Virus protection on MacBook.

First, there is no reason to ever install or run any 3rd party "cleaning", "optimizing", "speed-up", anti-virus, VPN or security apps on your Mac.  This user tip describes what you need to know and do in order to protect your Mac: Effective defenses against malware and other threats - Apple Community.  

There are no known viruses, i.e. self propagating, for Macs.  There are, however, adware and malware which require the user to install, although unwittingly most of the time, thru sneaky links, etc.   

Anti Virus developers try to group all types as viruses into their ad campaigns of fear.  They do a poor job of the detecting and isolating the adware and malware.  Since there are no viruses these apps use up a lot of system resources searching for what is non-existent and adversely affect system and app performance.

There is one app, ¨, which was developed by a long time contributor to these forums and a highly respected member of the computer security community, that is desshoigned solely to seek out adware and known malware and remove it.  The free version is more than adequate for most users.  

Also, unless you're using a true VPN tunnel, such as between you and your employer's or bank's servers, they are useless from a privacy standpoint: Public VPN's are anything but private.  

nrau wrote:

I have a MacBook Air M1. Do I need virus protection?

macOS already has it. Don't screw it up by slathering on junk that can't work and will only increase your threat profile.

In particular "Webroot" manifestly garbage: deleting/uninstalling an app - Webroot. Big Sur should prevent its installation but it's best not to even attempt it.

Absolutely!

And that is the problem with AV software. If there is something truly rotten going on that it has taken advantage of any privilege escalation based on old exploits, AV software wont have the privileges to get to it.

MRT, X Protect will. So keep up to date so those and the other built in defences can do their thing and keep you safe

Not to be "that guy," but saying unequivocally that there are zero viruses for Mac is simply not accurate. Craig Federighi himself, stated that malware and viruses exist on macOS. Furthermore, a simple internet search will reveal the current list of top offenders.

It is more appropriate to say that viruses are less common on macOS, and that the security model makes the threat less likely— but as always, being careful about certain usage habits will lessen the risk (not visiting suspicious websites, or installing unverified software)

Anti-Virus apps exist in the App Store, and allow you to scan your device if you suspect something is amiss. Of course, it's probably best to avoid unknown virus scanners too, as some of those are actually malware in disguise.

nrau wrote:

Thanks for the responses! I had received three free months of webroot virus protection with my Mac. I haven’t installed it but I just wanted to find out if I even needed it.

Don't install any third party antivirus app. They are not needed, they use system resources while providing no benefit, and they may cause problems.

nrau Said:

"Virus protection on MacBook.: I have a MacBook Air M1. Do I need virus protection? This is my first Mac and I’ve always heard it’s not necessary. If it is necessary, what virus protection is recommended? Thank you!"

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How to Scan for Malware:

Use Malwarebytes for Mac:

Malwarebytes searches for malware (short for (malicious software) and spyware. Those make your Mac act in a mislead manor. So scan with it, and remove what is found from the quarantine. It is created by longtime users of these forums making it the only reliable Security Software for a Mac. If synced with iPad connected, it may have got installed on your Mac.

Downloads:

1. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac
2. Malwarebytes Uninstaller

And, for More Privacy...

Clear your Temporary Internet Files:

Boot into Safe Mode and then Clear your Temporary Internet Files of Safari:

1. Booting into Safe Mode: [hold down shift upon boot until the login screen appears]. See if this is still an issue. Safe Mode lets items run as default, without changes whatsoever. That is possible because caches of your macOS are temporarily disabled while in Safe Mode
2. Clearing your Temporary Internet Files (Cookies & Cache) of Safari: Cookies perform remembrance of certain site-entered data. Whereas Cache keeps a snapshot of the last time you visited a site.  Use this Link: Clearing History and Cache - Apple Communities

AGuyOnWheels wrote:

Is it the consensus of the experts here at the Apple Support forums, that the Antivirus apps for Mac are basically hogwash and that macOS is innately immune from viruses and malware?

I can't speak for any "consensus". I can only speak for myself. There are some extremely important points that are virtually always glossed over:

• It is common for people to delve into the minutiae of precise definitions of terms like virus, trojan, rootkit, malware, adware, ransomware, crypto-miners, PUP, etc. I don't find that to be helpful. These are all unwanted software, however they work or get installed. The antivirus industry has successfully moved discussion away from the different terms and towards a more general usage of "malware". In general, I think that is a good thing.
• Unfortunately, now that everything is lumped into one category of "malware", that same antivirus industry is free to promote scary stories about über-hackers, state-sponsored malware, ransonware, etc. as a way to sell their products. The truth is, the vast majority of "malware" on the Mac is what used to be called "adware". Such adware often doesn't even target the user at all. It is just using the user's computing and internet resources to scam advertising networks and make money. This "malware" is generally harmless, super-easy to find, and super-easy to remove.
• It is generally correct to say that "macOS is innately immune from viruses and malware". "Innately" is a good word. No one has ever said that "macOS is perfectly immune" but that is often the unspoken, but incorrect, assumption. Really, what is the rate of this "imperfection"? 20%? 10%? More like 0.001%. At this level of risk, the cost of antivirus products, in terms of money, performance, and reliability, is generally much higher than the cost of the malware itself.
• All of these percentages are based on the global population of Mac users. Not all Mac users are equal. The sad truth is that some Mac users are more vulnerable than others. The operating system, macOS, is, in fact, "innately immune". But Apple allows the end user to override its protections. That's where the problem comes in. The macOS operating system doesn't need protection from malware. But in some cases, the macOS operating system may need protection from its user.
• The only way to install any kind of malware on a Mac is to have the user install it on purpose. Of course, the user is being tricked into installing, but it is still the action of the user. In these cases, when users find themselves being repeatedly tricked into installing malware, 3rd party malware protection may be useful.
• But if the user is being tricked into installing malware in the first place, how is this user able to find effective antivirus protection? That's another problem area. There are a handful of legitimate, and effective, 3rd party anti-virus products. But to be clear, it is just a handful, with fingers left over. There are quite a few more legitimate, but ineffective products. And there are still more legitimate products that cause more overall problems than the malware itself. And finally, the largest category, are simply scams. Virtually any search for a malware-related topic or a particular information on how to remove a particular piece of malware will return scam sites. It's a real mine field of scams out there.

You don't need "Malwarebytes" or anything like it. Installing malware on a Mac always requires your consent. Should you ever be deceived into installing it, it is easily removed without the need to install something else.

I'm not going to put any virus protection on my Mac, this thing is new, I'm not screwing it up..lol.

New or old, macOS already includes all the protections it requires. Recent macOS versions are effectively impregnable.

I've been using Macs since 1985 and have multiple units installed in several US states. They're up and running 24/7/365. They go for months without a reboot. None of them have ever had any "anti-virus" junk. None of them have ever been affected by a virus or malware. If a user suffers a lapse of judgement and installs adware or something potentially malicious, he or she is counseled about their error using the same principles explained in User Tips I provide on this site. To date no one has ever made that mistake twice.

You really don't need a virus protection since the M1 chip helps the Mac secure. If you think there is a virus, Download MalwareBytes.

Think like a Malware creator,

These people want to harm as many as possible computer users for their bad needs. So choosing the most commonly installed OS and develop their code on it will help them to infect more and more users with their malware.

"In the area of desktop and laptop computers, Microsoft Windows is the most commonly installed OS, at approximately between 77% and 87.8% globally. Apple's macOS accounts for approximately 9.6–13%, Google's Chrome OS is up to 6% (in the US) and other Linux distributions are at around 2%." -Wikipedia

Viruses exist on macOS, But hackers just develop on Windows because it's common.

More People uses the OS = More people to hack.

If you browse a lot of websites and your work is basically on the web, You should think about purchasing Internet Security software.

If not, Don't bother yourself, You're fine for now.

Calvin_BT Said:

"You really don’t need a virus protection since the M1 chip helps the Mac secure. If you think there is a virus, Download MalwareBytes”

———-

You don’t Need it on any Mac. Even Apple Says So:

I’ve spoken with Apple over the many years, and they, themselves, say it: “There are no viruses for Mac. So, uninstall it. But, you’re fine with MalwareBytes.” Those applications are on the App Store because the developers promote it — that’s why you see them on the App Store.

Do not install third party antivirus apps whether they come from the app store or not.

short answer: Correct re. the first part.

I do not think it is “innately immune” though. but the latest OS is now “sequestered” within its own read only and otherwise inaccessible volume so neither you nor anyone or anything else has writing privileges. So, how is a virus or any AV ware going to get there? It makes it very difficult.

FWIW, I am not an expert, just a long time user and reader here.

See this list,

https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/mac-viruses-list-3668354/

The viruses exist, Rarely! Yes. But they do exist.

Ohokthen wrote:

They might be able to catch them in their early tracks, for example at the point of go to open an email attachment but perhaps less so after that.

No. Any Mac App Store app would be completely isolated from any system events like that. Without special authorization from the user, which, in theory, Apple App Review does not allow developers to directly ask for, a Mac App Store antivirus app can pretty much only scan...itself. 😄

I had something similar to Shlayer a while back. Almost all the major AVs claimed they could get rid of it. And out of conventional options I gave them a go. Not one was able to get that deep into the system to detect it, let alone eradicate it. I mean they may have been able to do something in the first day of infection - but for me - nup

There is nothing significant about the timeline of infection. Detecting and blocking an event like that, as it happens, is extraordinarily difficult. Software developers need a special entitlement from Apple even to attempt it. And that only applies to apps outside of the Mac App Store. It is flat out impossible from the Mac App Store.

** ps. The traditional AV market appears to be in a state of flux anyway with moves toward end point type protection, even at the consumer end. I think that reflects the inherent weakness of client situated AV

Nah. That's just marketing. One of the dirty little secrets about Mac malware is that, 99.9% of the time, it is ridiculously easy to find. It is almost as if malware developers are trying to be found. They sometimes make some superficial attempts at hiding, but even using the world "superficial" doesn't do justice to how little effort they put into it.

Removing malware is a bit more difficult. Sometimes even Apple screws that part up. This is absolutely impossible from the Mac App Store. My own app would use what limited operating system interfaces that were available to open a Finder window with the malware selected. But even then, I had to hope that the user wouldn't just start randomly deleting other file, and actually leave the malware file intact. Users! 😄 But by doing this, I could get around most Mac App Store limitations because it is the Finder, authorized by the user, that is deleting the file. But a clever piece of malware would not be affected by deleting it. Luckily, virtually no Mac malware would ever be classified as "clever".