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Antivirus

I currently have ClamXav installed as every1 says it is the best antivirus.


But shuld i also install some of the mac versions of norton, trend micro or sophos?

MacBook Pro

Posted on Sep 7, 2013 9:40 PM

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19 replies

Sep 7, 2013 9:57 PM in response to thebunnys

Slathering on layer upon layer of worthless anti-virus junk is not the way to address your concerns thebunnys. OS X already includes everything it needs to protect itself from viruses and malware.


Rather than repeatedly ask about which AV software to use, a better question is "how should I protect my Mac":


  • Never install any product that claims to "speed up", "clean up", "optimize", or "accelerate" your Mac. Without exception, they will do the opposite.
  • Never install pirated or "cracked" software, software obtained from dubious websites, or other questionable sources. Illegally obtained software is almost certain to contain malware.
  • Don’t supply your password in response to a popup window requesting it, unless you know what it is and the reason your credentials are required.
  • Don’t open email attachments from email addresses that you do not recognize, or click links contained in an email:
    • Most of these are scams that direct you to fraudulent sites that attempt to convince you to disclose personal information.
    • Such "phishing" attempts are the 21st century equivalent of a social exploit that has existed since the dawn of civilization. Don’t fall for it.
    • Apple will never ask you to reveal personal information in an email. If you receive an unexpected email from Apple saying your account will be closed unless you take immediate action, just ignore it. If your iTunes or App Store account becomes disabled for valid reasons, you will know when you try to buy something or log in to this support site, and are unable to.
  • Don’t install browser extensions unless you understand their purpose. Go to the Safari menu > Preferences > Extensions. If you see any extensions that you do not recognize or understand, simply click the Uninstall button and they will be gone.
  • Don’t install Java unless you are certain that you need it:
    • Java, a non-Apple product, is a potential vector for malware. If you are required to use Java, be mindful of that possibility.
    • Disable Java in Safari > Preferences > Security.
    • Despite its name JavaScript is unrelated to Java. No malware can infect your Mac through JavaScript. It’s OK to leave it enabled.
  • Block browser popups: Safari menu > Preferences > Security > and check "Block popup windows":
    • Popup windows are useful and required for some websites, but popups have devolved to become a common means to deliver targeted advertising that you probably do not want.
    • Popups themselves cannot infect your Mac, but many contain resource-hungry code that will slow down Internet browsing.
    • If you ever see a popup indicating it detected registry errors, that your Mac is infected with some ick, or that you won some prize, it is 100% fraudulent. Ignore it.
  • Ignore hyperventilating popular media outlets that thrive by promoting fear and discord with entertainment products arrogantly presented as "news". Learn what real threats actually exist and how to arm yourself against them:
    • The most serious threat to your data security is phishing. To date, most of these attempts have been pathetic and are easily recognized, but that is likely to change in the future as criminals become more clever.
    • OS X viruses do not exist, but intentionally malicious or poorly written code, created by either nefarious or inept individuals, is nothing new.
    • Never install something without first knowing what it is, what it does, how it works, and how to get rid of it when you don’t want it any more.
    • If you elect to use "anti-virus" software, familiarize yourself with its limitations and potential to cause adverse effects, and apply the principle immediately preceding this one.
    • Most such utilities will only slow down and destabilize your Mac while they look for viruses that do not exist, conveying no benefit whatsoever - other than to make you "feel good" about security, when you should actually be exercising sound judgement, derived from accurate knowledge, based on verifiable facts.
  • Do install updates from Apple as they become available. No one knows more about Macs and how to protect them than the company that builds them.


Summary: Use common sense and caution when you use your Mac, just like you would in any social context. There is no product, utility, or magic talisman that can protect you from all the evils of mankind.

Sep 7, 2013 10:27 PM in response to thebunnys

It would help to know what version of OS X you are using on your MBP. Please add that to your profile.


A fully up-to-date OS X 10.6.8 and above will currenlty protect you against all known malware if you pay attention to the warnings it gives you. 10.7 and 10.8 give you better and best protection. Apple says to leave Java turned off in all your browsers as a precaution against the next threat there.


If you often download illegal software, share files with PC users, enter your admin password or approve certificates withou knowing why then you probably need to be running something, but you need to make up your own mind based on a full understanding of what various security software can do for and to you, coupled with a realization of your own operating habits and not just keep asking everybody for their opinions, which will rarely change.


Start with Thomas Reed's Mac Malware Guide.


As John Galt has told you, the ClamXav Forum is full of advise on most any question you might have about it.

Sep 11, 2013 9:12 PM in response to thebunnys

A Remote Access Tool can be installed by someone with direct physical access to the Mac. So can anything else, for that matter.


A RAT is not a virus, but a utility that can conceivably be installed via a "Trojan" - malicious software masquerading as something else. Such things are typically downloaded from "warez" sites that illegally distribute pirated or "kracked" software. As I wrote, if you decide to do that absolutely nothing will stop you.


Read what I wrote earlier:


Never install something without first knowing what it is, what it does, how it works, and how to get rid of it when you don’t want it any more.


You haven't answered my question: what are you worried about? Do you have reason to believe your Mac has been tampered with? Is someone stalking you? Please explain.

Sep 11, 2013 9:33 PM in response to thebunnys

read an article b4 about that virus and was wondering if u can get it from visiting sites.


It's really not that simple. If a Mac could get a virus simply by visiting websites it wouldn't be a Mac. It would be a Windows PC. Millions of them would already have been affected.


The only problem that comes even remotely close to that concern was the Flashback Trojan. It exploited a Java vulnerability that has since been addressed - read what I wrote.


Apple slammed the door on that threat well over a year ago.

Sep 12, 2013 2:55 AM in response to John Galt

If a Mac could get a virus simply by visiting websites it wouldn't be a Mac.


Technically, a Mac could get infected just by visiting a website. Flashback has not been the only thing to install that way; there have been numerous other things that have done that as well. In fact, just a couple days ago, a new variant of Tibet was found doing exactly that:


Another Tibet variant appears


This is why it's important to understand where these threats are coming from and how to avoid them, rather than just saying "you're safe." There has never been a case of malware installed invisibly by visiting a web site on a Mac that wasn't due to either Java or Flash vulnerabilities. Java has been the main culprit, with Flash only having been exploited on the Mac once.


Details on how to protect yourself from such threats can be found in the section of my Mac Malware Guide titled How can I protect myself?.

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