infoseeker5
MIS
I use Windows at work, and I'm a first time Mac user at home. I can't help but worry about Spyware and virus protection. Is there such a thing for Macs?
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Spyware/virus protection for Macs 2
- Thread starter infoseeker5
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There are anti-spyware and anti-virus apps available for Mac that are easily googled or even marketed on Apple.com.
One example:
Mac has a significantly smaller number of malware exploits so many feel that they do not need to protect themselves. In general, the average Mac user can probably get by without any third party malware protection. The problem is that it only takes one piece of malware to disrupt your system. Statistics mean very little to that one exploit that got through.
One example:
Mac has a significantly smaller number of malware exploits so many feel that they do not need to protect themselves. In general, the average Mac user can probably get by without any third party malware protection. The problem is that it only takes one piece of malware to disrupt your system. Statistics mean very little to that one exploit that got through.
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I always differ with Jimoblak on this one.
To date, there has never been a workable virus/worm on OSX. While “theoretical” ones have been reported, none have ever been seen to actually work and spread in the wild.
The same goes for other malware. There are constantly reports of “holes” in OSX, but none has ever been reported to work in the real world.
Macs get FAR more attention in both the mainstream and high tech press than their market share would justify. You can be guaranteed that, if real virus/malware problems were shown in the wild, you’d be reading about it very quickly.
I’m responsible for a small fleet of macs in a marketing firm. We have been using them for 15 years. We have never had any sort of protection software installed and have never had any problem.
Just make sure that you only enable what you need on System Prefs/Sharing – under both Services and Firewall. The only thing we have enabled is Personal File Sharing.
Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4
To date, there has never been a workable virus/worm on OSX. While “theoretical” ones have been reported, none have ever been seen to actually work and spread in the wild.
The same goes for other malware. There are constantly reports of “holes” in OSX, but none has ever been reported to work in the real world.
Macs get FAR more attention in both the mainstream and high tech press than their market share would justify. You can be guaranteed that, if real virus/malware problems were shown in the wild, you’d be reading about it very quickly.
I’m responsible for a small fleet of macs in a marketing firm. We have been using them for 15 years. We have never had any sort of protection software installed and have never had any problem.
Just make sure that you only enable what you need on System Prefs/Sharing – under both Services and Firewall. The only thing we have enabled is Personal File Sharing.
Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4
jmgalvin is not reading the same reports that I am. Exploits are out there. They are not widespread but there are exploits for sure. No system is immune from attack.
How can one claim not to have ever had a problem if they are not running monitoring software that would tell them if they have malware? I cannot believe one has not had problems with Macs in 15 years. The autostart worm from pre OSX days seemed to have hit everyone just 10 years ago.
One does not invest in malware protection for what vulnerabilities existed yesterday or today. Malware protection (with automatic updates) prevents issues in the future. So while nothing has scared jmgalvin 'to date', I'm concerned about the near future. Malware exploits are inevitable as an operating system grows in popularity.
The Mac user can feel pretty confident about not getting malware because of an inherent difference with Windows. Most apps in OSX require an administrator password to execute so the only thing most folks need to worry about is social engineering that tricks them into allowing malware.
There is no need to bury one's head in the sand about the likely attacks to come. There is no need to waste money on malware protection. It can be free and painless:
How can one claim not to have ever had a problem if they are not running monitoring software that would tell them if they have malware? I cannot believe one has not had problems with Macs in 15 years. The autostart worm from pre OSX days seemed to have hit everyone just 10 years ago.
One does not invest in malware protection for what vulnerabilities existed yesterday or today. Malware protection (with automatic updates) prevents issues in the future. So while nothing has scared jmgalvin 'to date', I'm concerned about the near future. Malware exploits are inevitable as an operating system grows in popularity.
The Mac user can feel pretty confident about not getting malware because of an inherent difference with Windows. Most apps in OSX require an administrator password to execute so the only thing most folks need to worry about is social engineering that tricks them into allowing malware.
There is no need to bury one's head in the sand about the likely attacks to come. There is no need to waste money on malware protection. It can be free and painless:
FWIW I'm with jimoblack on this one. He said all that I was going to say when I read this thread.
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How about a simple analogy?
We don't lock the doors to our homes because someone broke in yesterday. They are locked to prevent future entry.
The only time I have encountered a virus (on any platform) in the past 15 years was on a Mac. This was simply because the Mac culture said "Mac's don't get viruses so there is no need to use anti-virus software". All my systems now use anti-virus apps and I now have no need to worry.
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For the extra phobic (like myself), you might look at Little Snitch ( While the firewall in OSX is pretty good, Little Snitch takes security a step further and helps you control which apps are allowed to connect to external resources.
We don't lock the doors to our homes because someone broke in yesterday. They are locked to prevent future entry.
The only time I have encountered a virus (on any platform) in the past 15 years was on a Mac. This was simply because the Mac culture said "Mac's don't get viruses so there is no need to use anti-virus software". All my systems now use anti-virus apps and I now have no need to worry.
--
For the extra phobic (like myself), you might look at Little Snitch ( While the firewall in OSX is pretty good, Little Snitch takes security a step further and helps you control which apps are allowed to connect to external resources.
jimbopalmer
Programmer
I got my last Mac virus from my mother via floppy, from her Plus to my Classic. MacOS had 58 viruses written for it. OSX has not yet had many outbreaks, but time will march on.
If you use any applications which use the Microsoft Office macro language, then you can pass macro viruses through your Mac to other users, and in some cases spread them to all your own documents as well.
I tried to remain child-like, all I acheived was childish.
If you use any applications which use the Microsoft Office macro language, then you can pass macro viruses through your Mac to other users, and in some cases spread them to all your own documents as well.
I tried to remain child-like, all I acheived was childish.
The note about MSOffice brings up a thought. While OSX may seem to be virus free, the OS is not the only gateway for malware.
Much malware walks in as a guest of someone else you have already invited to the party. For example Adobe has issued several security patches to its software that could have previously allowed malware. Even Apple has recently patched a Quicktime bugaboo on both Mac and Windows that could have allowed a remote attacker have root access to your system.
Much malware walks in as a guest of someone else you have already invited to the party. For example Adobe has issued several security patches to its software that could have previously allowed malware. Even Apple has recently patched a Quicktime bugaboo on both Mac and Windows that could have allowed a remote attacker have root access to your system.
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infoseeker5
MIS
Thanks for the advice folks. Good analogy, BTW.
I agree with Jim too. I have chosen NeoOffice instead of MS - mostly because of security issues, and at least a little (to tell the truth) because installing M$summat on a MAC just doesn't feel right.
With a mixture of NeoOffice and iWork it seems I can do everything I need.
(I do also run ClamXav just in case, and unsurprisingly for a MAC it's free)
Fee
The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]
With a mixture of NeoOffice and iWork it seems I can do everything I need.
(I do also run ClamXav just in case, and unsurprisingly for a MAC it's free)
Fee
The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]
My advise to my MAC clients is fit an anti virus program to stop the danger of acting as an intermediary - PC user mails you an infected attachemnt, you forward it on to a PC user - Not strictly your fault, but your customer wont appriciate the diffrence!
ObviousTroll
Programmer
James makes a valid point - one of the more amusing things I've noticed is that my Windows virus checker occasionally decides to scan my NAS for viruses - and it always finds several in the backups of my Apple Mail folder.
However, the biggest problem I have with Mac virus checkers is that Norton seems to cause OS instability all by itself.
There is a free virus checker for OS X called "ClamXav" which is the OSX version of the ClamAv engine. You might want to try that.
However, the biggest problem I have with Mac virus checkers is that Norton seems to cause OS instability all by itself.
There is a free virus checker for OS X called "ClamXav" which is the OSX version of the ClamAv engine. You might want to try that.
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