Best anti virus for imac

If you want something free, try iAntivirus, VirusBarrier Express, or BitDefender Virus Scanner (all available on Mac App Store). If you don't mind paying money, VirusBarrier 2013 is one of the best choices around (available from Intego's website).

not necessary unless you plan to run WIndows. If you are not running Windows and insist on one, look into ClamXav for free from the app store.

If you are a former Windows user, the first thing you must do is rid yourself of the assumption that a Mac needs the same daily maintenance that Windows PCs require just to keep them operating. The vast majority of Mac-related problems reported on this site are the direct result of installing ill-conceived "anti-virus" or "security" garbage. If you don't want to come back here wondering why your Mac is running like a sick dog then avoid all such junk.

Intego VirusBarrier in particular caused a brand new Mac containing nothing other than Mavericks and one minimally configured User account became practically unusable with frequent beachballs, intermittent unresponsiveness, and an occasional momentary black screen. No experienced Mac user would consider such behaviour acceptable.

Macs are designed to be used, not pampered and fussed over constantly. Installing extra "anti-virus" or "cleaning" apps is only likely to cause problems, despite what their developers claim. The most highly visible and aggressively marketed products are often nothing more than scams.

Just got new iMac, looking for advice on best recommended anti-virus to use?

OS X already includes everything it needs to protect itself from viruses and malware. Keep it that way with software updates from Apple.

A much 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 judgment, 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.

ClamXav is free in the App Store.

OS X viruses do not exist, but intentionally malicious or poorly written code, created by either nefarious or inept individuals, is nothing new.

Please do not post false information in this forum.

None is needed unless you intend to use Windows on your Mac.

sjhilton wrote:

Just got new iMac, looking for advice on best recommended anti-virus to use?

In General 3rd Party AV Software is Not Required as Mac OS X tends to look after itself.

Read Here > https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4545776?tstart=0

See Here > Antivirus Discussion

The Safe Mac > http://www.thesafemac.com/mmg/

Also have a look at this Informative Discussion (June 2013 )

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5104047?answerId=22247724022#22247724022

What did you end up doing/ concluding? Don't have time to look into it deeply right now. But my iMac started acting crazy this morning. links were frozen on the browser and webpages, my mouse controls didn't work or acted differently, my shortcut keys did all kinds of strange things, when I went to type something, it typed in some strange script, on a Google page, when I clicked on a link it said Something like that the page was busy copying several folders… I have been using the Mac more than usual, but when it needs a restart, the pages just usually run really slow or freeze up, Never acting crazy like today....

I shutdown and restarted the computer, and it works fine now, except that ad block wasn't blocking as many ads as before. I had been using Google Chrome mostly, with a handful of extensions like adblock, WOT, shopping apps, session buddy. looking in the console, it looks like Google Chrome had updated, some strange listings of something about reporting the death of a child, which I don't have a clue as to what that's about. I don't think I even accidentally clicked on something like that.

I just skimmed a few of the replies above, but it seems like even if one is careful , one could easily enough slip up and catch a virus?

(I may be hard on my Mac. I have used it a lot and sometimes probably tend to try to push it faster then it will go. It may be inadequate to my needs] my 2007 iMac has crashed a few times. The last time was the worst and the internal hard drive no longer works. I'm running it off an external hard drive now.

If you have any clue as to what I'm talking about, any insights appreciated.

ioyo you should start your own Discussion. Replying to this one isn't likely to attract the help you need.

Try out AVG:

http://www.avg.com/in-en/avg-antivirus-for-mac

Why?

John Galt's excellent summary tells you all you need to know about anti-virus programs.

You don't need them; you do need a common sense approach.

Thanks for reply. Yes, I knew I probably should, but was thinking this might be less time-consuming for me. I do practice the things that you mentioned in your longer post. With the recent hacking of Yahoo and such, I've been more careful than usual, making sure emails come from the right address… [I guess any email from even people you know can be spoofed.] I've actually been finding myself unintentionally clicking on things as I fell asleep while trying to clean up my email.>> but you're saying that I couldn't catch a virus that way because there are no Mac viruses?

When I was having more crashing problems last year, I did do a free trial period of some anti-virus software that was recommended somewhere. When I ran it it claimed it found a number of spyware, I think. think they were mostly tracking cookies or something like that by sites like Google. I don't believe using that thing made my mac work any better, and I think my Mac crashed again at some point. [after each crash, a friend who works at Apple patched my computer back up as much as he could. I don't remember what the software was called and don't see any in my applications folder. I think we had to restore my Mac to an earlier back up that didn't have that on it. Or I may have deleted it after the trial]

**What I was wondering today was if the crazy way my computer was acting this morning could be results of a virus or something else that was planted on my mac, or is that the kind of weird behavior that could normally happen if I've been working most of the day on about 20+ tabs in chrome for a few days without a restart? [I don't work on that many tabs at once. I usually have them arranged in 2 to 3 windows which I try to keep preserved in the history menu, Pulling out one or two windows at a time. at the end of the day I close all the windows, leaving 1-2 tabs open, and put the Mac to sleep, leaving only the browser and [usually] speakable commands up]

I usually have on about nine well-known extensions in chrome. Haven't look at safari in a while, would that be safer to use?

but you're saying that I couldn't catch a virus that way because there are no Mac viruses?

That is correct. OS X viruses do not exist, but intentionally malicious or poorly written code, created by either nefarious or inept individuals, is nothing new.

When I ran it it claimed it found a number of spyware, I think. think they were mostly tracking cookies or something like that by sites like Google.

Not knowing what you used or what it found, that is also most likely correct.

I don't believe using that thing made my mac work any better,

Again not knowing what you used, it is literally impossible for any non-Apple "anti-virus" product to make your Mac work any better, and many such products have well-known detrimental effects. At least one that I tested will make a Mac effectively unusable.

I usually have on about nine well-known extensions in chrome. Haven't look at safari in a while, would that be safer to use?

Absolutely. Installing Chrome by using your Login name and password modifies your Mac at a privileged level and grants Google unfettered ability to access it for purposes known only to them. In that sense Chrome shares every characteristic of what would otherwise be considered a virus or spyware. Google can modify your Mac's system at any time, and without further consent from you. Google Chrome bugs can be exploited to listen to your private conversations. Is Google being nefarious, or are their programmers simply inept? Does it matter?

Google also has yet to demonstrate the ability to develop efficient OS X apps. Smart Mac users don't use Chrome.

Couldn't agree more, John,

How often do we see people loading up with Chrome extensions and then complaining about poor performance.