i need best anti virus

[cwa107]

Well slam it!

I wish I could. There are just so many misconceptions in this thread, it's painful to let them go unaddressed. So, I will enter the fray once more...


1. A virus is a form of malware. To say "that's not a virus, it's just malware" belies the definition of the word.

2. Just because a security package is described as "anti virus" doesn't mean its scope is limited to looking for malware that meets your narrow definition of a virus. Mac-centric security packages can and do look for trojans, adware, worms, extortionware and other "PUPs" (potentially unwanted programs).

3. Implying that "malware" isn't as bad as a "virus" is quite frankly absurd. Beyond the fact that "malware" encompasses a "virus", there are numerous recorded cases of installed malware causing identity theft, installing RATs, creating botnets which can lead to any number of awful consequences.

4. I take issue with the the dismissal of "malware" simply because a user is tricked into installing it. Since the initial release of the Mac, Apple has marketed the Mac as the "computer for the rest of us", and that "it just works", implying that one doesn't need to have a great deal of expertise or even literacy to get use out of a Mac. As a result, a great deal of people have flocked to the Mac from Windows and many have even dropped their guard to an extent. When we dismiss their concerns with "no need to run anti-virus because there are no viruses", we are doing them a disservice.

 

[MacInWin]

A virus is a form of malware. To say "that's not a virus, it's just malware" belies the definition of the word.

That's akin to saying "A cold is a form of disease. To say 'that's not a cancer, it's just a cold' belies the definition of the word." Malware is a cold. A virus is cancer. Both are diseases, but one is seriously more malevolent than the other. I think it's important to distinguish between the two. And the reason for that distinction is similar in both situations. IF all I have is a cold, I don't need chemotherapy with all of the side effects. If all I have is malware, I don't need Antivirus software with all the side effects.

And I'm not "implying" that malware isn't as bad as a virus. I'm boldly stating that fact. I did battle with true viruses on a PC owned by my late Father in law. The infected files multiplied faster than I could eradicate them. And they tried to encrypt his files as they replicated so they could hold the data for ransom. I managed to stomp them out and rescue his data, but it took weeks to do so. So I KNOW what a virus really is in the Windows world, and I firmly hold to the fact that NOTHING in the OS X world is anywhere near that virulence and destructiveness. Malware is annoying, yes, but it's not maliciously destructive.

But I know I won't get you to change, so we agree to disagree, as I've said before.

And I do promise, that the last post from me in this thread.

 

[pm-r]

I wish I could. There are just so many misconceptions in this thread, it's painful to let them go unaddressed. So, I will enter the fray once more…
… … ...

Probably better to just point to some Computer Technical Dictionaries and fix and get rid or your headache. Otherwise it will be like leading a horse to water…

Just a quick search shows:
computer virus (virus)
A computer virus is a program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes.
What is Virus (Computer Virus)? Webopedia
and
malware
Short for malicious software, malware is software designed specifically to damage or disrupt a system, such as a virus or a Trojan horse.
What Is Malware? Webopedia

But that's not even definitive as it's only one dictionary's interpretation. And on it goes…

Bottom line, both are bad and not welcome. But users sure do need to be aware and accurate for what they might need and want.

 

[harryb2448]

Ahh well told ya Chris!

 

[cwa107]

Ahh well told ya Chris!

Yes, I surrender - because as an industry professional, working for a Fortune 50 company and with 15 years under my belt, clearly I have no idea of what I'm talking about.

 

[pm-r]

Yes, I surrender - because as an industry professional, working for a Fortune 50 company and with 15 years under my belt, clearly I have no idea of what I'm talking about.

I understand that isn't enough experience or knowledge down there to qualify, and I'm told you'll need to put in 50 years anyway, then you just might get to the Senate or whatever they call the place where such knowledgable and experienced people go, and then finally some people may agree with you, and some will definitely disagree with you and then you'll wonder why you even bothered, and ended up with another headache.

I think form what I've been told, that's the way it is down there. And no, not all your snow and freezing weather comes from Canada, but you can't tell some people that either.

Enjoy your day and have a glass of nice red wine. Or should that be Bourbon??

 

[MacInWin]

Yes, I surrender - because as an industry professional, working for a Fortune 50 company and with 15 years under my belt, clearly I have no idea of what I'm talking about.

Can't resist this one. I was an industry professional, worked for a Fortune 50 company (actually in the top 25 of that list) with 40+ years under my belt, and you think I clearly have no idea of what I am talking. I was managing a data center when the first virus appeared ion the nascent Internet (yes, we were protected from it because we had taken precautions). Does my 40+ years trump your 15, rookie?

 

[vansmith]

That's akin to saying "A cold is a form of disease. To say 'that's not a cancer, it's just a cold' belies the definition of the word." Malware is a cold. A virus is cancer. Both are diseases, but one is seriously more malevolent than the other. I think it's important to distinguish between the two. And the reason for that distinction is similar in both situations. IF all I have is a cold, I don't need chemotherapy with all of the side effects. If all I have is malware, I don't need Antivirus software with all the side effects.

This metaphor is fatally flawed. A cold and cancer are both medical issues (albeit with different physiological consequences). You've re-classified the two as if they were mutually exclusive, which belies the fact that has been argued all along, namely, that a virus is an example of malware just like a cold and cancer are both medical issues. You've also, falsely, used "seriousness" as a criteria to differentiate the two. That, as well, is flawed as severity of an issue doesn't mean that it gets classified differently. A 90 car pile up and a fender bender are both automobile accidents.

This is all that's being argued, nothing more, nothing less. No one is arguing that a rather innocuous piece of adware is as serious as a virus (or that a cold is as serious as cancer to use your analogy). All we're arguing is that they are of the same type (just as a cold and cancer are medical issues).

And, simply to provide some more concrete evidence, here's a patent application that notes the classification of viruses as a form of malware, a peer-reviewed journal article that classifies it as such, and a white paper by a researcher at Microsoft that argues the same.

 

[MacInWin]

vansmith, I'll make one last comment about your post and then we can just agree to disagree. If I follow your logic, and you went to a doctor with a cold, and he said that he was going to treat your cold with 50 weeks of chemotherapy, radiation and maybe even gene replacement therapy, but hoped to avoid surgical removal of your nose, you'd be ok with that? Because you said that because a cold and cancer are both "medical issues." And if they are both in that category, you'd be willing to accept the downsides of cancer treatment to get rid of a cold?

The same logic applies to adware/virus choices. Antivirus software has a MUCH larger "penalty" for the end user than just Adblock, Ghostery or AdwareMedic. But if we don't make the distinction between adware (annoyware) and true viruses (malicious to destruction, identify theft or ransom), then we can say the same treatment works for both. But that's a flawed grouping because of the vast difference in severity.

But I'm really, really done here. As I've said three times now, we agree to disagree on this. But I will guarantee you that when I get a cold, I'm not going to allow my doctor to start cancer treatments for it. And when I see adware I'm not ever going to recommend antivirus software for it.

So, we agree to disagree?

 

[Rod]

Being a medical person I like a disease analogy. But for a moment lets go back to the original question; what is the best AV program for Mac OSX leaving behind for a moment the never ending argument of definition?
The best free AV app I can think of is ClamXav. At least it's free.
As to the medical analogy, it just doesn't fit at all. The common cold is a viral infection, our bodies will rid us of it, if they are healthy, in time. Malware (a little like cancer) unlike a cold, needs to be removed. Our computer will not get 'well' by itself as we would with a cold. We will not pass it on like a cold.
A computer virus will be passed on unlike cancer. So the cancer analogy doesn't really fit either example except in degree of seriousness. Cancer is life threatening, a cold is not.
So back to the beginning; malware needs to be removed staying "healthy" is the best way to avoid it.
A virus also needs to be removed, but, there aren't any for the Mac platform, the worst that can happen is we may pass it on, we may become an unwitting vector.
Conclusion: Forget about virus' and concentrate on keeping our computers "healthy" by avoiding sources of MalWare/AdWare and if we get one get rid of it. e.g AdWare Medic

 

[TattooedMac]

If you are ever asked for your admin password and don't know why, do not give it.

This !!! Loves 99.99% of issues. . .

Now to the Thread, at the end of the day, the reason is the OP hasn't returned, (and I would not of either) is because no-one can agree on 1 true answer, but the thing is, NO-ONE gave him a straight answer.

The member that have been here a while, should know better, and the true answer should have been, "While there is no true virus in wild, yadda, yadda, yadda. . . . ., But if for a reason unknown to us, and if your company demands it, you should download ClamXAV and run that once a week/month to keep them happy"

Im sick in the gut, that in the first 9 comments, there was only one answer from member Sawday that was ok, and we even had RadDave ROFL at the OP.
As a community we should know better, and give the OP Options. You could tell (well I could) that the OP either wasn't sure about AV for Macs, English was a 2nd language, and they felt a need to have a AV for themselves.
This is where Chris was right, in his OP, and trying to say, lets give people the option, of wanting one or not. Tell them what you like, about there being none, or what ever you like, but PLEASE, also give them the option of one, if they really need one, as for Work related or whatever.
I dont blame the OP for not returning, as their thread, was a cluster @#$ and they would of been scared out of their wits, because some members had a agenda to prove themselves, and not help out !!!!

 

[Rod]

This !!! Loves 99.99% of issues. . .

Now to the Thread, at the end of the day, the reason is the OP hasn't returned, (and I would not of either) is because no-one can agree on 1 true answer, but the thing is, NO-ONE gave him a straight answer.

The member that have been here a while, should know better, and the true answer should have been, "While there is no true virus in wild, yadda, yadda, yadda. . . . ., But if for a reason unknown to us, and if your company demands it, you should download ClamXAV and run that once a week/month to keep them happy"

Im sick in the gut, that in the first 9 comments, there was only one answer from member Sawday that was ok, and we even had RadDave ROFL at the OP.
As a community we should know better, and give the OP Options. You could tell (well I could) that the OP either wasn't sure about AV for Macs, English was a 2nd language, and they felt a need to have a AV for themselves.
This is where Chris was right, in his OP, and trying to say, lets give people the option, of wanting one or not. Tell them what you like, about there being none, or what ever you like, but PLEASE, also give them the option of one, if they really need one, as for Work related or whatever.
I dont blame the OP for not returning, as their thread, was a cluster @#$ and they would of been scared out of their wits, because some members had a agenda to prove themselves, and not help out !!!!

I'm with you TM, give the OP the answer to the question they asked instead of going off on tangents about definition blah, blah, blah. I believe that's what I did. Although as a registered nurse practitioner it's hard to resist a misused medical analogy.

 

[MacInWin]

Being a medical person I like a disease analogy. But for a moment lets go back to the original question; what is the best AV program for Mac OSX leaving behind for a moment the never ending argument of definition?
The best free AV app I can think of is ClamXav. At least it's free.
As to the medical analogy, it just doesn't fit at all. The common cold is a viral infection, our bodies will rid us of it, if they are healthy, in time. Malware (a little like cancer) unlike a cold, needs to be removed. Our computer will not get 'well' by itself as we would with a cold. We will not pass it on like a cold.
A computer virus will be passed on unlike cancer. So the cancer analogy doesn't really fit either example except in degree of seriousness. Cancer is life threatening, a cold is not.
So back to the beginning; malware needs to be removed staying "healthy" is the best way to avoid it.
A virus also needs to be removed, but, there aren't any for the Mac platform, the worst that can happen is we may pass it on, we may become an unwitting vector.
Conclusion: Forget about virus' and concentrate on keeping our computers "healthy" by avoiding sources of MalWare/AdWare and if we get one get rid of it. e.g AdWare Medic

OK, Rod, let's fix it. Replace "cancer" with Ebola, replace the treatment for cancer with the protocols and treatments for Ebola. Replace "cold" with ankle sprain. Does that work? Ebola gets passed along, not ankle sprains. Ebola is high impact, ankle sprain not so. Both are medical conditions.

Computer viruses get passed along, Adware doesn't. Both are types of malware at the highest level of abstraction.

Treating an ankle sprain with Ebola protocols is inappropriate. Treating adware (and Annoyware of any type) with AV is gross overkill at the cost of $$ and CPU cycles.

Is that a better medical analogy?

And your Conclusion statement was dead on.

 

[MacInWin]

CLIP...
Now to the Thread, at the end of the day, the reason is the OP hasn't returned, (and I would not of either) is because no-one can agree on 1 true answer, but the thing is, NO-ONE gave him a straight answer.

The member that have been here a while, should know better, and the true answer should have been, "While there is no true virus in wild, yadda, yadda, yadda. . . . ., But if for a reason unknown to us, and if your company demands it, you should download ClamXAV and run that once a week/month to keep them happy"

Im sick in the gut, that in the first 9 comments, there was only one answer from member Sawday that was ok, and we even had RadDave ROFL at the OP.
As a community we should know better, and give the OP Options. ...CLIP

I disagree. The first four responses to the OP gave him the answer (none) and asked a question (why do you think you need it). The OP never came back to that, he didn't say "his company demands it." Slydude asked why he felt he needed it in Post #2. MightyGem and docx gave links for him to read about viruses including a thread ON THIS SITE in posts 7 and 8. RadDave was laughing at the responses we had given to that point, not at the OP. Naresh_Kumar listed two freebies in post 9, and that was all on the first page of posts. Post #11 was the first "agenda" post in the thread that didn't even try to help the OP but discuss how our previous posts were, in his opinion, wrong. Note that that was now two days after post #1. So don't be so upset, we tried to answer his question and get more information on why he felt he needed that type software, but he never returned.

Your statement

I dont blame the OP for not returning, as their thread, was a cluster @#$ and they would of been scared out of their wits, because some members had a agenda to prove themselves, and not help out !!!!

is accusatory and inflammatory and unhelpful, IMHO. As for why he didn't return, maybe the email from Slydude's response was all he needed to make his decision so he never came back. We don't know. You don't know.

Just because some believe AV is good and some believe it unnecessary and unhelpful is not an "agenda to prove themselves" and we definitely tried to help out, particularly those who took the position that AV is generally unneeded. The "agenda," if any, was from those who took exception to the advice that none was needed, but it's still not appropriate to pillory them for that. I may disagree with them, but I'll defend their right to express their opinion.

 

[TattooedMac]

Jake, the only reason that the people asked the 'why' question, is so they could then come back and make the argument that "No, you don't need one" . . . At the end of the day, the OP wanted the best AV for Mac, and how hard is it to, yes, point them in the direction of a thread on AV, but ALSO, giving them what they asked for. Simple, easy and doesn't require a 5 ½ page argument, considering this sort of thread come up every other day.
Again, being the 1st post of the OP, says to me, he isn't a member of another Mac forum, so coming back after 2-3 days, wouldn't be unusual, and then to see the crap that is going on in his thread, I would of been scared to answer.
I stand by my OP !!!

 

[MacInWin]

Me, too! On that we CAN agree.

 

[chscag]

And on that profound statement by Jake, this thread is closed. Thanks to all for your thoughts and participation. Good discussion all around.