antivirus and the like

CircleFaust · 23 Sep 2017 at 20:23

hi
i've had a scare with online banking and have since got jittery about people sending me stuff in email etc
like recently i got a text file sent to me, i dont think the mac would have anything built in to pick virus' up?
think i want to install an antivirus and wondering what is best, what do other people use on their Macs

Deleted member 77746 · 23 Sep 2017 at 20:28

Do you want to pay for the security or not?

CircleFaust · 23 Sep 2017 at 20:34

if it wasn't silly price and not a subscription preferably
, you buy it once and get all the updates for life

Terminal_Boy · 23 Sep 2017 at 20:42

Do not, I repeat DO NOT INSTALL any Symantec product for Mac OS.

Useless and harder to shift than AIDS.

Jimbeam3678 · 24 Sep 2017 at 16:17

Sophos free of charge.

MacRS4 · 24 Sep 2017 at 16:30

I'm fairly surprised at a lot of Mac users who think they don't need AV stuff. Even if the OS isn't particularly susceptible to them, you wouldn't want to be responsible for accidentally passing one on would you...?

I use BitDefender on all my stuff - MacOS and Windows. Works well enough, but isn't free. Decent summary of the available stuff over at Tom's Guide.

CircleFaust · 24 Sep 2017 at 16:41

MacRS4 said:
I'm fairly surprised at a lot of Mac users who think they don't need AV stuff. Even if the OS isn't particularly susceptible to them, you wouldn't want to be responsible for accidentally passing one on would you...?

I use BitDefender on all my stuff - MacOS and Windows. Works well enough, but isn't free. Decent summary of the available stuff over at Tom's Guide.

thanks
yeah 'back in the day' the mantra was you never get viruss with a mac, hackers want to attack windows only blah
i mean, just cant be true anymore can it?

online scammers are everywhere and want invade your hard disk regardless i'd think?

Rannoch · 24 Sep 2017 at 16:43

Cheap Bitdefender key

Deleted member 77746 · 24 Sep 2017 at 17:00

Yes macs can get intruded. All operating systems can and they are all targeted but it depends how aware you are about things and what you turn on in the system in terms of security.

Give the free ones ago as already mentioned but keep away from Symantec products as stated. Horrible pieces of software.

CircleFaust · 24 Sep 2017 at 17:20

mrbell1984 said:
Yes macs can get intruded. All operating systems can and they are all targeted but it depends how aware you are about things and what you turn on in the system in terms of security.

Give the free ones ago as already mentioned but keep away from Symantec products as stated. Horrible pieces of software.

thanks (we need thanks/agree/useful/etc type buttons on here, come on ocuk

)

CircleFaust · 24 Sep 2017 at 17:32

Vargas said:
Cheap Bitdefender key

i see it's on offer for £30, is there a key to get it cheaper or...?

ChrisD. · 25 Sep 2017 at 08:29

Personally I don't bother, I don't see the need.

KIA · 25 Sep 2017 at 16:17

Sophos free, but it'll just be a false sense of security.

Keep the OS and all apps patched. Don't install things you didn't go looking for. Blablablablabla.

https://krebsonsecurity.com/2011/05/krebss-3-basic-rules-for-online-safety/

Deleted member 77746 · 25 Sep 2017 at 16:55

Macs are one of the securest systems as it runs on Linux in the background. The problem is that people will click links, which in turn opens pages that installs programs itself. Another thing is when people search for things like 'free music' 'free movies online' e.t.c e.t.c.

MacRS4 · 25 Sep 2017 at 22:33

mrbell1984 said:
Macs are one of the securest systems as it runs on Linux in the background. The problem is that people will click links, which in turn opens pages that installs programs itself. Another thing is when people search for things like 'free music' 'free movies online' e.t.c e.t.c.

It's a common thought that, but one that rarely stands up to scrutiny from what I've seen. All my stuff is Apple pretty much - I just prefer it - but I protect it appropriately. You're right about the best protection being user behaviour, however.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/mac-os-x-is-the-most-vulnerable-os-claims-security-firm/
https://www.macworld.com/article/1132733/hack.html

Deleted member 77746 · 25 Sep 2017 at 22:46

MacRS4 said:
It's a common thought that, but one that rarely stands up to scrutiny from what I've seen. All my stuff is Apple pretty much - I just prefer it - but I protect it appropriately. You're right about the best protection being user behaviour, however.

http://www.zdnet.com/article/mac-os-x-is-the-most-vulnerable-os-claims-security-firm/
https://www.macworld.com/article/1132733/hack.html

Isn’t them two links about something different in terms of discussion?

In the first one if the exploits are in the kernal (core) would that not mean it may be down to Linux background?

And the second one is back doors in iOS?

Don’t really want to get into it here though as the op asked about antivirus for Mac.

MagicBoy · 25 Sep 2017 at 23:12

I generally don't bother running AV on mac OS and I've been using one daily since 2006. Periodically install Sophos and run a scan if the need arises. Then remove it again.

ic1male · 25 Sep 2017 at 23:58

Ouch, wash your mouth out. Mac OS is Unix not Linux.

Caged · 26 Sep 2017 at 00:29

AV is all poorly coded trash that will open up more holes in your system than it closes. Keep your software up-to-date, use a limited user account day-to-day, block ads, don't install pirate software. You'll be fine.

macOS isn't Linux, it's BSD.

ChrisD. · 26 Sep 2017 at 07:57

ic1male said:
Ouch, wash your mouth out. Mac OS is Unix not Linux.

Indeed, one of the few UNIX certified systems around.