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Best Anti-Virus for Mac ?

Ultimate Best Anti-Virus for Mac is ?

Posted on Jun 10, 2014 10:52 AM

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21 replies

Jun 10, 2014 11:04 AM in response to skanner21

Trojans don't need to be detected. Just don't install them in the first place.


In general, you don't need any. OS X does a very good job protecting itself. The rest is the user using their brains and avoiding illegal file web sites; NOT opening every email attachment you get without wondering why you got it in the first place; NOT giving the OS your admin password when it pops up to install something you didn't even inititate, etc.


See here for more information.

Jun 10, 2014 11:02 AM in response to skanner21

OS X now has built-in trojan detection that Apple can update whenever a new one appears. All the other major anti-virus products for the Mac are troublesome at best, often causing major slowdowns of the computer, web browsing, etc. There are no malwares out there that can infect your computer without you doing to something to allow it, either by clicking on a link or visitng a website you shouldn't be visiting in the first place. In other words, the most dangerous security flaw on any computer these days is the person sitting in front of it.


Be that as it may a lot of people swear by ClamXav, a free (donation asked for) virus scanner. I use it myself and it doesn't slow down or tax the computer very much if at all.

Jun 10, 2014 11:17 AM in response to skanner21

If you suspect trouble with your Mac, please describe the symptoms in as much detail as possible, and include a description of the Mac you are using. EtreCheck can help with that. Please read about it first.


Do not seek an "anti-virus" solution for nonspecific problems. Doing so is almost certain to exacerbate whatever troubles you may be experiencing, generally starting you down a well-worn path to misery.

Jun 11, 2014 5:37 AM in response to skanner21

So Anti virus or not ? Sophos or ClamXav or avast ? cybersecurity ? kaspersky ? bitdefender ? norton ? intego ?


See my Mac Malware Guide. Many of those that you mention aren't much good, for widely varying reasons.


If you choose to use anti-virus software, Sophos is good, but has a chance of causing performance or stability problems. Less so than most similar programs, but it's still possible. ClamXav doesn't detect quite as well as Sophos (or, it didn't last time I tested it, but it's been improving steadily lately) but won't cause you any problems at all.


It's important to understand, though, that anti-virus software cannot protect someone who engages in risky online behavior.

Jun 11, 2014 7:32 AM in response to skanner21

Sophos is not a program you would use once a week. It's active in the background all the time. You can disable that, but if that's not what you want in the first place, go for something like ClamXav.


Also, note that you should not be running full hard drive scans once per week. That's a serious waste of resources and a pretty ineffective waste of time. If you are going to bother with anti-virus software in the first place - the utility of which is debatable - you either need to have full-time on-access scanning or you need to manually scan every incoming file before opening it. If are not being appropriately cautious with the entry points, and you did happen to get infected with some rare malware, a once-per-week scan will only catch it after the fact, at which point (depending on the malware) your only option may be to erase your hard drive and start fresh.

Jun 11, 2014 7:43 AM in response to skanner21

How long ago was it that you switched from Windows?


skanner21 wrote:


I dont have any symptoms.

Im just working in a sensible domain....

So Anti virus or not ?


You are making the common assumption that OS X requires additional products from third party companies to protect it from viruses and malware. Apple does not sell Macs with such a need. Installing products from companied that claim specialized knowledge of a Mac's operating system, even greater than that of Apple's own designers, is a questionable need, if not a downright ridiculous one. "Sensible" is not a characterization I would use for such an action. It's irresponsible. Ill-conceived "anti-virus" utilities are directly responsible for the overwhelming majority of Mac-related problems reported on this site.


I personally tested most of those examples on a brand new Mac containing nothing other than one minimally configured User account and found them to range from benign but worthless, to causing the brand new Mac to become so unresponsive that it was practically unusable. The performance effects were quantifiably measured using popular benchmarking software, subjective observation of their intrusiveness, and effectiveness of their uninstallation utilities and instructions.


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.
    • Java can be disabled in System Preferences.
    • 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.

Sep 2, 2015 12:55 PM in response to John Galt

Hello John,

I've just looked into the subject anti-virus and found your reply to skanner21..

All the things you said in that excellent answer tally with what I do (or rather don't do) and yet I get frequent system crashes, irrespective of browser (currently I'm using Firefox). The only outside sites we visit are British news papers (Guardian, Independent, New Statesman) Facebook, occasionally the German radio and TV pages and almost daily the German weather radar. All respectable sites one would hope. 🙂

Perhaps, as you suggested, I should check the browser extensions...

Thanks for some good advice,

GeTe

Best Anti-Virus for Mac ?

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