Which antivirus? (If any)

Just wondering which antivirus (if at all) do you guys use with your mac?
I have heard of clamXav as a free one

 

Your 2nd poll option contradicts itself.

 

I don't think that has to be necessarily true. Something like a worm would try to exploit existing vulnerabilities in the OS and actively try to infect your computer from the outside, so either Apple has to make it so that there will never be holes in the OS, which is unlikely, or you need an antivirus. Trojans on the hand, don't actively infect your computer in the sense that you basically need to give it your password and install it for it to work. Like the pirated iWord trojan required you to actually install it. Downloading it and keeping on your computer should be harmless if you never use the installer. So if you only download files from trusted sources, it's possible that you would never get a trojan.

Anyways, I used to use VirusBarrier but it seemed to slow file access. It was kind of subjective, but I didn't reinstall it after my recent spring cleaning reformat. I'm thinking about trying Norton again since the recent versions have really improved in terms of resource usage, the Windows versions at least.

 

"Why bother, macs dont have viruses maybe only few trojans"
The first part of the sentence states that there's no virus, but the later part states that there's few torjans. The 1st part and 2nd part contradicts itself.

 

I would say you're still safe for now, no need to get antivirus yet!

I edited the poll for you so that the second option is less controversial!

 

Wow, looks like I'm the only one so far that uses "protection"! I use the Intego Suite of Netbarrier x5, Virusbarrier x5, and Personal Antispam x5. I firmly believe that there are folks out there daily attempting to write malware for Macs and have been for many years. I bet most of you would never think of turning your firewall off...so it surprises me that people really think there are zero malware threats to their Macs.

 

I agree here. There isn't really a need for it YET, so you'll be ok. Although when I'm downloading things from different sites, I always run it through ClamXav, just to be on the safe side. Not really necessary though.

 

This is embarrassing. I hate to admit it but I'm one of those rare stupid guys who use a virus scan when using Mac OS X on my MacBook. I use McAfee VirusScan for Mac.

 

No need to be embarassed, JJ! You've made quite many quality posts, so I wouldn't consider you stupid by no means! I guess it's better to be safe than sorry.

 

Colton, thanks for your encouragement & I appreciate that.

However, the truth is that the general consensus is that people like me are just plain silly to be using an Anti-Virus program in Mac OS X. I bet almost 10 times out of 10 Mac owners/users will say that. Anyway, I'm not bothered by whether others will think I'm stupid as I'm just doing what I believe is the "safer" way.

 

By the way, to anyone who's considering using the McAfee VirusScan for Mac software, please be aware that having this software installed in Mac OS X Leopard slows down the Mac OS startup & shutdown time by quite a bit! Furthermore, the MacBook on average seems to run a bit warmer as well with that anti-virus software installed.

 

Viruses are not trojans. They get lumped in together but they are not the same.

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/T/Trojan_horse.html

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/V/virus.htm

 

I use Virex 8.6. I get it for free at work. It's been less buggy than iantivirus (which is free). Not sure if it works well or not, but I run parallels with sharing activated, so I feel its better for me to run antivirus in mac - although i still run avg free in windows (in parallels).

It doesn't seem like it reduces my performance or battery life - and i've activated on access scanning too.

Also some virus/internet security programs have antiphishing and parental controls so that could be good if you or other people using the computer click random e-mail links and/or do lots of transactions over the net.

 

using antivirus is not stupid. it may not be necessary, but since no one knows when it will be, you might as well hop on if you feel the need to be extra safe.

mostly that stuff just gives you peace of mind anyway. if you are worried and you would prefer peace of mind, get a mac antivirus.

done.

 

Better to be protected when you dont need it, than to not be protected when you do need it. Suffice it to say - I dont run any anti-virus software on my Macs.

 

I don't use any antivirus. I don't think that's necesary.

 

No problem JJ. I'm always a bit leary on what is being passed along to everybody though the internet. Just me. Safer is better, no matter what the circumstances are.

 

I use ClamXAV and I'm in the "better to be safe than sorry category". Heck, I even use the free BitDefender when using Linux.

 

I said no.... I don't trust Clamxav mainly cuz its based off clamav, which focuses on Windows... I'd rather them focus on Mac specific things in at timely manner, but last I looked Clamxav said they just use what clamav does... which doesn't code for Mac specific vulnerabilities... please correct me if they have changed anything since last I looked and its better now.

I answered no, but then I thought, actually I do have McAfee Virus scan for Windows installed on my Bootcamp partition, that also runs when I have VMware going. so its basically protecting Windows and not OSX, I guess my "no" still fits.

 

If Kaspersky, NOD32 or Avira ever came out for the Mac I would use them over ClamX but they don't. I use to use Norton on my mac until they started reporting viruses that weren't viruses. I hate Norton & McAfee for Windows since they are a resource hogs and don't pick up things like Kaspersky does for Windows. I use only Kaspersky on my Windows & on my Boot Camp when & if I ever have it installed again.

 

I think it could be necessary to use mac antivirus. Although there are very little viruses, they are lots of Trojans for macs, and antivirus is very necessary if you download allot of pirated software from torrents or other dubious sources.

 

Buying AntiVirus for mac is like getting flood insurance for your desert home.

It's pointless.

 

OK, thanks for the advice. I appreciate it. I guess I should just dump my "McAfee VirusScan for Mac" software then. I just wish I hadn't wasted my money on this software.

 

I use iAntiVirus which is a freeware Anti-Virus program.

 

I wouldn't take a couple of opinions as validated you wasted your money! I would suggest you let others think how they want and if you feel a need to protect your computer, you should do so.

As I said in an earlier post in this thread, anyone who thinks no one is writing malware for OS X is sadly mistaken. There are people out there who do it just to prove they can do it...it doesn't have to be a maximum damage scenario to them. So the constant harping on OS X is bulletproof only encourages undesirables to write malicious code to counteract the point...and then they have to deploy it to prove it.

p.s. Yes, silly to buy flood insurance living in the desert...just ask all the folks who experienced floods lately who were living nowhere close to a flood zone before changes in the weather patterns. /sarcasm off

 

There are many free anti-virus programs avialable for Mac so its really pointless not to have it. If you think there's no viruses for mac, you wrong, do you think McAfree for mac has an empty list of viruses? Theres not many, but if its free and has a 1/1000change of protecting you from virus/malware its worth it. The more popular mac gets, the more viruses there will be. So in my opinion its stupid to say there's no point in anti-virus for mac.

 

I dont use any anti virus software (even in Windows). This software is taking so much computer resources.

 

Would you believe it? I download some files on the internet and my windows partition got a virus. I formatted everything. Unfortunately i had copied some files over to my mac desktop from my virtual o.s. Now im stuck with desktop.exe on my mac desktop, movies.exe in my movies folder, music.exe in my music folder, and it has infected all my mac folders. It doesn't affect my mac os x, but it is a pain to the eyes. How do i delete them?

 

Just try ClamXav or iAntiVirus, both of them are free. Buying an antivirus just for mac is a waste of money.

 

Unfortunately, that is what I did with the "McAfee VirusScan for Mac" software.

 

Thanks for your encouragement & I appreciate it.

At least you guys here at NBR forum are very "friendly." I believe if I am to say that I use an Anti-virus software for the Mac OS at MacRumors forum, I'll definitely be harshly criticized as simply STUPID & out of my mind to even think that the Mac OS WILL EVER NEED Anti-virus software!

 

What kind of websites do you download your *things* from?

 

I'm glad you feel at home here on NBR! That's the way it should be, without criticism or harsh feelings at all.

 

Not even His Jobsness knows if macs will get viruses or not at some point in the future. There is some malware designed to attack macs out there (like that trojan that comes with pirated copies of iWork or iLife, can't remember which one).

I use antivirus om my macs too. But it's not like using a.v. on Windows: I just use it when I need it: scanning something, just to make sure it's clean. I don't let it run in the background, there's no point in that. Both ClamXav and iAntiVirus are good, they're free and I used them both (I don't like ClamXav's UI tho).

I'm not gonna go into details about the way OS X and Windows are designed, I want to keep this short - but thing is it's harder to get infected with a virus using OS X: a virus has the capacity to self-replicate. Trojans or spyware on OS X - yeah, definitely; if not now, at some point in the future, I'm sure.

Thing is, with a trojan - like that one from the pirated iWork kit - YOU have to install that, YOU have to input your system password, YOU allow it to mess things. With a virus it's not the same story.

The fact that you bought an a.v. for your mac - that's ok. Still a waste of money, but it's ok. Makes you feel safer, probably. But, as far as I'm concerned, I don't see the point in paying for something like that if you have ClamXav or iAntiVirus. Because, see, you can't quantify how efficient is that paid McAffee a.v. versus a free a.v. since there are no viruses that affect OS X: it's like you would live somewhere where are no roads built and you would buy a Porsche or a Ferrari versus getting a free old battered car: the Porsche gives you infinitely more performance... but where would you get the chance to use it?

 

Rapidshare.

 

I guess those just about highlight my foolishness. I had even stupidly set up my Anti-virus software to run continuously in the background in Mac OS X.

 

As long as you live, you learn. Don't be too hard on yourself, mate

 

I hate to admit it but you're absolutely correct. I guess I do learn my lesson the "hard" way.