Anti Virus

I used Intego Internet Security 2013 which worked fine, but I prefer Webroot SecureAnywhere because I find that it uses less resources. I got Webroot for free because I'm a customer with Ally Bank, so I don't know about pricing, but Intego is priced reasonably.

fpc22 wrote:

What anti virus software works best with 10.9?

10.9 comes with XProtect from Apple. You don't need anything else. Antivirus software does more damage to Macs that the malware does.

I concur with EtreSoft.

AV software is not needed and generally only causes problems instead of fixing them on Macs.

Allan

Is this still the case? My bank tells me I need AV protection.

paxima wrote:

Is this still the case? My bank tells me I need AV protection.

You have Apple's XProtect and Gatekeeper protections installed.

Want better security? Disable web access to or remove Adobe Flash Player, avoid Oracle Java or disable web access, always pick secure passwords — no AV available protects against bad password choices after all — keep current backups, avoid loading remote images in mail and don't allow opening of "safe" file extensions, etc.

Stuff to avoid: don't go clicking on and downloading and installing stuff you didn't go looking for, and only download stuff you are looking for from the original distribution site — not from any of the download aggregator web sites. Don't go installing random toolbars, "performance-enhancing" or tools that claim to manage or keep or clean or optimize caches or I/O or CPU performance, either. Don't click on and don't trust links in mail messages, either.

As was mentioned up-thread, antivirus software does have a long history of causing more problems on OS X than it solves, too — weird problems, false positives, etc.

There are serious questions about how well antivirus even protects — that from a senior VP at one of the companies in the antivirus industry, too.

Is this Trusteer by any chance?

Is this still the case? My bank tells me I need AV protection.

Yes. Is that significant?

Thanks. Linc Davis has also given a very full and helpful reply.

Just wondered. My bank tried to peddle the exact same thing. I researched it and found, (at that time - things may be different now), that it wasn’t a nice product. I have chosen to do without it and haven’t been hacked yet. The bank cannot make you use it I don’t believe.

Best practice is too use long passwords and two factor authentication. If your bank doesn’t support this move banks.

Banks are just trying to be helpful. Problem is, they assume you're using Windows, and the likelihood of being infected with something is much higher. Though even that depends on what web sites you commonly visit. I haven't had AV software in Windows for decades and have never had a problem.

I also don't do wildly stupid things like installing illegal software from P2P, torrent, or pirate sites. Trojans like these are about the only way to infect Macs right now, and is the number one way crooks are using to get back doors, key loggers and other types of malware on Macs. They add the malware to an installer for (example) Photoshop, and it gets installed along with the commercial software you think you're getting for "free". Purchase the software you use from the vendors who created it, and you're extremely unlikely to ever see any type of malware on your computer.

Also, as MrHoffman said, do not acquire any software from any of the download aggregator web sites. By that, he means sites such as CNET's www.downloads.com, and www.softonic.com. They both have been wrapping all legitimate software you can get through them with adware installers. Adware is very annoying, but not dangerous to your computing experience. But if they're already doing that, what next?

hi gumsie

I used Trusteer with windows XP plus my AV for quite a few years and had no problems. When you say it is not a nice product, what do you mean?

Our bank security is pretty strong. I am now concerned re Trusteer. or am I being paranoid?

Thanks Kurt. Makes sense.

I avoid the activities you mention. But I do bank online, and occasionally shop on-line so am obviously concerned about security.

My own insecurity stems from my complete lack of computing knowledge - other than basic user experience -

and, although I am careful about what I open, it is the inadvertent action that concerns me! It is so easy to click on the wrong thing when in a hurry or distracted.

Ads are a particular nightmare! I hate them! Even though I never set my system to open except on a double click - they open sometimes when the cursor hovers.

Also, I use my macbook air for business and have to check out incoming mail - a lot of it is junk and/or scams but occasionally these are not immediately identifiable so there is always a lurking fear.

I have recently switched to the mac OS but of course am having to learn a whole lot of new stuff.

My thinking was that at least an AV would take care of known issues; brand new ones will always be a problem.

But I realise from what you and others have said, that apple's own security deals with the known issues and vigilance is the best practise.

Thank you

But I do bank online, and occasionally shop on-line so am obviously concerned about security.

And not at all a bad thing. It's more a matter of caution over paranoia.

My own insecurity stems from my complete lack of computing knowledge - other than basic user experience -

We've all been there. What seems easy now or, "Well, duh! Of course you shouldn't have done that!", to a more experienced user is something I and everyone else also had to learn from scratch.

Ads are a particular nightmare! I hate them! Even though I never set my system to open except on a double click - they open sometimes when the cursor hovers.

I presume you don't have Java installed, since by default, it isn't. A JavaScript action (no similarity to Java, despite the name) is most likely what you experienced there. JavaScript does a lot of stuff to make the web more fluid. Like rollovers. For example, if you move your mouse over the lineup of gray boxes across the top of this page, each one turns a darker shade of gray. That's one example of a rollover effect. Note you didn't need to click anything. So a rollover can also be used to trigger a jump to an ad you had zero desire to look at. To block most ads so they don't even load on a page you visit, install either GlimmerBlocker, or AdBlock. Both are free.

Also, I use my macbook air for business and have to check out incoming mail - a lot of it is junk and/or scams but occasionally these are not immediately identifiable so there is always a lurking fear.

That fear is currently moot under OS X. Almost 100% of malware attachments in emails are targeted at Windows users. They can't do a thing to a Mac since they can't run under any OS than the one they were created for. Very rarely, a Mac Trojan will go around as an attachment, but a Trojan has to launched by you like any other app before it can do anything. They can't run by themselves. Just delete them if you happen to get one.

My thinking was that at least an AV would take care of known issues; brand new ones will always be a problem.

Even people in the AV industry are moving away from selling such software. It can only catch known threats. Most anything new flies right through. In short, it's a complete waste of money and only succeeds in slowing your computer down.

But I realise from what you and others have said, that apple's own security deals with the known issues and vigilance is the best practise.

Yup. Using the ol' noggin is still best. The only difficult part for less experienced users is determining FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) from actual threats.

I have found that the free version of Sophos is excellent. It does not cause any sort of noticeable drop in speed of the machine, and it has come in handy on a few occasions. There is mac malware out there and unfortunately, the tools that come with macs don't entirely cut it. I'm not one of those paranoid, balls-to-the-wall antivirus users, but since Sophos really just runs nicely in the background and does offer very good protection, and is free, there's not much reason not to have it.

http://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/free-tools/sophos-antivirus-for-mac-home-ed ition.aspx