christinefromardrossan
Level 1 (0 points)

Q: Thinking of buying new iMac do I need anti virus or is what's installed enough

Thinking of buying new iMac will I need antivirus or is what's installed enough

Posted on May 9, 2011 3:39 PM

by Kappy,Solvedanswer
Kappy Kappy
Level 10 (270,401 points)
Desktops
A:

You do not need anti-virus software.  None is installed by default.  If you wish to use anti-virus software you can download and install ClamXAV - MacUpdate or CNET Downloads. Also visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQ on spyware and malware.

Posted on May 9, 2011 3:42 PM

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christinefromardrossan

Q: Thinking of buying new iMac do I need anti virus or is what's installed enough

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  • by laundry bleach,

    laundry bleach laundry bleach May 9, 2011 5:44 PM in response to christinefromardrossan
    Level 5 (6,982 points)
    Safari
    May 9, 2011 5:44 PM in response to christinefromardrossan

    I wouldn't let a Norton product in the same room as my Macs.

     

    Best of luck.

  • by Badunit,

    Badunit Badunit May 9, 2011 6:00 PM in response to christinefromardrossan
    Level 6 (11,705 points)
    iTunes
    May 9, 2011 6:00 PM in response to christinefromardrossan

    Usually this question gets answered from the Mac user's point of view, like it did here.  That is, no Mac viruses = no need for antivirus application.  But we don't live in a vacuum. You don't want to be a carrier, spreading PC viruses and other malware to your non-Mac friends and/or coworkers.

  • by Rambling Sid,

    Rambling Sid Rambling Sid May 9, 2011 7:54 PM in response to Badunit
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 9, 2011 7:54 PM in response to Badunit

    Its been 6 years since I switched from a P.C. but some habits just don't go away.  I use Sophos Antivirus, it is free and sits up on the menu bar.  Only thing it has detected is a few Windows nasties, I agree with the previous poster, not cool to spread around any viruses.

  • by Silly rabbit,

    Silly rabbit Silly rabbit May 9, 2011 10:24 PM in response to Joseph Albanese2
    Level 4 (2,980 points)
    May 9, 2011 10:24 PM in response to Joseph Albanese2

    I am always amazed by Windoze users wanting to run antivirus and antimalware apps on a Mac. Antivirus software is malware on a Mac. - Also, don't believe any of that crap about viruses becoming a danger for Macs. There are very few places to hide them within a Mac system and even if they attempted to it would stand out like dog's thingies. Unlike the countless thousands of folders in the Windoze OS.

  • by Joseph Albanese2,

    Joseph Albanese2 Joseph Albanese2 May 10, 2011 7:06 AM in response to Silly rabbit
    Level 1 (145 points)
    May 10, 2011 7:06 AM in response to Silly rabbit

    "There are very few places to hide them within a Mac system"

     

    Another reason I heard viruses are benign on a Mac is because OS does not have a Registry. Is this true?

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