Malwarebytes

I wonder why the support specialist recommended I install Malware Bytes.

Because getting adware is something you cannot prevent. And, malware can show up if the site you are visiting is allowing links or ads that contain hidden malware. Malwarebytes is one of the few apps that is indeed recommended by Apple.

Although there are no viruses that are currently targeting Macs, the other two can show up on your screen unexpectedly. That would be the time to run Malwarebytes. I have it installed but will only run it if I do get some adware. I do not install AV ware.

I will give you an example: Some years ago one software developer hijacked by browser (Safari!!) - the entire screen was taken over with flashing signs that I had 8,546 (or something like it) viruses, but they would get rid of them if I clicked here and paid them money. Otherwise the computer was not responsive - mouse did not work, keyboard did not work, I could not quit Safari, nothing worked. I had to shut off the power. At the time there was a feature Apple had just come up with that if you booted up the same window would open by default. So, I was unable to boot up or work on it. I had to boot up from an external source, wipe the entire drive, and then clone back the backup clone I had. It took two days to get it working.

So, to say that you are "fully protected" may be what you want to hear, but it is naive at best. The OS is now contained in a read only volume and that is very good regarding viruses, but adware does not need to access that to install itself in your browser. Yes, you generally do not need any AV ware and your OS is quite protected, but adware or malware can happen. And in that case you will need something to get rid of it.

Just to re-iterate, Apple makes no official recommendation re: any 3rd party product. Also, later macOS and Safari versions have reinforced browsing protections significantly and continue to do so. That’s in addition to hardware advancements. Part of the high $$$ you pay for your device/computer is specifically for Apple security, which is head and shoulders over the rest.

So, anecdotal & social engineering-driven endorsements apart (of which you’ll find plenty on this site especially for OWC, Etre & of late Malwarebytes), really nothing to worry about. Just use common sense including sticking to Safari for browsing and the App Store for downloads as much as possible, you’ll be A-OK. Enjoy 😊

Malwarebytes is endorsed by many members of the group and is accepted as being safe to use. If you are concerned about loss of speed the simplest solution is to install Malwarebytes when you need to run a scan and afterwards uninstall it untill required again.

Malwarebytes was developed by one of our long time contributors and is great at finding and getting rid of popup ads (adware and malware). I have it - just in case - but would only run it if I have a problem with adware.

And, you need to familiarize yourself with software installs as that is going to happen quite often as there are security updates for the OS or updates for apps which should be installed.

It’s not needed, nor are any 3rd party virus-protection/performance enhancement/disk utilities. Avoid them all.

When installed you can have auto scan or manual so it will not run until requested. That is what I do.

When I do tech support for a friend's older iMac I manually scan with free versions of Malwarebytes, DriveDX & Bitdefender. I've had all three find malware missed by the others. On my own machine I run the free version of Bitdefender every few months, but I've never found anything.

No clue, ignore. As long as your Mac’s up to-date, you download Apps exclusively from the App Store and use Safari for all your browsing, you’re fully protected at all times. Enjoy 😊

To correct my previous post, I scan for malware with the free version of DetectX (not DriveDX, which is a scanner for drive health)

👍😉