Do I need firewall/antivirus/spyware programs on a mac?

I hope this is in the right place.
Can anyone tell me if it is necessary to have any sort of anti-virus software, spyware software and/or extra firewall installed on a mac, and if so, which ones?
I've been trying to research the matter and I keep coming up with the polarised answers of: Macs can't be hacked or broken in to and not to worry about it because the inbuilt Leopard firewall is protection enough and extra software will just unnecessarily slow down the performance of the mac... or... yes get an extra firewall because "only the paranoid survive".
I've recently converted to macs after many years of Windows nonsense but I'm too afraid to start doing Internet Banking, online shopping and anything concerning identity information, even down to the files on my computer of which are private and confidential - I'm yet to put anything on here that is worth stealing or private because of this.
Under the Security pane of System Preferences, in the Firewall tab, I have chosen "Set access for specific services and applications" which I've heard is the equivalent of actually turning the firewall on. But then with every new program I open that requires an incoming or outgoing connection, I'm then asked to allow this, and of course I choose yes in order to make the program function properly. Is this a bad idea also? Am I defeating the purpose of the above setting by allowing programs such as iChat, Firefox and Soulseex to have these connections?
I've even considered installing Windows on here because I can install Norton 360 and other such spyware programs so I can then do banking and online shopping on that side of the mac.
It's a mouthful but I don't know where else to turn. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Joe

While there are no known viruses that attack Mac OS X at the present time, it is possible for spyware to get onto your Mac.
So I go to lenghts to protect my user. A hosed system can be replaced but a compromised user folder is compromised forever. Along with all your important data like bank records, credit cards, ... I.e. your "identity" stolen.
The best way to avoid that is by using your built-in firewall which is industrial strength and/or a hard wired router, downloading only from "trusted" sites, installing all security updates and being careful about what you give administrative power to. It is also recommended to run day to day tasks from a non-admin account.
Don't use Limewire or any other P2P service to download your software, get it from reputable sources. In addition, always keep at least your users backed up, preferably a clone of your entire system on a separate disk. And put your sensitive passwords, bank accounts, credit card numbers in a "secure note" in a new keychain or in an encrypted folder.
If and when a Mac virus does appear it will be headline news and you can download the AV software then. If you feel you have to run an AV program I'd suggest ClamXav a mac friendly freeware app that is very stable with OS X. It will check for known virus signatures at any rate.
Hope this helps.
-mj

Similar Messages

Firewall, antivirus, spyware

I am new to Mac's, so im not as clued up as on PC,
Does tiger come with a built in firewall, and if so is it any good, if not what should i use?
Do you need to scan for adaware nd spyware as you do in PC's, if so what do people use?
And do i need antivirus or is there a built in application, if not what should i use?

While there are no known viruses that attack Mac OS X at the present time, it is possible (though not probable) for spyware to get onto your Mac. The best way to avoid that is by using your built-in firewall which is industrial strength and/or a hard wired router, downloading only from "trusted" sites, installing all security updates and being careful about what you give administrative power to. It is also recommended to run day to day tasks from a non-admin account.
Don't use Limewire or any other P2P service to download your software, get it from reputable sources. In addition, always keep at least your users backed up, preferably a clone of your entire system on a separate disk. And put your sensitive passwords, bank accounts, credit card numbers in a "secure note" in a new keychain or in an encrypted folder.
If and when a Mac virus does appear it will be headline news and you can download the AV software then. If you feel you have to run an AV program I'd suggest ClamXav a mac friendly freeware app that is very stable with Tiger. It will check for known virus signatures at any rate.
Hope this helps.
-mj
[email protected]

Do i need firewall / antivirus?

As the title suggests, im a very long time pc user and have just come over to the Mac by purchasing new macbook pro which is now 2 days old.
my question is as well as the built in firewall do i need any other protection like antivirus or firewall
thanks

Abuse? Good friggin' grief.
Check this link.
http://www.macworld.com/article/49459/2006/02/leapafaq.html
Leap-A is not a true virus, in that it cannot spread from machine to machine without human intervention.
What does Apple have to say about all this?
Here’s what the company told my colleague Peter Cohen:
Leap-A is not a virus, it is malicious software that requires a user to download the application and execute the resulting file. Apple always advises Macintosh users to only accept files from vendors and Web sites that they know and trust. We have a guide to safely handling files received from the Internet.

Need help as all programs crash on mac

I am using parallels, outlook works, safari works on windows platform,
but the windows explorer doesn't not react at all.
On the mac side, majority won't open or immediately crashes.
Message
Exception: excbadaccess (0x0001)
Codes: kern-invalid-address
I have the feeling it is all related to the bloody windows explorer.
Can anyone help ?

Sorry to say, but that looks more to me like memory failure. That's just about the only thing that would explain crashes in both the virtualized Windows and the native Mac OS X.

Do I need an antivirus program like McAfee with firefox?

I see firefox has antivirus, but will it take the place of my McAfee when I switch from IE, also will it work with my mail provider and one last question how do I make the lettering on the web page larger? thank you.

Firefox does not have antivirus, it is just a web browser. You still need an antivirus program and a firewall. Firefox does include phishing protection, by default when you visit a site it checks it against a list maintained by Google to see if the site is a known web forgery or known to contain malware, it will then warn you about the site.
It should work with web based mail sites, though some web based mail sites may have some differences using Firefox compared to IE.
To make the lettering larger see the [[text zoom]] and [[page zoom]] articles. If you want all sites to have larger text, you can use an add-on such as [https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2592/ NoSquint].

Does Macbook Air '12 need an Antivirus or Antimalware program?

Does Macbook Air '12 need an Antivirus or Antimalware program? If yes, what is most used?

This comment applies to malicious software ("malware") that's installed unwittingly by the victim of a network attack. It does not apply to software, such as keystroke loggers, that may be installed deliberately by an attacker who has hands-on access to the victim's computer. That threat is in a different category, and there's no easy way to defend against it. If you have reason to suspect that you're the target of such an attack, you need expert help.
All versions of OS X since 10.6.7 have been able to detect known Mac malware in downloaded files. The recognition database is automatically updated once a day; however, you shouldn't rely on it, because the attackers are always at least a day ahead of the defenders. In most cases, there’s no benefit from any other automated protection against malware. Starting with OS X 10.7.5, there has been another layer of built-in malware protection, designated "Gatekeeper" by Apple. By default, applications and Installer packages downloaded from the network will only run if they're digitally signed by a developer with a certificate issued by Apple. Software certified in this way hasn't actually been tested by Apple (unless it comes from the Mac App Store), but you can be sure that it hasn't been modified by anyone other than the developer. His identity is known, so he could be held legally responsible if he distributed malware. For most practical purposes, applications recognized by Gatekeeper as signed can be considered safe.
Note, however, that there are some caveats concerning Gatekeeper:
It can be disabled or overridden by the user.
It can be bypassed by some third-party networking software, such as BitTorrent clients and Java applets (see below.)
It only applies to software downloaded from the network. Software installed from a CD or other media is not checked.
For more information about Gatekeeper, see this Apple Support article. That being said, the best defense against malware is your own intelligence. All known malware on the Internet that affects a fully-updated installation of OS X 10.6 or later takes the form of so-called "trojan horses," which can only have an effect if the victim is duped into running them. If you're smarter than the malware attacker thinks you are, you won't be duped. That means, primarily, that you never install software from an untrustworthy source. How do you know a source is untrustworthy?
Any website that prompts you to install a “codec,” “plug-in,” or “certificate” that comes from that same site, or an unknown one, is untrustworthy.
A web operator who tells you that you have a “virus,” or that anything else is wrong with your computer, or that you have won a prize in a contest you never entered, is trying to commit a crime with you as the victim. (Some reputable websites did legitimately warn users who were infected with the "DNSChanger" malware. That exception to this rule no longer applies.)
“Cracked” copies of commercial software downloaded from a bittorrent are likely to be infected.
Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, must be downloaded directly from the developer’s website. No intermediary is acceptable.
Java on the network (not to be confused with JavaScript, to which it's not related) is a weak point in the security of any operating system. If a Java web plugin is not installed, don't install it unless you really need it. If it is installed, you should disable it (not JavaScript) in your web browsers. Few websites have Java content nowadays, so you won’t be missing much. This setting is mandatory in OS X 10.5.8 or earlier, because Java in those obsolete versions has known security flaws that make it unsafe to use on the Internet. The flaws will never be fixed. Regardless of version, experience has shown that Java can never be fully trusted, even if no vulnerabilities are publicly known at the moment.
Follow these guidelines, and you’ll be as safe from malware as you can reasonably be.
Never install any commercial "anti-virus" or "Internet security" products for the Mac, as they all do more harm than good. If you need to be able to detect Windows malware in your files, use the free software ClamXav — nothing else.
Why shouldn't you use commercial "anti-virus" products?
Their design is predicated on the nonexistent threat that malware may be injected at any time, anywhere in the file system. Malware is downloaded from the network; it doesn't materialize from nowhere.
In order to meet that nonexistent threat, the software duplicates low-level functions of the operating system, which is a waste of resources and a common cause of instability and poor performance.
By modifying the system, the software itself may create weaknesses that could be exploited by malware attackers.
ClamXav doesn't have these drawbacks. That doesn't mean it's entirely safe. Using it to delete or move email messages can corrupt the Mail database. Such messages must be deleted from within the Mail application. ClamXav is not needed for protection against OS X malware. It's useful only for detecting Windows malware. If you don't need to do that, avoid it. Windows malware can't harm you directly. Just don't pass it on to anyone else.
It seems to be a common belief that the built-in Application Firewall acts as a barrier to infection, or prevents malware from functioning. It does neither. It blocks inbound connections to certain network services you're running, such as file sharing. It's disabled by default and you should leave it that way if you're behind a router on a private home or office network. Activate it only when you're on an untrusted network, like a public Wi-Fi hotspot, where you don't want to provide services. Disable any services you don't use.

Does Macbook Pro need an antivirus? And if so what program is recommended?

Ok, I've been reading a lot of articles debating over whether or not MBP needs an antivirus, long story short I came to the place where I figured the more knowledable people could help.
So does MBP need an antivirus? And if so which one would be recommended?

Yes and No
It depends upon the version of OS X, what Apple is doing to what OS X version under the hood, the compliance with corporate or school policy, if your dealing with Windows files or not.
It depends upon what kind of anti-virus: always on/at boot restrictive types, or run as you need it types.
It's also depends based upon current threat levels and if Apple is responding or not to current threats, which they sometimes don't do fast enough.
Gatekeeper is not going to clean Windows files of their filth, it only restricts programs runing on your machine from Apple or Apple vetted developers.
There is PLENTY of great software out there that Apple won't approve or on the AppStore or want to deal with Apple.
LittleSnitch, SnapZPro X and so forth won't get Apple clearance, doesn't mean they are malware, doesn't mean one should think they are no good or to deny themselves running them if one wishes.
Gatekeeper is B.S., it's supposed to give Apple a 2/3 advantage in deciding what runs on your machine.
OS X has been very secure for many years, even OS 9 etc was very secure, there is no need for Gatekeeper, never has been.
Read my User Tip about the subject.
Harden your Mac against malware attacks

Do I need an anti-virus program on a MacBook?

I'm a brand new MacBook user. Just bought the 13-inch aluminum body version from Club Mac and it was delivered yesterday. The notebook is actually for my wife to be able to use while she's recovering from knee surgery in a couple of weeks and I thought it was time to branch our family out from PC's and Windows. So I'm setting up the MacBook for her to be able to use it...and for our family to get more literate on a Mac and it looks great! My question is do I need an anti-virus program and if so, which is a good one recommended by Mac users? NOTE: because my wife is familiar with Windows, I had XP service pack 3 installed and have VM Ware Fusion onboard to be able to run both Windows and Leopard for her convenience and to assist us. So there MAY be some Windows use on this MacBook, at least at first. All responses, replies, suggestions, welcome. THANK YOU.

Do You Need Anti-Virus Protection for Your Mac?
According to Rich Mogull's article, Should Mac Users Run Antivirus Software?,
"The reality is that today the Mac platform is relatively safe. There are hundreds of thousands of viruses and other malicious software programs floating around for Windows, but less than 200 are known to target the Mac, and many of those are aimed at versions of the Mac OS prior to Mac OS X (and thus have no effect on a modern Mac).
It's not that Mac OS X is inherently more secure against viruses than current versions of Windows (although it was clearly more secure than Windows prior to XP SP2); the numerous vulnerabilities reported and patched in recent years are just as exploitable as their Windows equivalents. But most security experts agree that malicious software these days is driven by financial incentives, and it's far more profitable to target the most dominant platform."
Mr. Mogull is a computer security expert. I recommend reading the entire article as it is quite informative.
For additional information on viruses, trojans, and spyware visit The XLab FAQs and read the FAQs on viruses and spyware.

Firewall+AntiVirus+Internet Security

I'm going to buy an iPad mini+Wifi+Cellular. But because I often do banking payments and web browsing, I'd like to install a firewall+antivirus+internet security on it. I've heard iPad does not need to security software, but I'd like install a one.
Which software is the best for it?
What's your opinion about VirusBarrier (Intego)?

The iPad needs no such software. All you are likely to find are worthless time- and money-wasters that will not protect you from anything.
What's your opinion about VirusBarrier (Intego)?
If you are asking about the OS X program, it is garbage. It is the only such utility that I determined to be completely unacceptable due to its horrendous effects on performance.
If you are asking about the iPad app, it is also garbage. I suggest you read its reviews:

What is a good spyware program to download

What is a good spyware program to download?

I strongly disagree with Shootist007. Google "OSX Flashback" to see the damage a recent Trojan was able to do by infecting thousands of MAC's - many of whom shared the view of Shootist I suspect. OSX is susceptible to viruses just like Windows machines- however, just on a much smaller scale.
Apple itself even recently removed the famous tag line " Mac's don't get viruses " from it's advertising because it is simply no longer true.
Personally, I've used Norton Internet security for MAC - and found it to be very good. I currently use AVAST free antivirus however on my Macbook PRO and it also seems sufficent. You can obtain this by going to www.download.com and you'll note its among the most downloaded MAC software on the site.
Also - if you have not done so - make sure your firewall is turned on by going to the security settings. I'd also suggest going to safari preferences and unchecking the box marked "JAVA", not to be confused with JAVA SCRIPT which is ok. This is how the "Flashback trojan" I mentioned earlier exploited OSX.
Best of luck !

Firefox won't update on my system, even with firewall & antivirus switched off - help ?

OS : Windows 7 - 64bit, with antivirus (Bitdefender).
Downloaded update from you website (version 25.01), switched off Windows firewall, bitdefender firewall & antivirus. Run 25.01.exe - it partly updates (3/4 green bar), then bombs out.
Firefox version currently running on my system is 22.
If I try to update from your pull-down meny "Help" then "about Firefox", after downloading the update, get message that I need to restart Firefox to finalise update, but the process also gets blocked.
Opening Firefox, I'm still on version 22
Hope you can point out how I can overcome this ?
Thank you for your support - love your product !!

Hello,
Certain Firefox problems can be solved by performing a ''Clean reinstall''. This means you remove Firefox program files and then reinstall Firefox. Please follow these steps:
'''Note:''' You might want to print these steps or view them in another browser.
#Download the latest Desktop version of Firefox from http://www.mozilla.org and save the setup file to your computer.
#After the download finishes, close all Firefox windows (click Exit from the Firefox or File menu).
#Delete the Firefox installation folder, which is located in one of these locations, by default:
#*'''Windows:'''
#**C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox
#**C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox
#*'''Mac:''' Delete Firefox from the Applications folder.
#*'''Linux:''' If you installed Firefox with the distro-based package manager, you should use the same way to uninstall it - see [[Installing Firefox on Linux]]. If you downloaded and installed the binary package from the [http://www.mozilla.org/firefox#desktop Firefox download page], simply remove the folder ''firefox'' in your home directory.
#Now, go ahead and reinstall Firefox:
##Double-click the downloaded installation file and go through the steps of the installation wizard.
##Once the wizard is finished, choose to directly open Firefox after clicking the Finish button.
Please report back to see if this helped you!
Thank you.

What is the best spyware/virus protection program for the mac?

I'm new to the whole virus protection thing, and I know there are very few viruses out there for the mac, but better safe then sorry right? Plus i'm mainly getting it for the spyware protection anyway. Does Leopard already have some protection for it? Or would it be better to buy a new program? Thanks.

Normally the best defense against Virus and other scrap on the net is the User. Never agree to open something you are not sure about. Don't visit dangerous sites, and think twice before make a gesture.
After almost 25 years on Mac, and with X system, the only use for a AntiVirus is you can pass Virus to PC user but that ot effect your Mac. If you use Parallels or Bootcmp (or booth) you need a AntiVirus and Anti what the need on the PC, because that take 20 minutes on PC to be infected.

Antivirus/spyware software

i'm not too familiar with using mac. does anyone have suggestions for antivirus/spyware software, if any?

poyiboy wrote:
does anyone have suggestions for antivirus/spyware software, if any?
Yes, don't use it. There are no viruses and whatever you do don't touch Norton.
While there are no known viruses that attack Mac OS X at the present time, it is possible for spyware to get onto your Mac.
So I go to lenghts to protect my user. A hosed system can be replaced but a compromised user folder is compromised forever. Along with all your important data like bank records, credit cards, ... I.e. your "identity" stolen.
The best way to avoid that is by using your built-in firewall which is industrial strength and/or a hard wired router, downloading only from "trusted" sites, installing all security updates and being careful about what you give administrative power to. It is also recommended to run day to day tasks from a non-admin account.
Don't use Limewire or any other P2P service to download your software, get it from reputable sources. In addition, always keep at least your users backed up, preferably a clone of your entire system on a separate disk. And put your sensitive passwords, bank accounts, credit card numbers in a "secure note" in a new keychain or in an encrypted folder.
If and when a Mac virus does appear it will be headline news and you can download the AV software then. If you feel you have to run an AV program I'd suggest ClamXav a mac friendly freeware app that is very stable with Tiger. It will check for known virus signatures at any rate.
Hope this helps.
-mj
Message was edited by: macjack

Do I need a antivirus for iPad

Do I need an antivirus for my iPad? How and where do I get it? Thanks*

There is no known malware or viruses for iOS, and the system's architecture does not allow unauthorized programming to run.
As long as you don't jailbreak your device, you have nothing to worry about.

Can anyone please help with a review of these files to see if you might recognize a key logger or spyware program?

com.oxsemi.driver.OxsemiDeviceType00 (1.28.13)
at.obdev.nke.LittleSnitch (4052)
Password:
com.wdc.WDSmartWareServer
com.wdc.WDDMservice
com.sierrawireless.SwitchTool
com.oracle.java.JavaUpdateHelper
com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool
com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper
com.lacie.desktopmanager.service
com.google.keystone.daemon
com.adobe.fpsaud
at.obdev.littlesnitchd
jp.buffalo.NASPower
com.oracle.java.Java-Updater
com.lacie.eventsactions.launcher.agent
com.hp.messagecenter.launcher
com.hp.devicemonitor
com.google.keystone.system.agent
at.obdev.LittleSnitchUIAgent
com.nds.pcshow.uninstall
com.nds.pcshow
com.facebook.videochat.thomasbrown.updater
com.adobe.ARM.202f4087f2bbde52e3ac2df389f53a4f123223c9cc56a8fd83a6f7ae
com.adobe.AAM.Scheduler-1.0
LaCie DiscRecording/LaCie DiscRecording.pkg:Contents/Library/Address Book Plug-Ins:/Library/Components:/Library/Extensions:/Library/Frameworks:
AEProfiling.framework
AERegistration.framework
Adobe AIR.framework
AudioMixEngine.framework
EWSMac.framework
HPDeviceModel.framework
HPPml.framework
HPScan.framework
HPServicesInterface.framework
HPSmartPrint.framework
HPSmartX.framework
NyxAudioAnalysis.framework
PluginManager.framework
Snapfish.framework
iLifeFaceRecognition.framework
iLifeKit.framework
iLifePageLayout.framework
iLifeSQLAccess.framework
iLifeSlideshow.framework
iTunesLibrary.framework
/Library/Input Methods: /Library/Internet Plug-Ins:
AdobePDFViewer.plugin
Flash Player.plugin
JavaAppletPlugin.plugin
Quartz Composer.webpluginQuickTime Plugin.plugin
SharePointBrowserPlugin.plugin
SharePointWebKitPlugin.webplugin
Silverlight.plugin
flashplayer.xpt
googletalkbrowserplugin.plugin
iPhotoPhotocast.plugin
npgtpo3dautoplugin.plugin
nsIQTScriptablePlugin.xpt
o1dbrowserplugin.plugin /Library/Keyboard Layouts: /Library/LaunchAgents:
at.obdev.LittleSnitchUIAgent.plist
com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist
com.google.keystone.agent.plist
com.hp.devicemonitor.plist
com.hp.messagecenter.launcher.plist
com.lacie.eventsactions.launcher.agent.plist
com.oracle.java.Java-Updater.plist
jp.buffalo.NASPower.plist
jp.buffalo.NASPower_pla.plist
/Library/LaunchDaemons:
at.obdev.littlesnitchd.plist
com.adobe.fpsaud.plist
com.apple.remotepairtool.plist
com.google.keystone.daemon.plist
com.lacie.desktopmanager.service.plist
com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist
com.oracle.java.Helper-Tool.plist
com.oracle.java.JavaUpdateHelper.plist
com.sierrawireless.SwitchTool.plist
com.wdc.WDDMservice.plist
com.wdc.WDSmartWareServer.plist
/Library/PreferencePanes:Flash Player.prefPaneHP Scanjet.prefPane
JavaControlPanel.prefPane
/Library/PrivilegedHelperTools:.DS_StoreNasNavigator2.app
com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper
com.oracle.java.JavaUpdateHelper
/Library/QuickLook:
GBQLGenerator.qlgenerator
iWork.qlgenerator
/Library/QuickTime:
AppleIntermediateCodec.component
AppleMPEG2Codec.component /Library/ScriptingAdditions: /Library/Spotlight:
GBSpotlightImporter.mdimporter
Microsoft Entourage.mdimporterMicrosoft Office.mdimporter
iWeb.mdimporter
iWork.mdimporter
/Library/StartupItems:ChmodBPFHP IOLocSvc /etc/mach_init.d: /etc/mach_init_per_login_session.d: /etc/mach_init_per_user.d: Library/Address Book Plug-Ins:
SkypeABDialer.bundle
SkypeABSMS.bundle
Library/Fonts:04b-08.suitArialBrush ScriptTimes New RomanVerdanaWingdingsWingdings 2Wingdings 3
encodings.dir
fonts.dir
fonts.list
fonts.scale
Library/Frameworks:
EWSMac.framework
Library/Internet Plug-Ins:
FacebookVideoCalling.bundle
Move-Media-Player.plugin
PlayerPlugin.bundle
fbplugin_1_0_3.plugin Library/Keyboard Layouts: Library/LaunchAgents:
com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist
com.adobe.ARM.202f4087f2bbde52e3ac2df389f53a4f123223c9cc56a8fd83a6f7ae.plist
com.facebook.videochat.thomasbrown.plist
com.nds.pcshow.plist
com.nds.pcshow.uninstall.plist
Library/PreferencePanes:
Opera Preferences
TomTomHOMERunner, LDMStatusItem, apple-scc-20130209-112927

I want to take this case to the police and need to have the program to do so. I realize that I can re-intsall the OS and take care of any spyware that way however, I would destroy any evidence that would be needed.

Do I need firewall/antivirus/spyware programs on a mac?

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