Mac Anti Virus?

Do I really need an anti virus software? Norton or other? Thanks.

About the best you can do, if running Mac OS X in your computer and not Windows (as you'd get an av software for that system, if running via BootCamp or other emulation) would be to get and use ClamXav to scan your system, and if you find anything it can help isolate the item.
•ClamXav:
http://www.clamxav.com/
However there are no known virus that affect Macs in the wild; and there are some questionable things that aren't going to be prevented by a software without the ability to think ahead to prevent that which hasn't been invented yet.
There may be a fair antivirus software for mac, but one of the best ones (supposedly) no longer is available.
If you are concerned with Leopard 10.5.8, that is fairly obsolete. Your larger worries may come from what you can get by browsing and installing junkware such as cleanmymac, mackeeper, and other 'helpers' that don't help Mac OS X do anyhing but run slow and fail. Other items known as 'adware' can be addressed by not falling for trying to install software from questionable sites, and being careful to not click on anything pretending to be anything free. Usually a mouse-over can tell you in the browser margin, what the link is; though that can't be counted on as a true indicator of the content.
Ads that pepper the edges of legitimate web site content have to be watched, since you may not want the thing they are selling; some items install almost instantly, such as adware items. Removal is more than finding an uninstaller, and where available, they often do nothing to remove the problem. Some ad to it.
Some fair helpful reading, though not totally conclusive, may be found in the following pages; some of the methods require a pathway of checking through items to be sure what you are looking at. And fairly good ideas on removing problems. And there are other perspectives; most honest ones do not require purchasing or downloading to resolve an issue.
•The Safe Mac - Adware Removal Guide:
http://www.thesafemac.com/arg/
•The Safe Mac - Mac Malware Guide:
http://www.thesafemac.com/mmg/
•The Safe Mac - Mac Performance Guide:
http://www.thesafemac.com/mpg/
•The Safe Mac - The Myth of the Dirty Mac:
http://www.reedcorner.net/the-myth-of-the-dirty-mac/
Anyway, if you decide to try & upgrade your Mac OS X be sure you and the Mac are ready for it, and have a suitable backup clone on a reliable externally enclosed hard disk drive that can boot & run the Mac from its clone. Then, any upgrade is not a dead end, since you can revert more easily with a complete clone of all your older system and your user accounts, etc. Be sure to test the clone for all it should be, prior to attempting any major system repair or maintenance that may compromise iMac's hard disk drive & content.
You can find quality backup external hard disk drive products with their own power supplies, at mac-centric vendors such as macsales.com (aka OWC) as well as quality replacement parts, optical drives, RAM, etc.
Forget Norton. It may have been OK back in the pre-X days of the original Mac OS 8. Maybe. I've had every Mac OS from Mac OS 6.0 through 9.2.2, and only Mac OS X from 10.0 through 10.5.8. Plus a few Missing Manuals for later Mac OS X, and some Mac software... often bought at extreme discount second-hand.
Very likely your iMac does not need an antivirus product. Careful web browsing and to pay close attention to the places you visit, things you click on, and be a skeptic when the ads tell you how to cure a slow mac. My Macs have none of that; a few still run Tiger 10.4.11, and only one can run Snow Leopard 10.6.8, and while I have a nice 30¢ missing manual, have not bought the $20 retail DVD.
Good luck & happy computing!
{edited 3x}

Similar Messages

Mac anti virus top 10

I need recommendation for top 10 mac anti virus software.
thanks, Lucy126

I'm not sure that it is possible to come up with a true "top 10." Everyone's needs are going to be a little different, and there are many different criteria to consider.
I have done some testing that provides a basic measurement of one criterion, sorting anti-virus engines into a quantifiable list. See the latest results here:
Mac anti-virus testing 2014
It's important to understand, though, that this is a measurement of only one criterion, and there are other criteria that would cause me to actively recommend against some of the top ranked there. Some of them are likely to cause instability or errors, some serious performance issues and some a major problem with false positives.
If you are looking for a recommendation for some anti-virus software, I would strongly advise starting with a reading of my Mac Malware Guide. This will give you the information you need to learn how to stay safe online, and if you decide you want to use anti-virus software, it does include some recommendations.

Anti virus for mac, anti virus for mac

Is ther an anti virus for mac?

Sophos free home use for mac
http://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/free-tools/sophos-antivirus-for-mac-home-ed ition.aspx
also ClamXav available free from apple store
I found I was happier with sophos running
http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57422099-285/two-free-mac-antivirus-apps-com pared/
read
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/askjack/2010/feb/03/apple-data-computer-sec urity
Personal Preference.

What is the best mac anti virus

Please dont just say to get clamxav or that mac dont get viruses because they do.
Well they mostly get trojans.
ps clamxav *****!

Hi,
I have been using Sophos Antivirus, it has picked up trojans or whatever it was that was downloaded just by using Apple Mail on both my wife's user account, but at the time it picked it up I was using my own user account!!
http://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/free-tools/sophos-antivirus-for-mac-home-ed ition.aspx.
I know I won't be changing AV Products.
Hope this helps.
Hugh

Mac Anti-Virus/Malware Protection?

I have a MacBook running Snow Leopard.
I don't have any protection software running on my computer, but would like to be able to check my computer for spyware, malware, viruses, torjans, etc.
Ideally, it would be something I could run on a daily basis, but it wouldn't be something that would constantly run in the background, as I do lots of image and audio processing, and need as much processing power freed up for this as possible.
Any recommendations?
What am I most at risk from?
Price is important to me - at the moment, I'm unemployed, so I'd like to keep this as cheap as possible.
Many thanks for considering this question. Appreciated.

Thanks everyone, appreciated! :-D
I've been using Macs for years and got into the habit of not needing any of this stuff - realised I ought to check in and initial research was showing more reports of people having trouble, so I thought it worth checking in here.
Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Do you need to add an anti virus on mac pros

I purchased a mac pro for my son and was sold an anti virus to install. Do i really need to install this? I would rather not. Thanks

You can get by just fine without anti-virus at this time, though you should be aware of dangers and be cautious online. See my Mac Malware Guide.
Note that, even if you do decide to use anti-virus software, you shouldn't pay for anything. The best options are free. So return whatever software you were convinced to buy. Also, although ClamXav has been a popular recommendation on these forums, recent testing I did shows that it doesn't do such a great job. See Mac anti-virus detection rates.

I continue to get the /.HTML/Rce.Gen3 virus through my mailbox almost daily. It is picked up by my anti-virus software. How do I get rid of this permanently so I stop getting it daily? Is it from a internet cache??

I continue to get the /.HTML/Rce.Gen3 virus through my mailbox almost daily. It is picked up by my anti-virus software. How do I get rid of this permanently so I stop getting it daily? Is it from a internet cache??

I use MacKeeper on my MacBook Pro
Ack! Get rid of that immediately! MacKeeper's bad news. Plus, it does a really awful job of actually detecting malware. See:
Beware MacKeeper
Mac anti-virus detection rates
http://applehelpwriter.com/2011/09/21/how-to-uninstall-mackeeper-malware/
My active accounts are clean, but the On My Mac gmail keeps and continues to repopulate all email, even after I trash them.
If you're seeing messages remaining in GMail's All Mail folder after deleting them, that's normal. GMail keeps all messages in there, even after deletion, unless you manually delete stuff using GMail's web interface. See Hiding GMail’s “All Mail” from Apple Mail.
If you're actually having trouble deleting e-mail from an On My Mac mailbox, there's probably something wrong with your mailboxes.

Anti-Virus Utlity

Does anyone have experience with this utility? Is it any good or even necessary?
http://www.sophos.com/products/free-tools/free-mac-anti-virus/

malware for Macs is something to worry about:
As already mentioned, it's something to think about, but worry is probably too strong a word.
McAfee says: "Mac-targeted malware will continue to increase in sophistication' in 2011
Wow, I wish I could predict the future! Hey, I think I'll predict that I'm going to win the lottery... like that statement from McAfee, my prediction is entirely self-serving.
It's entirely possible that Mac malware could increase in sophistication in 2011. However, there hasn't been a whole lot of increase in sophistication in Mac malware in the past decade, so this is unlikely. It's pretty certain that some new Mac malware is likely to be discovered in 2011, but that is a different story altogether.
Even Apple says, "It is also advisable to use antivirus software to scan any files before installation." at https://support.apple.com/kb/HT2128.
Times have changed.
Not recently. First, note that that document is more than two years old. Further, Mac malware has always been around, in very small quantities. Most of it is completely incapable of infecting a modern Mac with an up-to-date system. The rest, you do have to think about, but you should educate yourself about the threats and act accordingly rather than issuing blanket statements. It may make sense to get a copy of a tool like [ClamXav|http://www.clamxav.com> to scan any downloads before installing them, but that depends on your knowledge level and downloading habits.

What is the best COSTING anti virus

i need a mac anti virus that i can pay for i do not want a free nti virus cause i dont like them i need to know a good anti virus not like norton that f*ed My Mac Up It said 9 files r viruses to mac os and i deleted them and now i cant install anything on my mac so what s good anti viruses
and should a do a clean istall of mac os cause now i cant install anything
AND YES U DO NOT NEED TO TELL ME THAT MACS DONT GET VIRUSES I KNOW
I Just need a anti virus for some backup sometimes

No viruses that can attack OS X have so far been detected 'in the wild', i.e. in anything other than laboratory conditions.
It is possible, however, to pass on a Windows virus to another Windows user, for example through an email attachment. To prevent this all you need is the free anti-virus utility ClamXav, which you can download for Tiger and Leopard from (on no account install Norton Anti-Virus on a Mac running OS X):
http://www.clamxav.com/
The new version for Snow Leopard is available here:
http://www.clamxav.com/index.php?page=v2beta
(Note: ClamAV adds a new user group to your Mac. That makes it a little more difficult to remove than some apps. You’ll find an uninstaller link in ClamXav’s FAQ page online.)
However, the appearance of Trojans and other malware that can possibly infect a Mac seems to be growing, but is a completely different issue to viruses.
If you allow a Trojan to be installed, the user's DNS records can be modified, redirecting incoming internet traffic through the attacker's servers, where it can be hijacked and injected with malicious websites and pornographic advertisements. The trojan also installs a watchdog process that ensures the victim's (that's you!) DNS records stay modified on a minute-by-minute basis.
You can read more about how, for example, the OSX/DNSChanger Trojan works here:
http://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/trojanosxdnschanger.shtml
SecureMac has introduced a free Trojan Detection Tool for Mac OS X. It's available here:
http://macscan.securemac.com/

ANTI-VIRUS SCAN !

do i have to scan my macos X and bootcamp windows both separately with antivirus or just scanning macbook pro's drive would do the work for me !

Scanning with a Mac anti-virus scanner really isn't going to do the trick for your Boot Camp system. You've got to have Windows anti-virus software installed. I've heard good things about Microsoft Security Essentials, but Windows security issues aren't my specialty, so I don't know how well that works.
Regarding the Mac, I would advise getting rid of McAfee. It's worthless for catching Mac malware. See the results of my anti-virus testing in January. Uninstall it, using the McAfee uninstaller found in the Applications folder. (If you don't see an uninstaller, let me know... there's an alternate, but ridiculous, uninstall method that used to be required at one point.)
As to whether anti-virus is needed in Mac OS X, see my Mac Malware Guide.

VIRUS in my Mac BOOK .. When I bought my mac book 6 months ago, everything was perfect.. but then when I open some webpage..it comes a lot of ads or pages unsafe .. that before it didn't appear.. I don't know if have to download a anti virus program.HELP

VIRUS in my Mac BOOK .. When I bought my mac book 6 months ago, everything was perfect.. but then when I open some webpage..it comes a lot of ads or pages unsafe .. that before it didn't appear.. I don't know if have to download a anti virus program.HELP

Not a virus, but it is malware: The Safe Mac » Search Results » adware removal.
Helpful Links Regarding Malware Protection
An excellent link to read is Tom Reed's Mac Malware Guide.
Also, visit The XLab FAQs and read Detecting and avoiding malware and spyware.
See these Apple articles:
          Mac OS X Snow Leopard and malware detection
          OS X Lion- Protect your Mac from malware
          OS X Mountain Lion- Protect your Mac from malware
          About file quarantine in OS X
If you require anti-virus protection Thomas Reed recommends using Dr.Web Light from the App Store. It's free, and since it's from the App Store, it won't destabilize the system. If you prefer one of the better known commercial products, then Thomas recommends using Sophos.(Thank you to Thomas Reed for these recommendations.) If you already use Sophos, then be aware of this if you are using Mavericks: OS X Mavericks- Sophos Anti-Virus on-access scanner versions 8.0 - 9.1 may cause unexpected restarts
From user Joe Bailey comes this equally useful advice:
The facts are:
1. There is no anti-malware software that can detect 100% of the malware out there.
2. There is no anti-malware that can detect anything targeting the Mac because there
     is no Mac malware in the wild, and therefore, no "signatures" to detect.
3. The very best way to prevent the most attacks is for you as the user to be aware that
     the most successful malware attacks rely on very sophisticated social engineering
     techniques preying on human avarice, ****, and fear.
4. Internet popups saying the FBI, NSA, Microsoft, your ISP has detected malware on
    your computer is intended to entice you to install their malware thinking it is a
    protection against malware.
5. Some of the anti-malware products on the market are worse than the malware
    from which they purport to protect you.
6. Be cautious where you go on the internet.
7. Only download anything from sites you know are safe.
8. Avoid links you receive in email, always be suspicious even if you get something
    you think is from a friend, but you were not expecting.
9. If there is any question in your mind, then assume it is malware.

I have what appears to be a virus on my Mac namely MAL/FAK AV-OQ how can I remove it? I have only discovered after running SOPHOS anti virus software???

I have what appears to be a virus on my mac namely MAL/FAK AV-OQ I only discovered it after installing SOPHOS anti virus software.
I cannot remove it automatically with this software it says it has to be done manually.
Where do I start???
Help req'd urgently

That is Windows malware, and cannot affect your Mac. See:
http://www.sophos.com/en-us/threat-center/threat-analyses/viruses-and-spyware/Ma l~FakeAV-OQ.aspx
It may be attached to an e-mail message or could be something that was copied over from a Windows machine via flash drive or something similar. If it is attached to an e-mail message, simply delete the e-mail. (Do not let Sophos, or any other anti-virus software, quarantine the message or attachment! That can corrupt the mailbox that the message resides in.) If it isn't an e-mail message, you can let Sophos quarantine and delete the file or you can delete it yourself.

Is there an anti virus program for mac 9.1? Think I have a virus

I don't use an anti virus - using outlook express I got a strange message with no subject or sender - just a blank line. I tried deleting it but it wouldn't be deleted. Since then every time I try to delete it - it crashes the system. Same with Internet Explorer. And now my main screen icons will just 'disappear' from the screen then it crashes.
I tried looking for an antivirus but all of them seem to be for 9.2 or higher and I don't know what to do - if I upload to 9.2 will I loose any programs or files - new to this from the PC world. Thanks
G4 Mac OS 9.1.x

Hi, debbieM -
Welcome to Apple's Discussions.
It is doubtful that you have a virus - no virus which can harm OS 9 has been released in well over 10 years.
Getting a message every now and then with no subject and no body is not unusual. There are a couple of ways to get rid of a message without opening it.
Click on an adjacent message which is okay to delete, then hold down the Shift key and select the blank messages - none of them will open. Once you have selected all the ones for deletion, press the Delete key.
Or, click and hold on a message; or press the Control key and click and hold on a message. A contextual menu should appear; one of the choices in that menu shuld be to delete the messge. If you choose that, it should happen without the message ever opening.
Things you can do to make Outlook Express run smoother -
• Increase the Preferred memory allocation for it. Adding 20 or 30 thousand to the original Preferred amount, or even more if you have sufficient RAM, is not excessive.
Article #18278 - Assigning More Memory to an Application
• Compact the databases. To do that - with OE not running, hold down the Option key and start up OE. A splash screen will open, asking if you want to compact the database files - click okay, and follow the prompts.
For Internet Explorer, increase its Preferred memory, a lot. Adding 30 to 50 thousand is not excessive.
And now my main screen icons will just 'disappear' from the screen then it crashes.
That could indicate one or more other problems.
• How full is your hard drive? It is good practice to not allow your hard drive to get more than 85% full. When it does get more full than that, odd behaviors including an unstable OS begin occuring.
• Try rebuilding the desktop file (note that the desktop file has very little to do with the desktop). To rebuild the desktop safely, restart - immediately hold down the Shift key until you get the "Extensions Off" message; then release Shift and hold down the Command and Option keys until you get the splash screen asking if you want to rebuild the desktop; click yes (or okay). Once that's done, restart to turn your extensions back on.
• Boot to your most recent OS 9 Install CD, one valid for that machine - ideally it would be OS 9.1, the same as is on the machine. Once booted to the CD, run Disk First Aid from the Utilities folder on the CD. Let DFA have a look at your hard drive, and allw it to repair what it can - it may take more than one pass to do this, especially if the drive is rather full.
If DFA finds things it just can't fix, post back with the description of the problems found.
if I upload to 9.2 will I loose any programs or files....
Updating the OS from OS 9.1 to OS 9.2.1 should not cause any loss of files.
However, in general updating an OS is not a fix for a damaged or unstable OS. It is better to get the OS now on the drive healthy before updating it.
When the machine goes unstable (icons begin disappearing, etc.) are there any error messages?

Once and for all: Do I need anti-virus software for my Mac?

I've always heard that you don't really need anti-virus or anti-spyware software for Macs - but I do wonder that there has to be viruses about that would affect Macs?
I do alot of creative and professional work on my Mac. The data on it, means a **** of a lot to me, and I'd hate for my Mac to be infected with something horrible.
Could anybody please tell me if I really do need anti-virus or anti-spyware software for my iMac? And if I do, which one do you recommend? (Ideally I would want it to be cheap and not hog lots of system resources)...
Thank you!

Hi
I can only give you my personal experience on this one.
The short answer is "no". I've been using macs for the past 4 years, my partner for many more. Neither I nor she have an anti virus program installed.
We both use firewall on both the os x setup and via our router. I tend to install the security updates posted by apple after they are released and check the forums to be aware of any potential problems.
A much better idea is to back up your important projects etc on a regular basis to dvd and external hard disk.
I have one experience of anti-virus software on the mac:
About 2.5 years ago i thought i had a virus - my diskspace was being eaten up at a very very fast rate - and i was worried. Found out that the os update from 10.3.2 to 10.3.5 had an incompatability issue with the mcafee shock game controller driver (obscure eh!)
Anyway, after this experience and deleting the driver which i no longer needed, i decided to err on the side of caution and tried out both mcafee and norton. Both of which slowed down my system and norton especially caused problems when i was running logic pro etc. really really annoying.
Once i'd got over my "insecure" stage and having spoken to other mac users i realised anti-virus software was causing many many more issues than resolving any - and besides since then i have still had no problems and have never come across any viruses on mac os x.
It all depends on what makes you feel safer. Personally i wouldn't recommend ant-virus programs... i wonder if anyone has any positive experiences of anti-virus software on the mac?
that's my 0.02 pence

HT1338 What is the best Anti-Virus to install on Mac OS X 10.6.8? Which one is the most effective?

Dear all,
I would like to get more references about which antivirus program could be more powerful and effective to maintain the Mac OS X 10.6.8 secure.
Many thanks in advance,

Hello:
NO anti-virus software is needed (or desirable) for a Mac running OS X. There are NO viruses that affect a Mac running OS X - none. You will hear that some malware exists, but that is preventable by avoiding strange sites or downloading from unknown sources.
Barry

Mac Anti Virus?

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