Q: whats the best mac security software

OS X doesn't need any "security" software as it's built in.

It sounds like you installed adware. This garbage frequently comes attached to other software you install. No AV software will stop this type of junk from being installed, so for starters, don't waste your money or system resources on any of it.

The current, best free tool for removing adware won't run under Snow Leopard. To manually remove the adware on your system, you can find instructions on The Safe Mac's adware removal page.

QuickTimeKirk wrote:

 

OS X doesn't need any "security" software as it's built in.

Typical ASC Kool-Aid, but not so. First, Gatekeeper, is open to anyone who wants to pay $99 for a Developer account to get a malicious program code signed--Apple doesn't vet those until called to its attention. And meanwhile, the damage is being done. Applies also to the App Store.

Second, XProtect (Apple's built-in "A-V"), besides having serious limitations as to what it can protect, is only lazily and often very tardily updated. Against adware, which has now become a raging epidemic, XProtect is virtually useless.

Third, there are tons of vulnerabilities in Snow Leopard which, now that 10.6 is no longer supported, makes it wide open. Nothing from Apple for Shellshock and the NTP exploit. (Have run private patches for both.)

http://www.zdnet.com/article/major-ntp-security-holes-appears-and-are-being-expl oited/

https://www.intego.com/mac-security-blog/shellshock-vulnerability-what-mac-os-x- users-need-to-know/

Fourth, Safari for 10.6 is way out of date, hasn't been patched in years and is wide open to many vulnerabilities. In my 10.6, I have removed Safari from the Dock, and run Firefox (with NoScript), which is kept updated.

I run Sophos, which can probably only afford limited protection, if any, for an OS no longer supported. But, doesn't affect system performance and it's better than nothing. I have seen it catalog malware before XProtect did. Its on-access scanner now also jumps on known adware.

Finally, you are giving a very misleading impression, which encourages a false sense of security, that there are no threats that the OS can't handle by itself.

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