Edward Fred

Q: So Windows malware really is harmless in Mac?

Hello!

 

New Mac owner. Coming from Windows background, I need to ask this:

 

Even if my Mac has Windows malware, nothing really happens? It can't steal passwords, spy on me etc?

 

http://www.infoworld.com/article/2617132/mac-os-x/why-mac-users-should-care-abou t-windows-malware.html

The good news is that even though Macs are capable of harboring Windows-targeting viruses and Trojans, those machines can't be harmed by the malware in all but exceptional cases.

 

Is this article right there is a possibility or...?

 

 

- User who suffered years of Windows security holes

Posted on Sep 17, 2016 7:58 AM

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Q: So Windows malware really is harmless in Mac?

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  • by etresoft,

    etresoft etresoft Sep 19, 2016 12:33 PM in response to WZZZ
    Level 7 (29,288 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 19, 2016 12:33 PM in response to WZZZ

    Hello again WZZZ,

    Most people have a difficult time determining when they have an adware infection and when they are seeing normal ads on the web. If anything, they seem to attribute normal internet ads to adware and only notice adware when it begins to slow down their machines. That goes back to the differences, or lack thereof, between adware and malware. Adware isn't just about inserting ads into web sites as people browse the internet. It is also about actively going onto the internet and "clicking through" on ads to generate more direct revenue. They can do that whether the user is browsing the web or not. And there could be all kinds of other web-based schemes from bitcoin mining to DDoS attacks and everything in between.

     

    Had I set out to disparage MalwareBytes for Mac, I would have done so much more effectively. In fact, I recommend it quite frequently here on Apple Support Communities. But do I happen to think that EtreCheck is a better tool for helpers to use here in the forums. It isn't the same kind of "black box" that MalwareBytes is. It prints what it finds, makes the best determination it can about what the results probably are, and leaves it to the helpers to give the OP specific instructions. For well-known adware, I can't just leave people hanging, so I go ahead and let them delete that stuff. For the grey areas, or the zero-day, random filename types of malware, I am much more dependent on the helper to give advice. Should the OP take any action with EtreCheck, it even includes the results of what files the OP deleted. That way, everyone - the OP and the helpers - can know what EtreCheck found, what action the OP took, and what the final result was.

     

    It is not disparagement to point out that MalwareBytes doesn't do that. It is a different tool with different use cases. In terms of an effective Mac anti-malware tool, it is the best there is - and I've said that on many occasions, as you can easily verify. Probably the most comprehensive approach would be the following:

    1) Run EtreCheck to identify the broadest range of problems and address them

    2) Run MalwareBytes for Mac to more effectively remove adware, malware, and "Potentially Unwanted Programs".

    3) Run EtreCheck again to verify the machine is clean and, if necessary, remove anything that MalwareBytes for Mac missed.

     

    However, that is a fair amount of work for an OP. That's why I want to give them the option take care of everything in EtreCheck and jump right to #3. While EtreCheck will effectively disable adware and malware, it will not truly "remove" it. I know that is really not what people want. That want it purged completely and I just can't do that. That is something that MalwareBytes, with its greater resources to investigate individual malware variants, can do far more effectively than I ever could.

     

    If I did want to disparage MalwareBytes for Mac, I could. I do have some specific complaints about it. But I would rather not mention them because that isn't in the best interests of the community. This is a sensitive issue, so I make a point to avoid any direct comparisons between EtreCheck and MalwareBytes for Mac unless I have a specific situation where someone asked or said something to give me an opportunity. So I ultimately appreciate Thomas' little plug for MBAM and your responses that give me an opportunity promote EtreCheck as a more all-inclusive tool better suited to the Apple Support Communities venue.

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