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Do Mac's need anti Virus?

  • 07-02-2009 2:10pm
    #1
    Hogzy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,544 ✭✭✭


    As the title says... Do mac's need anti virus? Im simply going to be using my mac for 'general' internet browsing, word processing etc... Will probably be using limewire and downloading torrents! For the limewire and torrents i feel i need it but do i really?

    If so...what anti virus is best?


Comments

  • #2
    J-blk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,906 ✭✭✭J-blk


    Ah yes, this topic always comes up with recent switchers :). Here's one of the recent threads on it, with a lot of opinions:

    http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055351400

    I'm in the camp that doesn't think it's really necessary at this point. The vast, vast majority of viruses/malware out there are targeted at Windows systems, not Mac OS X and you don't really need to worry about them. That said, if at any point you need to take anything you download to a Windows machine, you should make sure that machine is fully protected - your Mac may not be affected by anything in the file you downloaded, but you could inadvertently infect a Windows system.

    As for the malware that does exist for Mac OS X, most of it can't do anything, unless you actually execute it and give it access privileges (account password) which you should never do with any application on any OS, if you don't trust the source...

    Exercise some common sense and I believe you should be ok, with no antivirus installed.

    This could change in the near future though: the most high profile case recently was with torrented copies of iWork '09, which contained a trojan. But as mentioned above, nothing would affect you unless you blindly install it (it does require the account password) which is bad idea with dodgy software :).


  • #3
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,693 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    I've been using Macs for about 13 years and never had a need for anti-virus. As J-bik says that may change in the future. But right now a Mac anti-virus app is little more than a placebo for ex-windows users who feel naked without one.


  • #4
    Sam Radford
    Closed Accounts Posts: 474 ✭✭Sam Radford


    I've been using Macs for 22 years and never seen a virus. People accuse me of being "complacent". Well, I've never been run over, either, but I don't wear body armour. I just look before I cross the road! Simple precautions are all that's needed right now. If there's ever a problem that needs specific action, you'll hear about it pretty darn quick!

    Meanwhile, the available Mac "antivirus" software simply slows down your Mac and causes problems of its own. Go figure.


  • #5
    Red Alert
    Hosted Moderators Posts: 7,486 ✭✭✭Red Alert


    I haven't seen a need for it in two years using OS X at all. I remember back years ago when I had a Mac Plus I'd an Anti-Virus called 'Sams Intercept' that would scan every floppy disk... wasn't long before we disabled it!


  • #6
    ozt9vdujny3srf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,152 ✭✭✭ozt9vdujny3srf


    Red Alert wrote: »
    I haven't seen a need for it in two years using OS X at all. I remember back years ago when I had a Mac Plus I'd an Anti-Virus called 'Sams Intercept' that would scan every floppy disk... wasn't long before we disabled it!


    Surface to air missiles were probably a bit overkill though Red Alert.


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  • #7
    Dr_Teeth
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,010 ✭✭✭Dr_Teeth


    I'd used both PCs and Macs online for the past 15 years and never used anti-virus software, nor have I been infected. If you just use common sense, get your software from trusted sources, and keep critical software like the OS, web-browser up to date there isn't a problem imo. That said, the risk is certainly a lot lower on Macs.


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