Does my MBP need an anti virus?

My last computer was a PC and it had so many viruses (and other lovely things) it would take half an hour to open up firefox! Everyone i speek to says a Mac doesn't need an anti virus, but mine might need an exception. Needless to say i'm not the most cautious downloader, is their anything i can do so that history doesn't repeat itself?

As xdunlapx suggested, you might want to use either (or both) Sophos and/or ClamXav. Do not download the version of ClamXav that comes from the App Store as it does not include the 'real time' ClamXav Sentry. Sentry is a part of ClamXav that will scan particular folders that you select - I have it 'gaurding' my Downloads folder and the folder where my emails are stored. It does a very good job and is not intrusive.
While there are no known viruses for the Mac, there is malware out there - I would suggest reading Thomas Reed's excellent Mac Malware Guide. Thomas recommends both Sophos and ClamXav and, for me, he's the resident expert on Mac malware.
Good luck - don't worry too much...
Clinton

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Does my iMac need an anti-virus or malware detection app to remain secure?

Does my iMac need an anti-virus or malware detection app to remain secure?

The best defense for keeping your Mac secure is YOU. Honestly, I will not tell you to not get software but YOU are the best way to stay safe. I myself have never used any software on my personal computers personally.
rules to remember:
Don't:
Open any e-mails from an unknown sender
Open any e-mails that have attachments unless that person is in your contacts...BUT, this one can be tricky as well. If one of your contacts gets infected, their computer could send an email (with an attachment) to everyone in their contact list. This is a trick to get you to open the attachment because you know the sender. So always check for really generic subject lines that sound fake, call them if you are not sure.
Click on any of those intrusive ads on websites.
Careful downloading software from the Internet that you are not sure about. Always do your research.
if you do decide to get software, I can safely say DO NOT GET MACKEEPER. STAY AWAY. I have heard only horror stories about this software.
Keep your Network safe, make sure if youuse an open WiFi connection to LOCK it.

HT203163 Does an iPad need an anti-virus protection?

I just got a new iPad but I don't know if it needs an anti-virus because I want to protect it and I don't want it to slow down or get hacked.

There are no viruses affecting ios devices.

Does mac pro need an anti virus or not? please advise thanks

hi i'm new mac pro user i would like to ask you if i need to buy anti virus to my computer
thanks

1. 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 intruder 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.
2. All versions of OS X since 10.6.7 have been able to detect known Mac malware in downloaded files, and to block insecure web plugins. This feature is transparent to the user, but internally Apple calls it "XProtect." The malware recognition database is automatically checked for updates once a day; however, you shouldn't rely on it, because the attackers are always at least a day ahead of the defenders.
The following caveats apply to XProtect:
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.
3. 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 reasonably sure that it hasn't been modified by anyone other than the developer. His identity is known to Apple, 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.
Gatekeeper has, however, the same limitations as XProtect, and in addition the following:
It can easily be disabled or overridden by the user.
A malware attacker could get control of a code-signing certificate under false pretenses, or could find some other way to evade Apple's controls.
For more information about Gatekeeper, see this Apple Support article.
4. Beyond XProtect and Gatekeeper, there’s no benefit, in most cases, from any other automated protection against malware. The first and best line of defense is always your own intelligence. All known malware circulating 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. The threat therefore amounts to a battle of wits between you and the malware attacker. If you're smarter than he thinks you are, you'll win.
That means, in practice, that you never use software that comes from an untrustworthy source. How do you know whether a source is trustworthy?
Any website that prompts you to install a “codec,” “plug-in,” "player," "extractor," 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 visitors who were infected with the "DNSChanger" malware. That exception to this rule no longer applies.)
Pirated copies or "cracks" of commercial software, no matter where they come from, are unsafe.
Software of any kind downloaded from a BitTorrent or from a Usenet binary newsgroup is unsafe.
Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, must be downloaded directly from the developer’s website. If it comes from any other source, it's unsafe.
5. Java on the Web (not to be confused with JavaScript, to which it's not related, despite the similarity of the names) is a weak point in the security of any system. Java is, among other things, a platform for running complex applications in a web page, on the client. That was never a good idea, and Java's developers have had a lot of trouble implementing it without also creating a portal for malware to enter. Past Java exploits are the closest thing there has ever been to a Windows-style "virus" affecting OS X. Merely loading a page with malicious Java content could be harmful. Fortunately, Java on the Web is mostly extinct. Only a few outmoded sites still use it. Try to hasten the process of extinction by avoiding those sites, if you have a choice.
Java is not included in OS X 10.7 and later. Discrete Java installers are distributed by Apple and by Oracle (the developer of Java.) Don't use either one unless you need it. Most people don't. If Java is installed, disable it — not JavaScript — in your browsers. In Safari, this is done by unchecking the box marked Enable Java in the Security tab of the preferences dialog.
Regardless of version, experience has shown that Java on the Web can't be trusted. If you must use a Java applet for a specific task, enable Java only when needed for the task and disable it immediately when done. Close all other browser windows and tabs, and don't visit any other sites while Java is active. Never enable Java on a public web page that carries third-party advertising. Use it only on well-known, password-protected, secure websites without ads. In Safari 6 or later, you'll see a lock icon in the address bar with the abbreviation "https" when visiting a secure site.
Follow these guidelines, and you’ll be practically as safe from malware as you can be.
6. Never install any commercial "anti-virus" or "Internet security" products for the Mac, as they all do more harm than good, if they do any good at all. 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 modifies or duplicates low-level functions of the operating system, which is a waste of resources and a common cause of instability, bugs, and poor performance.
By modifying the operating system, the software itself may create weaknesses that could be exploited by malware attackers.
7. ClamXav doesn't have these drawbacks. That doesn't mean it's entirely safe. It may report email messages that have "phishing" links in the body, or Windows malware in attachments, as infected files, and offer to delete or move them. Doing so will corrupt the Mail database. The messages should be deleted from within the Mail application.
ClamXav is not needed, and should not be relied upon, for protection against OS X malware. It's useful only for detecting Windows malware. Windows malware can't harm you directly (unless, of course, you use Windows.) Just don't pass it on to anyone else.
A Windows malware attachment in email is usually easy to recognize. The file name will often be targeted at people who aren't very bright; for example:
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥!!!!!!!H0TBABEZ4U!!!!!!!.AVI♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.exe
ClamXav may be able to tell you which particular virus or trojan it is, but do you care? In practice, there's seldom a reason to use ClamXav unless a network administrator requires you to run an anti-virus application.
8. The greatest harm done by anti-virus software, in my opinion, is in its effect on human behavior. It does little or nothing to protect people from emerging threats, but they get a false sense of security from it, and then they may behave in ways that expose them to higher risk. Nothing can lessen the need for safe computing practices.
9. 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, for instance a public Wi-Fi hotspot, where you don't want to provide services. Disable any services you don't use in the Sharing preference pane. All are disabled by default.

Does I Mac need an anti virus program?

if my new Imac needs an antivirus program, which one is the best?

This question really cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." There is Mac malware out there, and more is appearing all the time. You have to know how to protect yourself against it first and foremost. Then you may opt to use anti-virus software as a back-up safety net, if you want to, but the only ones I would recommend are the aforementioned ClamXav and Sophos.
For more information on how to protect yourself, see my Mac Malware Guide.

Does Mac need an anti virus program

Hi, I keep wondering if mac needs anti cirus program, thanks.

stevejobsfan0123 wrote:
It definitely does NOT need any anti-virus.
It depends upon the OS X version and usage habits:
10.4 & 10.5 Yes, always on anti-virus is needed as Apple is not issuing security updates.
10.6 & 10.7 Yes and No
No: for always on/runs at boot time anti-virus (like Norton/VirusBarrier etc) as Apple changes things and is issuing updates which tends to break such software and causes increased CPU load, low battery time.
Yes: for run as you need it anti-virus like ClamXav. For cleaning Windows malware and checking for Mac trojans in emailed files.

Does a Mac don't really need an anti-virus? Is it really a virus free?

Does a Mac don't realyy need an anti-virus? Is it really a virus free? If not what is the recomended anti-virus for MacBook?

Thomas A Reed's site provides everything you need to know. I just want to re-affirm one part (and this is also on Thomas's site)... just because OS X is fairly resistant to viruses, that does not mean you can do whatever you want without any concerns. For the most part, you'll be safe if you don't actually authorize something to be installed (with a few exceptions). You won't typically need to worry about getting a virus just by visiting a website or opening an email. However, once you give authorization for something to be installed, it can do pretty much anything. We've done a great job as a community at touting the security of OS X (and it is very secure), but that has led a lot of less technical people to think that they can do anything without worry. If you download something through a torrent site (or other unknown source) and install it, you've given that application full access to your system. Even if the program you download appears to be what you expected it to be, additional malicious code could have been inserted and you would never know. I also like to point out that the concept of torrents unto itself is not bad. Plenty of companies distribute their software via torrents. It's particularly useful for smaller companies as it can take a significant amount of bandwidth demand off of their servers. However, you should only use the torrent link directly from the developer's site, not from a torrent search engine.

I have lion and i need an anti virus. does mcafee cover lion?

i have lion and i need an anti virus. does mcafee cover lion?

No, it doesn't. So far they only have support for Snow Leopard.

Running Parallels: Does Windows need an anti-virus even on Parallels?

I thought since maybe Mac computers don't really need any anti-virus programs and Windows always needs one, should I install a program even though it's running through my Mac?

Okay, I was thinking yeah, but thanks

I need a anti-virus for my ibook g4 (10.4.11)

my ibook g4 has all latest software update installed and i need a anti-virus scanner/remover, i need a cheap or free one.

Hello,
I use Clam Xav on all my Macs, it's also free and does not abuse the system resources like paid Ani-Virus's do.
Just search the web for Clam Xav

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.

Mac needs to anti virus?

I have a question
The Mac OS is safe,mac needs to anti virus?
What are the best anti-virus for Mac?

You can avoid malare by making sure Gatekeeper is enabled.
Open System Preferences > Security & Privacy then select the General tab.Select: Mac App Store and identified developers
If that area is grayed out, click the padlock icon to make changes. You may be prompted for your admin password before proceeding.
OS X: About Gatekeeper

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This question has been asked and answered countless times.
See this thread for an answer.
Hint: The 'More Like This' box to the right of your post often has the answer to your problem.

Do I any need of anti virus for my iphone 5

Do I any need of anti virus for my iphone 5 &
when i create my master card payment method it seems your payment method was decline plz choose another method...

No you don't need anti virus for your iPhone 5.
What app are you trying to use to make purchases>?

Do I need a anti virus for a imac

new to the apple faimly and love this i mac
yhe question I have is do I need a anti virus and mail ware on this pc From what I have heard it is not needed on apple

Thanks for the reply That great
I first started out with an I pod then a IPhone Now this I mac and just like the ipod and iphone the imac just works I dont miss all of windows crashes and how slow windows were I will never go back
I love this Imac

Does my MBP need an anti virus?

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