The Best Virus Program For The Mac?

Hi... I currently use Virus Barrier X6 w/ Net Barrier... What is the best Virus/Network Software for the Mac platform? Any Recommendations?
So far I've had no problems and Virus Barrier did detect one virus which came in the form of a junk email attachment. I was able to "eradicate it" and have had no other problems since... Is VirusBarrier a good application for protecting against malware, viruses, etc...? If not can someone recommend? And what about virus protection for the iPad? (I just ordered one)

OK... Than answer me this... Why is it only Windows which can be hit by a virus.
There are several factors that make Windows more vulnerable. (Some may have been changed in the latest Windows.)
Windows users normally run with privileges enabled because they are needed for common operations. OSX users can run in non-administrator accounts for normal use.
Some Windows applications, such as Internet Explorer, can have full access to system files, so can modify the system or install software without the user's knowledge. These applications can blindly follow instructions from web pages or mail messages. OSX's Safari has a limited set of file types considered "Safe", and won't open any others that may be downloaded. The worst that a "Safe" file can do is play a media file, or open a disk image to show the files contained, and instructions on installing. The user would have to start the installation, and enter an administrator name and password, to modify the system. You will be warned the first time you try to open a downloaded file that is an application, or wants to start an application.
Window's mail applications are happy to take commands from other applications to send files to other computers. OSX Mail will ask for permission when a new application tries to send mail.
To try and improve security, Windows has added many warnings for activities that could be suspicious, but they can occur so often that users often just click OK without checking.
Windows has the capability of automatically running application from a disc when it is inserted. This feature was used on CDs by music publishers to install new drivers to prevent copying, but can also install a virus. Just plugging in an infected USB memory stick can automatically infect your computer. Thee have been cases legitimate distributing of discs or memory sticks that were infected. IBM unknowingly distributed some recently at a security conference. There were infected USB sticks left in a parking lot of a government facility. Somebody who found one, plugged it into his computer to try and identify the person who may have lost it. It immediately installed a virus on the computer, which was on a secure, protected, network At one time, Mac OS had this "feature" but it was removed long before OSX, because it made it so easy to infect a computer. (There were some pre-OSX Mc viruses.)
Why are Macs and OS X invulnerable to viruses?
They are not invulnerable, but not as easy to infect. Occasionally security holes are found, but Apple provides security updates reasonably quickly.
I've never heard Apple claim there are no viruses out there for OS X and I don't think they would do so...
I think they did claim that in some TV ads. They didn't claim that there would never be any, though.
I'm not trying to start an argument... Rather trying to find out about some software. All I've received (aside from one) is there apparently are no viruses for OS X. Whatever...
Maybe they are right.
I've been in the IT Field long enough to know anything is possible. And even disconnecting from a network still doesn't guarantee anything. I'm sure you've put data CDs in your Mac.
Yes, but unlike Windows, that can't install anything automatically.
Maybe the word "Best" wasn't the right choice... I was looking for more of a comparison and instead I get another smart @ss answer.
That doesn't mean the answer is wrong. There are currently no OSX viruses out there. The anti-virus companies are desperately looking for some; so far unsuccessfully. They may even be trying to create some. That doesn't stop them ffrom climing tht there are such viruses. They often list the pre-OSX ones.

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What is the best virus protection for a Mac?

What is the best virus protection for a Mac?

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.
OS X now implements three layers of built-in protection specifically against malware, not counting runtime protections such as execute disable, sandboxing, system library randomization, and address space layout randomization that may also guard against other kinds of exploits.
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.
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 a second 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 doesn't depend on a database of known malware. It 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.
4. Starting with OS X 10.8.3, a third layer of protection has been added: a "Malware Removal Tool" (MRT). MRT runs automatically in the background when you update the OS. It checks for, and removes, malware that may have evaded the other protections via a Java exploit (see below.) MRT also runs when you install or update the Apple-supplied Java runtime (but not the Oracle runtime.) Like XProtect, MRT is presumably effective against known attacks, but maybe not against unknown attacks. It notifies you if it finds malware, but otherwise there's no user interface to MRT.
5. Beyond XProtect, Gatekeeper, and MRT, there’s no evidence of any benefit from other automated protection against malware. The first and best line of defense is always your own intelligence. With the possible exception of Java exploits, 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.
6. 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 always a bad idea, and Java's developers have proven themselves incapable of 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. Forget about playing games or other non-essential uses of Java.
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, when necessary, only on well-known, login-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 the above guidelines, and you’ll be as safe from malware as you can practically be. The rest of this comment concerns what you should not do to protect yourself from malware.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. The greatest harm done by security 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.
10. 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.

Whats the best virus checker for a MAC

whats the best virus checker for a MAC

rkaufmann87 wrote:
And I'm of the school that says no virus checker is needed. This assumes the user has a minor amount of common sense and does download illegal software, visits *********** sites and keeps OS X up-to-date by using Software Update regularly.
I'm in almost full agreement with everything you've said except for the ************** sites part. Most current Mac malware comes from very ordinary and even top level sites these days. Flashback came from hundreds of main stream WordPress blog sites. The New York Times primary web site was spreading malware for 24 hours before it was discovered. Users can no longer feel confident of not being infected just because they avoid sketchy sites.

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This would be speech recognition software. There is only one satisfactory product for this available on Macs - Dragon Dictate. From my limited experience it works exceptionally well given the state of the technology.
It will require an appropriate microphone for best results plus the willingness to commit several hours to train the program to your voice. It can be used in most word processors/editors as well as work with many different applications' commands and OS commands.

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This would be speech recognition software. There is only one satisfactory product for this available on Macs - Dragon Dictate. From my limited experience it works exceptionally well given the state of the technology.
It will require an appropriate microphone for best results plus the willingness to commit several hours to train the program to your voice. It can be used in most word processors/editors as well as work with many different applications' commands and OS commands.

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what is the best office program for mac dealing with arabic language?

The best word processor is Mellel. TextEdit, Nisus Writer, and Open/Libre/NeoOffice should also work OK.
MS Word for Mac does not do Arabic, but I am not sure about Excel and PowerPoint. If not, OpenOffice would be the only option.
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What is the best 'cleaning system' for the Mac?

What do you recommend as the best 'cleaning system' for the Mac!

How to maintain a Mac
Make two or more backups of all your files
One backup is not enough to be safe. A copy of a backup doesn't count as another backup; all backups must be made directly from the original data.
Keep at least one backup off site at all times in case of disaster. Backing up to a cloud-data service is one way to accomplish this, but don't rely exclusively on such backups.
In fact, don’t rely exclusively on any single backup method, such as Time Machine.
If you get an indication that a backup has failed, don't ignore it.
Keep your software up to date
In the App Store or Software Update preference pane (depending on the OS version), you can configure automatic notifications of updates to OS X and other Mac App Store products. Some third-party applications from other sources have a similar feature, if you don’t mind letting them phone home. Otherwise you have to check yourself on a regular basis.
Keeping up to date is especially important for complex software that modifies the operating system, such as device drivers. Don't install such modifications unless they're absolutely necessary. Remove them when they are no longer needed. Before installing any Apple update, you must check that all system modifications that you use are compatible. Incompatibility with third-party software is by far the most common cause of difficulties with system updates.
Don't install crapware
...such as “themes,” "haxies," “add-ons,” “toolbars,” “enhancers," “optimizers,” “accelerators,” "boosters," “extenders,” “cleaners,” "doctors," "tune-ups," “defragmenters,” “firewalls,” "barriers," “guardians,” “defenders,” “protectors,” most “plugins,” commercial "virus scanners,” "disk tools," or "utilities." With very few exceptions, such stuff is useless or worse than useless. Above all, avoid any software that purports to change the look and feel of the user interface.
It's not much of an exaggeration to say that the whole "utility" software industry for the Mac is a fraud on consumers. The most extreme examples are the "CleanMyMac," "TuneUpMyMac," and “MacKeeper” scams, but there are many others.
As a rule, you should avoid software that changes the way other software works. Plugins for Photoshop and similar programs are an obvious exception to this rule. Safari extensions, and perhaps the equivalent for other web browsers, are a partial exception. Most are safe, and they're easy to get rid of if they don't work. Some may cause the browser to crash or otherwise malfunction. Some are malicious. Use with caution, and install only well-known extensions from relatively trustworthy sources, such as the Safari Extensions Gallery.
Only install software that is useful to you, not (as you imagine) to the computer. For example, a word processor is useful for writing. A video editor is useful for making movies. A game is useful for fun. But a "cache cleaner" isn't useful for anything. You didn't buy a computer so you could clean caches.
Never install any third-party software unless you know how to uninstall it. Otherwise you may create problems that are very hard to solve. Do not rely on "utilities" such as "AppCleaner" and the like that purport to remove software.
Don't install bad, conflicting, or unnecessary fonts
Whenever you install new fonts, use the validation feature of the built-in Font Book application to make sure the fonts aren't defective and don't conflict with each other or with others that you already have. See the built-in help and this support article for instructions.
Deactivate or remove fonts that you don't really need to speed up application launching.
Avoid malware
"Malware" is malicious software that circulates on the Internet. This kind of attack on OS X was once so rare that it was hardly a concern, but it's now increasingly common and dangerous.
There is some built-in protection against malware, but you can’t rely on it—the attackers are always at least one day ahead of the defense. You can’t rely on third-party "anti-virus" products for protection either. What you can rely on is common-sense awareness—not paranoia, which only makes you more vulnerable.
Never install software from an untrustworthy or unknown source. If in doubt, do some research. Any website that prompts you to install a “codec” or “plugin” that comes from the same site, or an unknown site, is untrustworthy. Software with a corporate brand, such as Adobe Flash Player, must come directly from the developer's website. No intermediary is acceptable, and don’t trust links unless you know how to parse them. Any file that is automatically downloaded from the web, without your having requested it, should go straight into the Trash. A web page that tells you that your computer has a “virus,” or that anything else is wrong with it, is a scam.
In OS X 10.7.5 or later, downloaded applications and Installer packages that have not been digitally signed by a developer registered with Apple are blocked from loading by default. The block can be overridden, but think carefully before you do so.
Because of recurring security issues in Java, it’s best to disable it in your web browsers, if it’s installed. Few websites have Java content nowadays, so you won’t be missing much. This action is mandatory if you’re running any version of OS X older than 10.6.8 with the latest Java update. Note: Java has nothing to do with JavaScript, despite the similar names. Don't install Java unless you're sure you need it. Most people don't.
Don't fill up your disk or SSD
A common mistake is adding more and more large files to your home folder until you start to get warnings that you're out of space, which may be followed in short order by a startup failure. This is more prone to happen on the newer Macs that come with an internal SSD instead of the traditional hard drive. The drive can be very nearly full before you become aware of the problem.
While it's not true that you should or must keep any particular percentage of space free, you should monitor your storage use and make sure you're not in immediate danger of using it up. According to Apple documentation, you need at least 9 GB of free space on the startup volume for normal operation.
If storage space is running low, use a tool such as OmniDiskSweeper to explore the volume and find out what's taking up the most space. Move seldom-used large files to secondary storage.
Relax, don’t do it
Besides the above, no routine maintenance is necessary or beneficial for the vast majority of users; specifically not “cleaning caches,” “zapping the PRAM,” "resetting the SMC," “rebuilding the directory,” "defragmenting the drive," “running periodic scripts,” “dumping logs,” "deleting temp files," “scanning for viruses,” "purging memory," "checking for bad blocks," "testing the hardware," or “repairing permissions.” Such measures are either completely pointless or are useful only for solving problems, not for prevention.
To use a Mac effectively, you have to free yourself from the Windows mindset that every computer needs regular downtime for maintenance such as "defragging" and "registry cleaning." Those concepts do not apply to the Mac platform.
A well-designed computing device is not something you should have to think about much. It should be an almost transparent medium through which you communicate, work, and play. If you want a machine that needs a lot of attention just to keep going, use a PC, or collect antique cars.
The very height of futility is running an expensive third-party application called “Disk Warrior” when nothing is wrong, or even when something is wrong and you have backups, which you must have. Disk Warrior is a data-salvage tool, not a maintenance tool, and you will never need it if your backups are adequate. Don’t waste money on it or anything like it.

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Hello
Have your tried iCheckBook?
Not sure if that's the kind of software your after.

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General consensus here is to stay far, far away from Norton, and that most anti-malware software for Mac causes more issues than they will ever avoid.
Most Mac users run bare.
I still haven't seen anything in the wild, no OS X virus really going beyond proof of concept; some malware, yes, but not a virus. And the existing malware requires users to "open the door" and basically tell the malware it's ok to do its thing. I'm not sure there'll ever be software which can overcome the actions of such a user.
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I have a 44 minute carefully edited iMovie with several chapter markers. I dimly recollect that when you 'dump' the entire movie into iDVD (my version is 7.1) it should detect the markers and create buttons to link to specific scenes. Well, the 'dumping' process obviously doesn't work.
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Is there An anti-virus program for a Mac Book Pro

Is there an ant-virus program for a Mac Book Pro?

YES, there is. It is built into Mac OS X. All you need to do to use it is keep Mac OS X up-to-date.
This built-in Anti-Virus works better and is far less obtrusive than any third-party stuff you can add on. Most of the third-party anti-Virus add-ons are JUNK.
But Viruses, while they cannot be ignored, are actually quite rare on the Mac. If you have a flashy anti-Virus scan that reminds you it is there by slowing down your Mac and visibly scanning things, you can lull yourself into thinking you are protected, but you are NOT!
A much more serious problem is malware, and most malware requires you to help (or at least be complicit) to get onto your Mac. Nothing can replace your constant Vigilance. They ARE out to get you, and steal your financial data, and take over your Mac.
Don't click on ANY links sent to you in emails.
Don't visit Torrent sites, and don't download software from third-party sites.
Don't download "players" from the same site that is providing the content.
No one can tell whether your Mac is infected with anything from outside your Mac. This is ALWAYS a scam.
You have not won a contest you did not enter. You should never have to pay to collect your prize.
Providing your banking information to anyone (to send you money) is an invitation for them to empty that account and disappear.
The Safe Mac -- Mac Malware Guide

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The Best Virus Program For The Mac?

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