Q: what is the best antivirus for my mac?

How is that not good advice?  Or put another way, how would you finish the sentence

"If you're worried about viruses on your Mac, _________"?

Has this horse not been beaten to death yet?

I would not necessarily tell someone to go get an anti-malware app for OS X. Rather, I would try to educate them on the history of malware on OS X, and what the possibilities are in the future. It's also important to know how to avoid malware by not going to disreputable web sites and not clicking on links in SPAM.

It's foolish to compare malware on OS X to space aliens, or perhaps cavalier is a better word.

Just read Thomas Reeds whole article: http://www.reedcorner.net/mmg/

The quick take away for me was:

"there are some cases where AV software may be needed right now. For example:

• If you need to keep Java turned on in your web browser, AV software may be a good idea to avoid malware that takes advantage of Java vulnerabilities.
• If you are using a Mac in an environment where AV software is required
• If you frequently trade files with Windows users and don't want to be accused of passing on a virus
• If you want the peace of mind and don't mind installing software that may be obtrusive
• If you can’t be bothered to give any thought to what you download, though this is a very dangerous attitude on today’s Internet
• If you are not at all tech savvy and have trouble accurately determining what is trustworthy and what is not
• If there is a major change in the malware affecting Mac users (in which case I will note it here)"

~Thomas Reed

Here is the one that jumps out the most: "If you are not at all tech savvy and have trouble accurately determining what is trustworthy and what is not"

Both of my parents, my siblings, my children and the majority of my friends fall into this category. One of my closest friends is an Independent Authorized Apple retailer... and a lot of the customers that come through the store fall into this category.

A lot of the commentary in this thread I believe comes from technically astute users (who opine pro or con to the use of AV on Macs)

The others users that end up in these forums are asking what they see as a simple question.

So if I were to presume the original OP falls into the "not at all tech savvy" category I would simply personally suggest he or she use Sophos (which also btw protects my Windows VM)

Mr. Reed, good article!

MacKeeper

No, ClamXav or Sophos.

Never MacKeeper

It is a curse

I would NOT even consider it as a Christmas gift to my worst enemy

Allan

MacKeeper

I can only hope that you are joking and forgot the smiley. If not, you may want to check out how MacKeeper performed with currently active malware in my recent testing:

Mac anti-virus detection rates

The big problem with the idea that installing Mac anti-virus software for technically challenged relatives is the amount of malware out there that presents itself as anti-virus software. By far the largest number of infections I see in the PC world revolve around a pop-up that pretends to be anti-virus software and obtains loggin information from the user through that subterfuge.

Add to that the anti-virus software that is just shady, and the best advice still must be 'don't install it, and tell your relatives not to click on, or enter credentials, for anything that they are not sure they can identify'. Otherwise you're in the boat of having to tell them 'it's ok to respond to messages from legitimate anti-viurus software, but not the shady ones.'

I am a recent Mac convert. I'd heard over and over that Mac users don't have to worry about viruses, but I remained skeptical. First, I installed Sophos, but I thought I wanted something more robust. Comcast is my ISP, and I chose last year to install the Norton product that Comcast offers free of charge. Better safe than sorry, I thought. Besides, I couldn't argue with the price.

I found the frequent pop-up boxes annoying, and I felt Norton was slowing my MacBook Pro just a bit. Things got worse when I upgraded to Mountain Lion, but I went along. Then, last week, I got a Time Capsule 2TB machine. After I set up the new hardware, I saw something was seriously hobbling my back-up. I immediately suspected Norton. I deleted all the Norton stuff, and my machine is breathing free again.

Norton runs smoothly on my Windows 7 machine, but I will not use any Norton stuff on my Mac, regardless of price. I'm thinking of going back to Sophos, if anything.

While Sophos is generally safe, unlike others such as Norton, it probably won't help you. The are really no viruses and it is unlikely you will run into malware. But if you did, it would likely be more recent malware, so if the AV software's database isn't updated, it will slip right by.

Maybe you should listen to the users who are telling you to ignore AV software on the Mac. Basically all AV software does on the Mac is cause problems. Hence the reason we are telling you to avoid it. But then it is your time that you are wasting so have at it.

Allan

Disco. The only good option is to totally remove that malware or not add it in the first place.

Webroot Secure Anywhere is a great full solution for a Anti-Virus, Spyware program.

http://www.webroot.com

CollinFarmer wrote:

 

Webroot Secure Anywhere is a great full solution for a Anti-Virus, Spyware program.

It's never been in the top ten of any independant PC A-V software ratings I've run into, so I can't imagine it being that good as a new entry in the Mac market. 

Okay, that does it. I'm joining the ranks of people who believe in the Mac's invulnerability. No more Norton, McAfee, Webroot, or Sophos. I'm goin' naked from now on till I see evidence that I need to install AV software. I just love the way my MacBook runs without it!