Q: Anti Virus for MacBook Pro

Yes, although you don't need it.

Helpful Links Regarding Malware Protection

An excellent link to read is Tom Reed's Mac Malware Guide.

Also, visit The XLab FAQs and read Detecting and avoiding malware and spyware.

See these Apple articles:

  Mac OS X Snow Leopard and malware detection

  OS X Lion- Protect your Mac from malware

  OS X Mountain Lion- Protect your Mac from malware

  About file quarantine in OS X

If you require anti-virus protection Thomas Reed recommends using ClamXav. (Thank you to Thomas Reed for this recommendation.)

From user Joe Bailey comes this equally useful advice:

The facts are:

1. There is no anti-malware software that can detect 100% of the malware out there.

2. There is no anti-malware that can detect anything targeting the Mac because there

     is no Mac malware in the wild, and therefore, no "signatures" to detect.

3. The very best way to prevent the most attacks is for you as the user to be aware that

     the most successful malware attacks rely on very sophisticated social engineering

     techniques preying on human avarice, ****, and fear.

4. Internet popups saying the FBI, NSA, Microsoft, your ISP has detected malware on

    your computer is intended to entice you to install their malware thinking it is a

    protection against malware.

5. Some of the anti-malware products on the market are worse than the malware

    from which they purport to protect you.

6. Be cautious where you go on the internet.

7. Only download anything from sites you know are safe.

8. Avoid links you receive in email, always be suspicious even if you get something

    you think is from a friend, but you were not expecting.

9. If there is any question in your mind, then assume it is malware.

I have been using INTEGO Malware/virus barrier is written for Apple - and updates twice a week.

It is ready for Maverick and has been for some time.  I run it including checking for any Windows Malware so as not to pass a problem on.

Some posters will tell you not to run anything - on the other hand years ago they were telling Windows People not to bother.

In fact as of now there are no extant viruses affecting OS X. Furthermore, OS X has its own built-in anti-malware software. There is insufficient risk to justify using third-party anti-virus, etc. software.

ClamXAV is free and updated daily if needed. It can be installed to operate and scan in the background. Or it can be used to scan the computer when you choose. Otherwise, it is not running.

Oh, forgot one thing. Apple has nothing to do with Intego software.

INTEGO was written for Mac only - when I purchased my current MAC direct from APPLE I also purchased the INTEGO software through Apple.

Never had any problem running it - and I opted to include checking for Windows viruses because I do exchange mail with Windows People.

As I said in my initial post - its his choice - not mine - not yours - his.

notcloudy wrote:

 

INTEGO was written for Mac only

Many things are written for Macs only. That, in and of itself, doesn't necessarily make them good.

Intego VirusBarrier has, hands down, the best detection of Mac malware of any of the competition. However, at the same time, VirusBarrier inserts itself deeply in your system, and has been known to cause a variety of problems. I'm sure that some people are able to run it without problems, but others are not so lucky.

One needs to compare the benefits against the potential problems. The benefits, at this time, are few. Mac malware has become extremely rare. The last new Mac malware appeared in early February - almost 6 months ago. Before that, one appeared in January. Before that were three in August and September of 2013. That's it in the last year. More importantly, all that malware is already blocked directly, at the operating system level, by the XProtect system in Mac OS X. As a result, I've heard of no real-world sightings of any of them, or any earlier malware, in months.

So, what is this anti-virus software protecting you from? Not a lot these days. In exchange for the very real possibility - though certainly not promise - of having trouble as a result.

For more on how to appropriately protect yourself from malware, see my Mac Malware Guide.

(Fair disclosure: The Safe Mac is my site, and contains a Donate button, so I may receive compensation for providing links to The Safe Mac. Donations are not required.)