jucamohedano
Level 1 (12 points)
Desktops

Q: MacBook Pro PROTECTION

Hey guys,

 

I need some help to protect my Mac from malware and virus, so please if you can suggest me some options of how can I get some proctection I'd thank you.

 

PS: I just bought this new Mac I few months ago, therefore I'm a beginner in this world.

 

PROCESSOR: 2.9 GHz Intel Core i5

MEMORY: 8 GB 1867 MHz DDR3

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5)

Posted on Aug 15, 2016 5:18 AM

by JimmyCMPIT,Solvedanswer
JimmyCMPIT JimmyCMPIT
Level 5 (7,127 points)
Mac OS X
A:

you need to protect your mac from Mac Anti-Virus products, they cause more harm than anything else.

At this time there still are no mac virus in the wild and while that could change tomorrow no Mac AV solution has ever faced an actual threat, but reports of these products causing harm to the OS is common on the forums from slowdowns to kernel panics. Mac AV has had nowhere the amount of time and energy invested in it as it's Windows counterparts and it will become obvious it's a sub-par solution in almost all cases.

 

Many mac applications that as on "behalf" of the OS will cause issues, they've been documented here. OS X does an incredible job of maintaining itself, let it do so without interruption and your system will be that much the better for it.

 

common sense is the best possible practice to keep your mac safe. Update when Apple makes security and OS updates available, stay off sites that promote unscrupulous behavior like file sharing, don't get software from torrents.

practice safe browsing.

 

One product I will recommend and so will many others is Malwarebytes,which does not defend against malware but remove malware it can identify. I does not work like AV and it does not protect against, only remove it if it finds it.

Posted on Aug 15, 2016 9:16 AM

Close
jucamohedano

Q: MacBook Pro PROTECTION

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by JimmyCMPIT,Solvedanswer

    JimmyCMPIT JimmyCMPIT Aug 15, 2016 9:16 AM in response to jucamohedano
    Level 5 (7,127 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 15, 2016 9:16 AM in response to jucamohedano

    you need to protect your mac from Mac Anti-Virus products, they cause more harm than anything else.

    At this time there still are no mac virus in the wild and while that could change tomorrow no Mac AV solution has ever faced an actual threat, but reports of these products causing harm to the OS is common on the forums from slowdowns to kernel panics. Mac AV has had nowhere the amount of time and energy invested in it as it's Windows counterparts and it will become obvious it's a sub-par solution in almost all cases.

     

    Many mac applications that as on "behalf" of the OS will cause issues, they've been documented here. OS X does an incredible job of maintaining itself, let it do so without interruption and your system will be that much the better for it.

     

    common sense is the best possible practice to keep your mac safe. Update when Apple makes security and OS updates available, stay off sites that promote unscrupulous behavior like file sharing, don't get software from torrents.

    practice safe browsing.

     

    One product I will recommend and so will many others is Malwarebytes,which does not defend against malware but remove malware it can identify. I does not work like AV and it does not protect against, only remove it if it finds it.

  • by BobTheFisherman,

    BobTheFisherman BobTheFisherman Aug 15, 2016 7:12 AM in response to jucamohedano
    Level 6 (15,269 points)
    Aug 15, 2016 7:12 AM in response to jucamohedano

    Effective defenses against malware and other threats

  • by macjack,

    macjack macjack Aug 15, 2016 7:24 AM in response to jucamohedano
    Level 9 (55,682 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 15, 2016 7:24 AM in response to jucamohedano

    There are no viruses that can attack Mac.OS X. So, anti-virus programs are selling a cure for a disease that doesn't exist. And they are renowned for borking Mac systems.

     

    A Mac can pick up malware but not if you just use common sense. You really have to actively invite some malware in for it to happen. That means downloading and knowingly giving your password for it to download. Mac provides all the protection you need with SIP (System Integrity Protection).I About System Integrity Protection on your Mac - Apple Support

     

    If you do happen to download malware you can use MalwareBytes to get rid of it. Malwarebytes was developed by one of our own colleagues here in ASC. It gets rave reviews and is about the most proven anti-malware software for Mac.

     

    Keep your security set to “App Store and identified developers” Don’t download software from third party sites.If you use torrents, don't. Torrents are a good way to pick up malware because it can hitchhike in on a download package and you’ll never know it.

     

    Safari pop-ups are different and easier to deal with. In Safari 9.1 and later just close the window. For earlier versions force quit and hold the shift key while restarting Safari.

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203987

     

    Finally, stay away from programs that purport to "clean your Mac". They can do damage to your system. Your Mac needs no cleaning in the first place. All the cleaning that is necessary is taken care of routinely by OS X.