Antivirus/Antimalware for Apple Macintosh

[kjv1611]

Well, I know that Apple tries to sell their systems as virus/malware free and all of that, but I really can't help but think the only reason why is b/c of the lower market share for the systems.

With that in mind, I'd like to open up a discussion to see if anyone here has had any experience with installing/using an antivirus/antimalware app of any sort on a Mac.

I personally am curious now, as I've recently looked at one Mac - well was mainly just looking at their network settings and all, between a Mac and a Dell Vostro. In that process, found they had no AV software installed on Vista - only Windows Defender, which is good, but I'm sure not full protection by itself - I installed AVG for them immediately.

On the Mac, I was wondering what Free antivirus would be best. I found this one via a Google search:

http://www.clamxav.com/

I know Clam AV is pretty common on Linux setups already.

Does anyone have any thoughts/suggestions. I've not been back to the house where the 2 computers since 2 Fridays ago, but I'd imagine they'll be asking some questions soon. Those that asked me about it were out of town for almost a full week.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[twiSSt]

There seems to be two schools of thought, first being there is no need for antivirus/spyware/malware, believing the hype and propoganda of the "I'm a Mac" commercials. I agree the reason is linked to market share.

Then there is the rest of us - I use ClamAV on our Macs here and take it a step further by limiting access to sites, external drives and FTP on some of our computers (dept by dept). ClamAV is free, provides free updates and it works.

I have also seen instances where a mac can transfer a virus while not being infected itself.

Twist

===========================================
Everything will be OK in the end.
If it's not OK, then it's not the end

 

[kjv1611]

==>I have also seen instances where a mac can transfer a virus while not being infected itself.

I believe I saw the very same thing about 10 years ago. At the small college I went to, We had 2 computer labs - one IBM, and one Macintosh. In the Macintosh lab, we always ran an emulation of Windows, so really, it blows my mind as to why in the world we used the Macs in the first place, unless someone just donated those specific machines.

I never had any problems with the IBM/Windows PCs, but with the Macs, I apparently at least once picked up a virus on my 3.5mm floppy drive. I know this, b/c of when it showed up on my then fiance's roomate's Dell PC.

Though, I cannot say 100% sure as to where the virus came from, but I know I had gone for quite some time with no problems between the IBM labs and the roomate's PC, and the PC (Compaq) at my parent's house with no issues. Then suddenly after I had been doing some of my work in the Mac lab, I had a virus on my floppy.

At the time, I honestly knew very little about computers, so all I can do is go off what little I remember about that.

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me

 

[BadBigBen]

I know Clam AV is pretty common on Linux setups already.

Not on the ones I've installed...

and the only time I used ClamAV was from a bootable USB HDD, as an external scanner running under BartPE...

ClamAV though is at present the best AntiViral solution for MACs, and the engine is part of the Mac OS X Server 10.4... but it has the a known problem, namely that at times it will hinder the installation of other products or the updating thereof, e.g. known to inhibit Adobe Illustrator CS2 12.0.1 Update-Program (Source:

http://www.architektenwerk.de/mac_os_x_virenschutz.html

)...

I am not discounting that Market Share has something to do with the Malware infestation (today it is to get money, and I would not put it past certain AntiViral software manufacturers that they spread them themselves), but viral software started out to annoy or bind people to a manufacturer (MS-DOS Brain in 1986) or just as proof of concept...

I have also seen instances where a mac can transfer a virus while not being infected itself

yes, it is possible that a Mac carries a virus, but there is pratically no way that a MAC could spread a Windows Virus on to a windows machine, unless there is a process running, which can check what media is inserted and writes code onto it or over it (NETWORK)... very unlikely that such a process would not be found out about...

The only reason why I would install an AntiViral program on a MAC, would be to scan for Windows Viruses before passing eMail/data/programs to Windows Machines... Norton and McAffee, both hype the fact that they are needed, but in reality there are maybe a handful of viruses out there for the MAC itself and other BSD derivatives... and antiviral applications are always a step behind the coders...










Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[2ffat]

Just a side note: the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council, the people that define the standards for the credit card industry, has written that all operating systems associated with card processing have to run antivirus software, including Macs and *nix.

While there aren't many Mac and Linux virii out there, it only takes one to ruin your company.



James P. Cottingham
-----------------------------------------
^{I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229!}

 

[BadBigBen]

While there aren't many Mac and Linux virii out there, it only takes one to ruin your company.

Good point...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[twiSSt]

That is an good point, the instance that I referred to is proof. My client was an all Mac office and struggled with a simple Word97 virus. While it was not infecting their Mac's it was causing havoc with their clients.

Their emails were getting rejected, and thier clients were becoming very upset and a few refused to do business with them until them fixed their virus issue.

The bottom line in business is you can never be to careful.

Twist

===========================================
Everything will be OK in the end.
If it's not OK, then it's not the end

 

[kjv1611]

Them is some fine points!

--

"If to err is human, then I must be some kind of human!" -Me