Does Macbook Pro need an antivirus? And if so what program is recommended?

No antivirus software is needed at this time.

Opinions vary on the need and/or benefits of an external anti virus application. There is a built-in anti virus routine the runs and updates in the background. There are a number of programs out there and their usefulness is debated on a number of forums. IMHO there is no need (right now) for an external program but if you're really leaning that way, check out the app store and there's a FREE program available.

Scott

There is no need to install anti-virus in the Mac.

But if you want to install one, ClamXav is the one.

I have not installed any av software in this computer.

Best.

Malware protection is built into OS X. Activate Gatekeeper and you can forget about malware. Even without it, there is still automatic recognition of known OS X malware in downloaded files.

Yes and No

It depends upon the version of OS X, what Apple is doing to what OS X version under the hood, the compliance with corporate or school policy, if your dealing with Windows files or not.

It depends upon what kind of anti-virus: always on/at boot restrictive types, or run as you need it types.

It's also depends based upon current threat levels and if Apple is responding or not to current threats, which they sometimes don't do fast enough.

Gatekeeper is not going to clean Windows files of their filth, it only restricts programs runing on your machine from Apple or Apple vetted developers.

There is PLENTY of great software out there that Apple won't approve or on the AppStore or want to deal with Apple.

LittleSnitch, SnapZPro X and so forth won't get Apple clearance, doesn't mean they are malware, doesn't mean one should think they are no good or to deny themselves running them if one wishes.

Gatekeeper is B.S., it's supposed to give Apple a 2/3 advantage in deciding what runs on your machine.

OS X has been very secure for many years, even OS 9 etc was very secure, there is no need for Gatekeeper, never has been.

Read my User Tip about the subject.

Harden your Mac against malware attacks

ds store-

That article needs to be broken into several narrower articles limited to a few pages each. It is far too much info to have in one article. Good stuff, just too big all at once. It's overwhelming.

How about writing a chatty "Overview" article, that has links off to stand-alone articles on the different sub-topics.

Grant Bennet-Alder wrote:

That article needs to be broken into several narrower articles limited to a few pages each.

I try work within the confines of the one User Tip to be fair to others.

There is malware out there for Macs, but it's certainly possible to get by without AV software. If you do use AV software, you have to be aware that no AV software is capable of catching everything. So AV software should be used as no more than a safety net. First and foremost, you have to learn how to protect yourself. See my Mac Malware Guide for details on all that.

Maybe you don't need antivirus if you are a person who never makes mistakes (I have never met one in my whole life). When buying a 3G USB device sales person downloaded the operating system from his own 3G device rather than the new one as though it had to be done that way. Unknown to me these contain a programable chip. My Mac Book Pro was infected with at least one virus and some malware. It destroyed the new 3G device and the replacement after Apple suposedly fixed the problem. It infected my Time Machine on an external hard drive so I can't use the data without reinfecting my MBC. If I had antivirus it would have warned me about what was happening. So now I am looking for the best antivirus for OS X. Any suggestions?

My Mac Book Pro was infected with at least one virus and some malware. It destroyed the new 3G device and the replacement after Apple suposedly fixed the problem. It infected my Time Machine on an external hard drive so I can't use the data without reinfecting my MBC.

Not possible. That's not the way malware on Mac OS X works, even if you did somehow manage to become infected. You can't become infected simply by "using data files" (unless you define that very differently than I do). I'm not sure what 3G device you're talking about, but software cannot destroy hardware.

If you don't have anti-virus software that has identified some specific malware, what makes you believe that the behavior you are seeing is related in any way to malware?

edited version below

(edited version of reply to A.Thomas324)

This happened in India. I was in contact with Mac India about it. The virus turned up when I tried to transfer data to another computer via a thumb drive which was new and not been used for any other purpose. The anti virus program would not let me download and Identifiied a specific kind of virus as the reason. There appeared to be other malwear. I found files open on my desktop that I did not open. The keyboard dimmer jammed at one setting. When this happened they told me to reload the OS or my computer may be permanently damaged. When I did so the dimmer unjammed. After putting files back on my MBP from the Time Machine I have noticed odd thing hapenning. An open window was found pushed down almost out of view when I reopened the screen. I also had small window pop up saying that it was necesary to click it and resend my pass word and user ID on one of my bank accounts. I cancelled that window and the bank system opened anyway. The 3G device hardware may not have been damaged. The techies from the company came and worked on it for a couple of hours then took it away telling me that they would replace the chip. A week later they brought me a new one. They either did not know or would not tell me what happened to the original one. I don't know technically what an virus or malwear is, just what they do. What else would cause these effects. I guess malware is wrong. Maybe there is a better word.

The virus that was identified on the thumb drive was almost certainly a Windows virus. It could not have done anything to your Mac. As to the rest of the behavior you describe, none of that sounds like behavior exhibited by any known Mac malware. Sounds like you had something wrong with your machine, probably a hardware defect if the techs replaced it with a new machine.

Perhaps it is unknown malwear. Also, the replacement USB 3G device exhibited the same behavior and died after a week. I left India and was not able to contact them about it. It seems to me that my MBP carrying a virus that can transfer to PC or at least stop me from transfering is a good reason to have an antivirus on my computer and I am now researching which one. Of course if it were an unknown virus it would not be caught.

Most people here have valid points, so I wont expand on them too much, however I certainly think that any modern operating system warrants an Antivirus program.

The difference is which AV program, and what are you trying to protect against.

While there may be no immediate danger of a virus on a Mac, there is certainly danger of Malware, and thats the big difference. Malware goes beyond the traditional virus, and uses multilpe techniques/ways to infilltrate the computer.

Most Malware writers now are looking to steal information like bank details, passwords, etc and there are plenty of programs that will do that on the Mac, just like Windows. How do you know that the freeware program you just downloaded doesnt contain a keylogger or some other process that allows them to send data back to the internet somewhere.

So, having said all that, if you have an AV program that just does AV, then I dont think its a high priority.

Look for an AV program that goes beyond that with some Network protection (the apple firewall is questionable IMHO), Mail, and hopefully browser protection.

At the end of the day its a numbers game for malware writers. They are going to go where the people are, or where the people are most vulnerable. As Mac OSX gains more ground on Windows, it will eventually be worth the Malware writers time and money to start developing for the Mac