Should I use an anti-virus on my MacBook? If so, which one? Thanks.

Anybody there?

Yes, we're here!
Before you decide to install any AV software on your computer, you should do a little reading first and then decide on what you may (and may not) want to use.
Take a visit to Thomas Reed's "The Safe Mac" website and read his Mac Malware Guide. Then take a look at his anti-virus detection guides, part one and part two.
Only you can be certain if you need malware/virus software. If you tend to be wise about what you download, what to look for in possibly infected emails, etc., then it's unlikely that you need anything. If you tend to 'compute precariously then you may need AV software.
Good luck,
Clinton

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Use of anti-virus products with WebLogic

A customer's Weblogic architecture consists of the following in order:
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The customer wants to provide anti-virus protection for documents/data uploaded
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being developed support upload of documents such as MS Word).
We are investigating use of firewall integrated anti-virus products. Using such
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ie between Netscape and WebLogic? If a virus is detected at the second firewall,
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Hi,
Have you installed the Symantec NAC Posture Plugin (Symantec Client Security Posture Plug-in
) ? You can find this MSI installer on the Symantec CD. This plugin provides an interface to CTA for checking the status of Symantec AV and its parameters as CTA has no way for directly getting this status from the Symantec Application.
In most cases the Symantec AV attributes are already pre-loaded on the ACS. You can verify this by making sure that you see the System Token named "Symantec:AV".
After completing the above steps then define a posture validation rule using
1. Symantec:AV:Protection-Enabled (Healthy for a value of "1" and Quarantine\etc else.)
2. Symantec:AV:Dat-Version (You will have to manually specify the minimum acceptable version (E.g. 2007.05.1... ) to declare a System Healthy).
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Naman

My wife is now working from home on her MacBook, her employer is requiring that she use an anti virus package. Any recommendations?

My wife is now working from home on her MacBook, her employer is requiring that she use an anti virus package. Any recommendations?

She may want some details from the employer before making a choice that is consistent with the employer's reasoning for the policy as applicable to this situation.
1) Is the employer trying to safeguard the Windows network from Windows threats that might be introduced by the operation and interactivity of the Mac?
Or
2) Is the employer more concerned with safeguarding the work files and system health of the Mac(s)?
AV software for Mac's have varying degrees of effectivness in either of these categories. ClamXav, I think is more effective at protecting the Mac, and even then its worth is questionable by some. Questionable only insofar as one might consider resource managment (CPU load and disk space) weighed against the actual threats posed to a Mac for which it would be effective.
I think if you are installing an AV to protect the Windows network, then one might opt for software more adept at that.
If on the other hand, the employer's requirement is nothing more than blind policy decision, then ClamXav is indeed the best choice, as it is particularly known for being low in resource overhead.

DO I need Anti-Virus for my Macbook Pro w/Retina Display?

I am currently awaiting a MacBook Pro w/Retina Display and I am having an ongoing discussion with some work colleagues, since the Flashback Trojan appeared to infiltrate Mac's back in early 2012... DO I need Anti-Virus.. My argument is no, but everybody elses is yes!
I would love to see some indepth feedback to send my PC lovers running!
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Joe

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. This feature is transparent to the user, but internally Apple calls it "XProtect." 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.
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," "archive 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 users who were infected with the "DNSChanger" malware. That exception to this rule no longer applies.)
Pirated copies or "cracks" of commercial software are likely to be infected.
Software of any kind downloaded from a BitTorrent or from a Usenet newsgroup is unsafe.
Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, must be downloaded directly from the developer’s website. No intermediary is acceptable.
5. 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 one 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.
6. Never install any commercial "anti-virus" or "Internet security" products for the Mac, as they all do more harm than good, even supposing that 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. Windows malware attachments in email are almost always easy to recognize without computer assistance.
8. The greatest danger posed by anti-virus software, in my opinion, is its effect on human behavior. When people install such software, which does little or nothing to protect them from emerging threats, 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.

Can anybody recommend an anti-virus for my macbook pro

Can anybody recommend an anti-virus for my macbook pro
I have started to get attachments to my fsmail account from known sites but when opened I'm greeted by a a sentence in French that has the words orange and virus in it. Unfortunately I cannot speak French so are unsure what it is. I believe that my email and possibly my computer has been attacked?
Any views recommendations would be most welcome.
Trevor

This forum is for questions about the Communities themselves. You'll usually be more likely to get a quick and helpful answer if you post in the forum dedicated for your product. Anyway, my standard antivirus spiel:
At this time there have been no confirmed Mac OS X viruses (subject to the semantic debate about whether the old iChat exploit, now long since blocked, was properly classified as a virus or a trojan horse, and not counting the Word macro virus that can affect Office v.X or non-updated copies of Office 2004), very few trojans and no adware or spyware. I therefore do not feel that antivirus or antispyware software is necessary at this time as long as users are careful about what they download from the Internet or accept as attachments via email.
The most common exploit is a recent outbreak of "scareware" that people are encountering while web surfing. This "scareware" pops up and claims that your system is infected with viruses, prompts you to download their "scanner", then tells you that you need to purchase their paid software to remove them. These fake applications, appearing by many names including Mac Defender, Apple Security Center, Apple Web Security, and many others, do nothing at all other than turn off the fake warnings once they have your money. DO NOT fall for these.
Security precautions for Mac OS X mostly are common sense: don't download and run files from sites you don't know, don't fall for any "you have viruses" messages, don't double-click on attachments in emails you aren't expecting and/or from people you don't know, and make sure you password your system with a non-trivial password and keep that password secure. In addition, don't leave your system available in a public place and unattended where someone unauthorized could use it and potentially install malware (such a policy is also a precaution against theft).
It is possible for a Mac user to inadvertently forward a Windows virus to a PC user though you'd have to do it manually so the above precautions would probably prevent such virus-spreading, and said Windows virus cannot infect the Mac.
If you do decide you wish to run antivirus software, I think that the donationware clamXav should be more than enough. iAntivirus has also been recommended by others, though I have no personal experience with it.
If you are running Windows on your system, either via BootCamp, Parallels Workstation or another solution, then that copy of Windows is subject to all the myriad exploits common to the Windows world, so you need to take full precautions, including running both antivirus and antispyware software.
Regards.
Message was edited by: Dave Sawyer

I Do I need an anti-virus for my macbook pro or not and which is the best anti-virus for it if needed and i can download it from which site?

Hello everyone.I just wanted to know that do i need an anti virus for my macbook pro and if yes then which is the best anti-virus for it and i can download the anti-virus software from which site? Thanks for everyones help for my previous question..it really helped me.

There's no know virus that can impact a Mac, but if you run Windows via Parallels or Boot Camp then you're just as vulbnerable as any PC user.
If you want to scan your system to be sure check out the free utilities ClamXav and Sophos Anti Virus

No viruses on mac but should i still get anti-virus program?

I am getting a mac next week and i would like to know if i should buy an anti virus program even though macs dont get viruses.Thanks

There will be conflicts, and pages upon pages with arguments for/against anti-virus programs on a Mac.
ClamAV is a small program, unlike Norton, does NOT create any instability within MacOS and does not slow MY system down. I am not sure if you have used ClamAV, but there are thousands of users who use it WITHOUT a problem.
I use Clam to scan for a possible virus that come through e-mail, (ClamAV does scan e-mail too) and I use Microsoft Office tons, and use it between OS. Better to be safe than sorry, slowing down my computer or not. Again, I have not had any problems with installers, system performance, loss of memory etc. It's worth it IMO.

Has anyone used savos anti virus for mac

I have been seeing a bit on the net that Apple Macs are being targeted by hackers.
I have seen the program Savos, anti virus & free root kit remover.

Most would say no, that macs do not need anti virus programs. They are subject to malware, however the user has to be tricked into intalling it. Unless you have a Windows partition, I personally wouldn't recommend wasting your money on an anti virus program. You can read this: http://www.reedcorner.net/guides/macvirus/#needav to help you with your decision.

Anti-virus software for MacBook

Hi, I came across plug in for enhancing the efficiency of MacBook and protecting it against viruses. My question is: Does MacBook require anti-virus software such as MacKeeper? Or is this software a malware?
Thanks, Chaitanya Mehta

... Does MacBook require anti-virus software such as MacKeeper? Or is this software a malware?
I consider MacKeeper "malware" and so do many others. OS X already contains all that is necessary to protect itself from viruses. The best thing you can do is ensure your OS is updated using Software Update.
Never install anything without knowing exactly what it is, what it does, and how to eradicate it should it do something you do not want. Never supply your user name and password to something just because a popup window requests it.
You should also consider using OpenDNS which has recently been improved to prevent certain malware from spreading. It's free and has many other useful features.

Anti-virus software for MacBook Pro?

Okay...seriously this may be the most ridiculous question out there...but can't find a **** solution to it ...so let it be ridiculous...or dumb? I just purchased a MacBook Pro...been using PC's all my life...and am wondering how the **** Macs are keeping our system healthy w/o an anti-virus software installed? How does that even work? Or does it not...and I should be afraid? I just discovered that my MacBook Pro does not have an anti-virus software as a standard....so am I suppose to search for one? Or is Mac way to cool to even deal with such? LET ME KNOW! Please. Thanks.

Norak,
I understand your concerns as I switched from Windows 2000 to Mac OS X in July 2005.
There are three (3) well knows anit-virus products for Mac OS X. (I am sure there are others, I just don't know about them.) They are:
1. Norton Anti-Virus. $70. Don't know if it supports Intel-based Macs.
2. Intego VirusBarrier. $70. Universal binary.
3. ClamXAV. $zero. Don't know if it supports Intel-based Macs.
Before buying/installing any AV software, you should surf to:
MacUpdate
and
VersionTracker
and read people's comments about them. All three have weaknesses and the commercial ones have caused problems in the past.
I have ClamXAV installed on my Power Mac, but I don't know if it works as it has never detected a virus. However, on my Windows computer, GriSoft's AVG only detected one virus-infected file a year.
,dave
P.S. You probably also have questions about firewalls and spyware. Here are some answers.
1. Firewall. The built-in firewall in Mac OS X is pretty good and very easy to configure. Its weakness is that it does not protect against outgoing transmissions (as Zone Alarm on Windows does). Little Snitch is software that performs this function.
2. Spyware. Seems to be a non-existent problem on Mac OS X. There some software packages out there to address the problem.

Anti Virus, spyware for Macbooks

Hi everyone, Im a new Mac user. Iam just confused about the Mac security, do Macs needs anti-virus, spyware software?? Someone said not necessary, others said Macs do get Virus so they need anti-virus software
any suggestion??

At this time there have been no confirmed Mac OS X viruses (subject to the semantic debate about whether the iChat exploit is properly classified as a virus or a trojan horse and not counting the Word macro virus that can affect Office v.X or non-updated copies of Office 2004), very few trojans and no adware or spyware. I therefore do not feel that antivirus or antispyware software is necessary at this time. It's never wise to become complacent, though, so security precautions are not wasted. Such security precautions mostly are common sense: don't download and run files from sites you don't know, don't double-click on attachments in emails you aren't expecting and/or from people you don't know, and make sure you password your system and keep that password secure as well as not having your system available and unattended (which also is a precaution against theft). In addition, it's possible for someone to inadvertently forward a Windows virus or worm to a PC user though you'd have to do it manually and said Windows malware cannot infect the Mac.
In addition, it's possible for someone to inadvertently forward a Windows virus to a PC user though you'd have to do it manually, and said Windows virus cannot infect the Mac.
If you do decide you wish to run antivirus software, I think that the donationware clamXav should be more than enough provided you remember to scan your system from time to time.
If you are running Windows on your system, either via BootCamp, Parallels Workstation or another solution, then that copy of Windows is subject to all the myriad exploits common to the Windows world, so you need to take full precautions, including running both antivirus and antispyware software.

Do i install an anti virus on my MacBook Air ??

I just want to know that whether it is necessary to install an anti virus for my Mac ??
If yes then which one is recommended ?

You do not need any software installed for protection from virus.
Install all System, Applications and Security updates released by Apple.
For more on this:
http://support.apple.com/kb/PH11432
http://www.thesafemac.com/mmg-antivirus/
Best.

I am new to mac, is there any need to install Anti-Virus on my MacBook Pro ?

I surf the internet and watch some videos, is there any need to install anti virus on my mac ?
Thanks in advance.

Have a look here > Antivirus Discussion
More Info Here > http://www.reedcorner.net/mmg/

Free anti-virus ware for macbook?

Can anybody recommend a good anti-virus program for my macbook air, i've surfed the net but theres so much conflicting advice and i'm no expert, help!

micknmax wrote:
thanks mate, just installed it!
Where did you download it from (AppStore or Web) and did you follow these instructions?
there seems to be an icon appearing next to the clamvax icon on my desktop, it says "warning", any idea what this is?
What is the ClamXav icon doing on your desktop, or is that the .dmg file you downloaded from the Web? The application icon belongs in your Applications folder.
If you have further problems / questions, I highly recommend you join other users on the ClamXav Forum and somebody will help you out.

Should I use an anti-virus on my MacBook? If so, which one? Thanks.

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