no viruses for Mac OS X!" every time someone asks about one. My entire point is that viruses are not the only damaging malicious software that impacts the Mac.

ClamXAV is OK, but again, all it can possibly search for is Windows viruses. There is no known vector by which OS X can be attacked. Note that I said "no known" not just "no." Sooner or later someone will find a vector to get into OS X for malicious purposes, but until that happens, no Antivirus developer can write any detection software because like the virus developer, the antivirus developer doesn't know of any vector to use or protect. So, right now, every AV package on the OS X environment is useless, protecting against nothing.

Yes, I know about the Java insecurities and the Flash insecurities, but those are not OS X, they are third party problems. I have neither installed on my machines, and I strongly recommend against both of them. The perceived benefits of them do not outweigh the security risk downsides.

Does it matter whether the vulnerability is in OS X, Flash or Java? To the ordinary user it's irrelevant - a matter of semantics. Again, you are savvy - and that's great, but YOU don't represent the average user.

As to not having an attack vector on OS X? That's baloney. As long as there are uneducated users willing to download and install stuff, there is always an attack vendor, no matter how well-crafted the OS is. Beyond that, many vulnerabilities have been discovered in OS X. They've been patched, yes, but OS X is not bulletproof by any means.

https://www.google.com/#q=os+x+vulnerability+discovered

As for tricking the user into installing something truly malicious, there is simply no way to protect against stupidity. It's useless to even try. And I know of no AV package that will find malicious software that was "legitimately" installed by the user. You let Genieo install, you get what you permitted. And if you turned off the protection because you didn't like the prompts from OS X about installing things, then you get what you deserve for leaving the door unlocked. It's not breaking and entering if I don't have to break to enter.

I do agree with you here, but that's why I am a fan of educating users as opposed to dismissing their concerns with the "there are no viruses for OS X" statement.

Now if you want to protect your Windows buddies, you CAN use an antivirus package, but it's going to slow down your own machine and they should be protecting themselves. And all it's going to detect are Windows viruses that cannot do any mischief on OS X. I warrant that 99% of what it finds is in emails that show up infected with Windows viruses. So you can be a good guy, suffer the performance hit and do your bit to protect your buddies, but be fully aware that AV is doing NOTHING to prodect OS X.

Not necessarily true if the we're talking about malware in general. The OS X anti-virus packages are fully capable of detecting, quarantining and/or removing installed malware on OS X.

And I didn't jump up and down. I simply made a factual, true statement that there is no NEED for antivirus software at this time. And I'll stand on that statement. And as for your statement about few true viruses for Windows, the last time I looked Symantec was reporting just over a million viruses (not counting variants--if you include variants, the number is over 17 million). I'm not sure what you think is "few" but if you think a million is a "few," can you send me a few dollars?

Symantec is grouping general malware into those estimates, because as I've pointed out many times, just because something doesn't meet the rigid definition of a "virus", doesn't mean it can't be damaging.

And I think you'll find that even today on Windows, most of what's floating about is the same kind of malware that you see on OS X from time to time. YES, there is a lot more of it. YES, you are far more likely to encounter it on a Windows machine. YES, the user can be trained to avoid much of it. But by and large, malicious software that meets all the criteria for a virus is becoming somewhat of a rarity. Malicious software that falls under the broad category of "malware" is of course, another story.

So, I'm going to continue to "trot out the line" that there is no need for Antivirus unless and until a true virus vector is found and malicious code detected. And I will continue, as I have, to suggest AdBlock+, AdwareMedic and Ghostery to block the popup crapware if asked.

At the end of the day, I am simply asking that we not dismiss people's concerns about security with the "there are no viruses for Mac OS X" line. As far as I'm concerned, whether it's a virus, adware, ransomware, trickware, trojan or worm, it really doesn't matter to the average Joe who just wants to use his computer safely. So, educate however you like, but educate - do not dismiss.

 

[MacInWin]

We agree to disagree.

 

[chas_m]

FWIW I say there are no viruses for the Mac because 1) it's true and 2) I want people to understand that "virus" has a real meaning, and that meaning isn't "anything I don't understand." It also doesn't mean "malware."

I nearly always go on to add that while the Mac remains protected from viruses, that malware is something different and that Macs can be affected by malware, then list resources and so forth.

 

[cwa107]

FWIW I say there are no viruses for the Mac because 1) it's true and 2) I want people to understand that "virus" has a real meaning, and that meaning isn't "anything I don't understand." It also doesn't mean "malware."

I nearly always go on to add that while the Mac remains protected from viruses, that malware is something different and that Macs can be affected by malware, then list resources and so forth.

I don't disagree with your sentiments at all. I would just like you to acknowledge that 1) "Malware" can be every bit as destructive and/or damaging as something that falls under the more specific category of "virus" (which itself is a type of "malware") and that 2) Users don't really care what term you use to describe a given malady... if it's something that is causing undesired behavior, then it's bad. Period.

I think you (and MacInWin) are getting hung up on semantics and a long-standing creed that Kool-Aid drinkers tend to dig their heels into "Macs don't get viruses". Groovy, but it's like saying that just because you don't have Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, that you're entirely cancer-free.

Malware=cancer. Virus=a specific type of cancer. Both = bad. End of rant.

 

[chas_m]

I don't disagree with your sentiments at all. I would just like you to acknowledge that 1) "Malware" can be every bit as destructive and/or damaging as something that falls under the more specific category of "virus" (which itself is a type of "malware")

I can't agree with this because, as previously stated, words mean things. Viruses destroy or damage things, other types of malware do not. I'm not "hung up on semantics," I just know when to use a specific word -- and why. As a writer and editor, that's my job.

and that 2) Users don't really care what term you use to describe a given malady... if it's something that is causing undesired behavior, then it's bad. Period.

This is why we often say "A virus is not just something you don't understand." I go it's the people tend to use words like "virus" interchangeably, but that doesn't make it any less wrong. If I call your car a bike, I'm incorrect -- despite the fact that both are vehicles of transportation with wheels. in a text based medium like this one, accuracy is not just nice: it's absolutely vital to understanding the problem, and providing the best solution.

I am not being nitpicky when I correct people about the term "virus." I am educating them on refining their terminology so they will be able to clearly communicate in the future. I do exactly the same thing when somebody says "memory" when they actually mean "storage." My aim is to reduce confusion and expedite accurate solutions.

Yes, any sort of undesired behavior is frustrating to the user. But using the term virus to describe any sort of catchall problem is like going to the grocery store and asking where the food is. All you will get is a blank stare. It is 100% true that a grocery store has food, and it is 100% accurate that the specific thing you want to buy is food: but to get to the real answer, you have to form your question with more focus.