Do i need an antivirus and internet security package when running windows on my mac?

Hi

As the title says do i need an antivirus and internet security package when running windows on my mac?

Thanks

Chris

 

Just surf the web on mac, and use whatever special apps on windows

 

short answer -> yes

(well nothing is "needed" per se but certainly is recommended)

 

I downloaded what i though was an adobe flash player , but it was a Trojan that infected my mac.

I now use a free program call iAntivirus and am a lot more careful what i download, after being led into a false sense of security by some mac owners.

http://www.iantivirus.com/

 

Yes you do, if you want a pretty good free software i'd say go with Avira. Thats what i use

 

Avira for the Mac i don't think so.

 

AVG or Avast are decent bets (both freeware) if you're looking for antivirus in windows. I would also suggest using Spybot S&D once in a long while, and immunizing your system with it.

 

I think so.

 

OP isn't talking about OS X he is talking about Windows.

and to the OP, yes, it's still windows. The computer is not what makes OS X safe.

 

i'm happy with my avast home edition.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I will install some antivirus today then. But also just to confirm i dont need any on my mac do i?

 

No, unless you are stupid. It's hard to get a trojan for OS X.

 

running Windows on the Mac... is open to all Windows attacks.

 

What do you mean? That OS X can get windows viruses if you run windows?

 

As I understand it, your Mac won't necessarily get a Windows virus. You *can* pass on a virus through the Windows side if you're using, say, a Windows email program and send a note to a Windows friend.
Again, a tech can correct me if I'm wrong, but Windows and OSX are two different programs with different codes, etc. So your Mac side should be safe enough (for the present) without a av program.
On the Windows side absolutely run AVG, AVAST, or something like that to protect the Windows partition/file and to protect others that might receive an email or file from you. Window is Windows and it's not hard to get infected without some kind of protection. There are those that will state they have no AV on their Windows machine and have never gotten a virus; they are the acceptation not the rule.
Bottom line: run an AV on the Windows side, i.e. Bootcamp, VMWare or Parallels, and you should be ok on the Mac side.

 

They are, that's why I don't get what doh123 is talking about, Can you run Windows programs natively on OS X? No, and viruses are programs.

 

in theory, it is possible for a malicious program running in windows (via bootcamp) to infect os x as well.

however, i don't know of anything like this which actually exists. (obviously) a virus maker would have to explicitly create a virus just for that particular purpose. since macs are rare and dual booting with macs is even more rare, it is unlikely anyone will *ever* bother making something like that.

you are much more likely to just plainly get a virus in os x using os x than you are to run into a weird crossover-hybrid virus. there certainly aren't any of those running about in the wild.

as far as mac security goes, it depends. more likely than not, you are fine without antivirus. if you want the extra layer of protection, get clamxav.

 

He is talking about running Windows on a Mac.

 

Who the OP? Yeah I know, look at my other post on the first page.

 

your whole machine.. your Mac, can be affected by a Windows virus that hits your Windows install wether its bootcamp or a virtual machine.

Yes even your OSX can get damaged... if you have a virus that screws with your hard drive, boot sector or whatever, it can trash your entire drive including your OSX partition. While it wont directly affect OSX, it can completely trash it where you lose everything... yes...

 

That does not make Mac open to windows viruses. If it trashes your hard drive anti virus on your Mac won't do crap.

 

If you define "Mac" as just Mac OS X.... very good

evidently I think you've misunderstood things I've said,, so don't worry about it

 

Running windows on a Mac is just likely running windows on a PC. Programs compiled to run on the Windows platform (in this case a virus) will both run the same. It's not like Apple sprinkles magic fairy dust on their computers to give them a protective force field against malware. Your question is about a software issue. The hardware is irrelevant.

 

Ok thanks for the replies so i will just install some antivrus on my windows partition then.

I have got one more question which isnt to do with the antivirus and to do with the internet.

Basically everything seems to be set to US settings on Safari, for example the serach bar using google in the top right hand corner seems to find US sites first, can i set that to uk google? But the other thing is even when i use google uk when i go on a site such as xbox it goes onto the US site rather than the UK can anyone help me resolve this?