Clamxav 3 should I get it

I concur with everything Klaus1 has said, except for his last statement.

All AV software is actually anti-malware software today. The terminology has simply been perpetuated over the years and Malwarebytes is just as much of an AV software package as any other on the market today. They all are currently designed to detect and eliminate all forms of malware known to attack macOS and associated applications, but the methods for doing so vary considerably.

What sets Malwarebytes apart (along with DetectX, the QuickScan capabilities of ClamXAV v3 and perhaps others that I'm not as familiar with) is that it only looks for malware in places where it's known to show up. Most other scanners work the old fashioned way of checking every file it has access to for every infection that it knows about. In several cases, that includes infections that only attack other platforms (e.g. Windows). As you may have guessed, that takes significant amounts of CPU and RAM resources to accomplish and what has long given AV software a negative reputation.

One last comment to the OP is that Apple rarely responds in any way to questions posted here. This is a user to user forum only hosted by Apple, so I would be amazed if you received any response at all here, or for that matter, even if you were to contact them directly. It's been many years since they have taken an official position on this so I'm afraid you are on your own with regard to that question.

Just educate yourself on the current threat and take into consideration how risky your computing practices are, then balance that against any impact to your computer by running such software. Most, if not all of them today have a free trial period to evaluate that latter and see if you have any existing infections. Your situation may well differ from mine or any other user here, so it must remain a personal decision for each and every user.

Yes, ClamXav works well, but the latest version requires that you are running Yosemite or above, NOT the older version covered by this forum.

Only if you're concerned about Windows malware.

(163394)

That's true, but v2.19 will continue to get free definition updates through 31 Oct and if you then purchase a V3 subscription (at half price for current users) then you can use it on V2 and it will continue to get definition updates for as long as you continue to subscribe.

I have used all the versions prior to 3 and have found it very useful, however, I have only used it as a passive (on demand scanner) and have not used the real time Sentry protection feature. I have found it a solid app. I do plan on upgrading to 3 sometime in the near future.

Read this first:

Effective defenses against malware and other threats

I wouldn’t purchase any malware program unless it’s directly from Apple.

You are entirely free to make any decisions you like, including ignoring any advice you receive on these forums, even from highly knowledgeable contributors who have decades of experience with Apple Macs.

The Mac is actually Linux Based: no it isn't, it is Unix based, but it is not Unix albeit an Apple-created variant of it.

the very first computer virus was on a like-for-like O/S: ancient history is not a basis on which to judge modern operating systems.

So, Apple, is there a need for third-party anti-malware software? Yes (for example the high reputable and trustworthy MalwareBytes), but not anti-virus software which is what we are discussing here.

I’m now not convinced that I should use it. Then don't.

Hi Asinrutee :-)

Earlier in this thread, IdrisSeabright said " I have no reason to distrust the developers of Clamxav. They've been around a long time and have a good reputation, last I checked." Do you understand from that statement that the developer of ClamXAV is actually one of the contributors on the ASC forums? If so, using a different name here perhaps?

I'm aware that ClamXAV was at one time available from the Apple App store so I'd certainly have expected the developer to have had a presence here. What's your view?

GA

GA11 wrote:

I'm aware that ClamXAV was at one time available from the Apple App store so I'd certainly have expected the developer to have had a presence here.

This is a user-to-user technical support forum. With a very few exceptions, having an app in the Apple App Store doesn't translate to having a presence here.

Asinrutee wrote:

I’m with GA11 here, I would expect him to have a presence here, perhaps he has

I'm not sure why either of you would. Again, it's rare that someone has a presence here to support an application in the App Store. It would be a highly inefficient way to provide support. I know a couple of people who happen to have applications that are not (or were not) available in the App Store who have a presence but they're not here primarily to support their product.

Every now and again, you'll see someone working here on behalf of a product. However, they're required to be very careful about how they comport themselves. There are rules about what they can and cannot say and their posts usually have to include disclaimers.

Stussy547 wrote:

I wouldn’t purchase any malware program unless it’s directly from Apple.

And, as Apple doesn't make any such program..... 😉