Do you need an anti-virus software on Mac

Is it necessary to have an anti-virus application on a Mac?

In most cases, no. See my Mac Malware Guide for details.
(Note that my pages contain links to other pages that promote my services, and this should not be taken as an endorsement of my services by Apple.)

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Do we need anti virus softwares for Mac book pro?

do we need antivirus softwares for mac book pro?

That is a complex question, whose answer depends greatly on you. See my Mac Malware Guide for the information you need to protect yourself and to make a decision about anti-virus software.

Please would you stop bundling Anti-Virus software with Adobe Reader?

I would be really grateful if Adobe would stop bundling Anti-Virus software with the Adobe Reader updates. Pre-selecting the (download - Anti virus software) check-box in the dialogue box smacks of sharp practice. I have nothing against Anti-Virus software, but I want to take control of the process, not have Adobe make important choices for me: it really is very unprofessional.

This is a user forum; you have to put your request to Adobe.
Having said that, you can avoid bundled software by downloading the installer from http://get.adobe.com/reader/enterprise/
Updates/patches are best downloaded by navigating the FTP site ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/reader/

Is it necessary to install an anti-virus software for mac?

As above. Thanks.

The only reason I have ever seen to install
anti-virus on my Mac was to satisfy my corporate IT
guys requirements that I am running up-to-date
anti-virus software before putting my Mac on their
LAN.
I basically launch it if they want to see it, then
close it...because its useless
If your company's IT staff is not so bright, write up a shell script that echos stuff as if its scanning for virus. Something like
#!/bin/bash
echo "Scanning for virus"
sleep 2
echo "..."
sleep 4
echo "0 Virus(es) found"
exit
stick that in a file, chmod +x, run from terminal with 'sh files' or './file'
BlackBook Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Anti-virus software for Mac

Hi,
I have had an ibook G4 since March, 2005 and I want to get an anti-virus to protect my machine better, does Apple sell a anti-virus software?
thanks

Canadian_gal,
Sell? Not exactly. Apple does, however, ship the open-source clamav antivirus in OS X Server.
clamav is the standard antivirus in the BSD world.
There's a user-friendly version written by Mark Allan called ClamXav that uses the same antivirus engine.
It's light on the system, tends to update faster than commercial antivirus software, and is free (donation requested).
-Wayne
Edited for clarity.

Hey guys I was wondering do I need an anti virus software on my mac? I don't think I need it but as a first time mac user I wanted your opinion.

Just wanted to get your opinion.

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 is another layer of built-in malware protection, designated "Gatekeeper" by Apple. By default, applications that are downloaded from the network will only run if they're digitally signed by a developer with a certificate issued by Apple. Applications certified in this way haven't actually been tested by Apple (unless they come from the Mac App Store), but you can be sure that they haven't been modified by anyone other than the developer, and his identity is known, so he could be held responsible if he knowingly released 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 doesn't apply to software that comes packaged as an installer. Treat all third-party installers with caution.
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 applications 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.
Notwithstanding the above, the most effective defense against malware attacks 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 always a potential weak spot 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" 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.

Do I need security, anti-virus etc on mac?

Should I get anti virus security or some sort of security on my macbook. Are there any free downloads i could get that would do the job?

tracyryan354 wrote:
Should I get anti virus security or some sort of security on my macbook. Are there any free downloads i could get that would do the job?
AV is not needed on a Mac. I have not used any for years. MS software is something else - but for Mac users it's an option that is really unneeded, and in some cases causes more problems than it does not cure. There is only one known Mac threat and you have to practically beg it to infect your computer.
If you create a non-administrator account and use this for most online activities, it becomes nearly impossible for anything to attack the system without your knowing it.
That being said, you can look into ClamAV, which is mainly for eMail, I believe. Some use it and like it.
I will wait until it's really necessary, since most AV apps slow down the machine.
You can get ClamAV here:
http://www.clamav.net/download/

Do i need a anti virus for my mac

Do i need anti-virus for my iMac? I am running leopard, its an 2008 all in one 20" hd screen

Hello, not really, but if you like...
ClamXAV, free Virus scanner...
http://www.clamxav.com/
Free Sophos...
http://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/free-tools.aspx
Little Snitch, stops/alerts outgoing stuff...
http://www.obdev.at/products/littlesnitch/index.html
Get MacScan...
http://macscan.securemac.com/
Disable Java in your Browser settings, not JavaScript.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5241?viewlocale=en_US
http://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=en-GB&answer=142064
http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/How%20to%20turn%20off%20Java%20applets
Flashback - Detect and remove the uprising Mac OS X Trojan...
http://www.mac-and-i.net/2012/04/flashback-detect-and-remove-uprising.html
In order to avoid detection, the installer will first look for the presence of some antivirus tools and other utilities that might be present on a power user's system, which according to F-Secure include the following:
/Library/Little Snitch
/Developer/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/MacOS/Xcode
/Applications/VirusBarrier X6.app
/Applications/iAntiVirus/iAntiVirus.app
/Applications/avast!.app
/Applications/ClamXav.app
/Applications/HTTPScoop.app
/Applications/Packet Peeper.app
If these tools are found, then the malware deletes itself in an attempt to prevent detection by those who have the means and capability to do so. Many malware programs use this behavior, as was seen in others such as the Tsunami malware bot.
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-57410096-263/how-to-remove-the-flashback-ma lware-from-os-x/
http://x704.net/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5844&p=70660#p70660
The most current flashback removal instructions are F-Secure's Trojan-Downloader:OSX/Flashback.K.
https://www.securelist.com/en/blog/208193454/Flashfake_Removal_Tool_and_online_c hecking_site
More bad news...
https://www.securelist.com/en/blog/208193467/SabPub_Mac_OS_X_Backdoor_Java_Explo its_Targeted_Attacks_and_Possible_APT_link
Removal for 10.5...
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1534

What is the best Anti Virus Software for MAC?

Is Norton still number one, or does anyone recommend a more reliable and efficient software?

The facetious (but largely true) answer, lemacman, is OSX.
I've yet to see any virus checker that doesn't cause far more trouble than viruses do on Macs running under OSX.
Nortons / SAM AV was , mostly, the best under OS's up to OS9. That doesn't mean that it didn't cause problems, but it was generally better than the others. I used it briefly under OSX until one of the updates did something nasty (deleting all of my email, from memory) .
Virex became popular in some quarters for a while but unfortunately at one stage had the unfortunate habit of making peopl's processors run at 100% , causing overheating and other problems in iMac G5s and the like. If I had a quid for every occasion I had to tell someone to remove Virex at that time I'd be a financial rival to Donald Trump!
etc etc etc.
If you really feel you HAVE to have a virus checker, the only one I'd even consider at present is the free ClamX AV . There is a bit of a problem in that you have to use the public beta version if you are running Snow Leopard, but I have little doubt that even a public beta of it will cause less hassles than the current releases of the various commercial offerings!
So - given the number of Mac OSX affecting viruses "out in the wild" at present (none) - the safest course is not to use any, but if you really feel as insecure using your Mac without one as walking down the street without your pants on, then my vote would be that you go for the public beta of ClamX AV.
Cheers
Rod

Do you need anti virus software for mac book pro

Is it true that the new mac book pro computers are now more susceptable to virus attacks and malware then the Mac books made 5 years ago.
If this is true what is being recommended to protect your mac book pro?
thank you

OS X has got its own security systems, so you don't need any security application. Don't use any commercial antivirus. If you want more information about OS X and malware, see > http://www.thesafemac.com/mmg
If you want an antivirus, use ClamXav or Sophos, but as I said, you don't need these applications.
Now, there are some viruses for OS X. However, they are not serious, so you just need to keep your Mac updated, because the most recent Mac OS X versions include important security improvements

New to Leopard-need any anti-virus software?

This may be a basic topic but I'm not finding a thread. I've been on Tiger until now. My new (refurb) iMac 2.66 from Apple is bundled with SL. Do I need to use 3rd party software protection?
Any feedback or referral to a thread would be great... before I go on-line!
Thank you.

thenewdawg wrote:
This may be a basic topic but I'm not finding a thread.
really? have you actually tried searching?
http://discussions.apple.com/search.jspa?objID=c263&search=Go&q=antivirus
this is one of the most commonly asked and answered questions.
I've been on Tiger until now. My new (refurb) iMac 2.66 from Apple is bundled with SL. Do I need to use 3rd party software protection?
Any feedback or referral to a thread would be great... before I go on-line!
Thank you.

Do you need an anti-virus for mac

Just wondering ??

There are many forms of ‘Malware’ that can affect a computer system, of which ‘a virus’ is but one type, ‘trojans’ another. Using the strict definition of a computer virus, no viruses that can attack OS X have so far been detected 'in the wild', i.e. in anything other than laboratory conditions. The same is not true of other forms of malware, such as Trojans. Whilst it is a fairly safe bet that your Mac has NOT been infected by a virus, it may have another security-related problem, but more likely a technical problem unrelated to any malware threat.
You may find this User Tip on Viruses, Trojan Detection and Removal, as well as general Internet Security and Privacy, useful:
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-2435
The User Tip (which you are welcome to print out and retain for future reference) seeks to offer guidance on the main security threats and how to avoid them.
More useful information can also be found here:
http://www.reedcorner.net/mmg/

Please recommend anti virus software for Mac Book Pro

Also, are there any system tools to do regular maintenance for the Mac to keep it running at its best?

Hi Marie,
Basically there are no viruses for Mac, so if there is malware. To get rid of this problemI recommend MacScan.
On the other hand, I recommend that you install software you do not use, in which case you want to install to test and then remove it, use AppZaper this app application completely eliminates the documents while away.
Greetings

HT1338 do I need an anti virus on my mac

My mac book pro has stopped logging me in. It is showing me a no entry after putting in my password. How can I go around this

My mac book pro has stopped logging me in. It is showing me a no entry after putting in my password.
This doesn't have anything to do with any kind of malware.
I'm not sure I'm understanding what you're describing, though. If you put in the wrong password, the login window shakes back and forth, you don't get a "no entry" symbol. So it doesn't sound like a password issue. There are situations where such a symbol is displayed at startup, but that would be before you enter your password. For example:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20079593-263/managing-a-prohibitory-sign-at -os-x-bootup/
So, can you describe more clearly what you're seeing?

Anti virus software for iPhone 4

Hi - am hoping someone can let me know if you need an anti virus software on your iPhone 4? I have been asked by my work to ensure that I have one but I don't think that one exists or is needed...looking for firm confirmation of this so I can show something official to work to assure them that it is all covered.
Any assistance would be appreacited.
Thanks.

Unless you jailbreak your phone, it is almost impossible for it to get a virus. There is an anti-virus program for iOS by Intego, however, what it does is scan email and attachments for viruses so that you can't pass them on to other, more vulnerable devices. There are currently no known viruses in the wild for un-jailbroken devices.
Best of luck.

Do you need an anti-virus software on Mac

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