Should I bother with anti virus?

Larrs888

Larrs888

Larrs888

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Joined
15 Apr 2010
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Location
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Hi all,

Just some advice really. I'm new to the Mac world (typing this on my shiny new Air) and is it worth installing some sort of anti virus software on my machine?

I don't want this to sound daft and I wouldn't dream of leaving a Windows machine without any protection but I really don't want any crap slowing my Mac down. I'll be using it mainly for uni work and as a second machine to my Windows desktop.

If so what do you guys recommend anti virus software wise please?


Cheers

L
 
Sophos have a free antivirus for OSX which is unobtrusive ... it's free and doesn't get in the way so frankly why not ...

You'll get lots of opinions here (or if you search the sub-forum for the previous threads asking the same question) with a lot of the people who have been using Macs for a long time saying you don't need it ... but if you look in the Windows sub-forum you'll find people who claim that you don't need antivirus there too if you are careful and given the number of articles you can find online about OSX being increasingly targeted as it's userbase grows and how the userbase are complacent about it.

Are you likely to get, or even come across, a virus targeting OSX .... no. But why not install something which may give you a little extra protection just in case.
 
I've considered an anti virus for my new MBA, but I don't want to go ahead and install something that is going to slow it down in anyway. I drive to pick it up to work on because I know it's 2 seconds to wake it up and no delay in doing what I need.
 
Thanks for the input folks, I'll have a look online and see what the most unobtrusive one is that offers a decent level of protection.

Cheers
 
I'll wade in as always - really, stick your firewall on your router on, also on your MBA, don't d/l from dodgy sites and you'll be fine.

Been using macs for years like this and never had a problem, ML makes it even harder for malicious code to get in. I know its not perfect but what is?
 
The only reason to have an anti virus on OS X is so that you don't pass along any Windows viruses to your Windows using friends/colleagues.

:)
 
*bangs head on table* viruses ( or viri for those who understand) are platform specific, it will not stop them being sent on as it isn't looking for them; likewise you could have a disk full of window viri and you wouldn't know as they'd do naff all.
 
Viruses aren't necessarily platform specific, and most Mac antivirus scanners will pick up Windows malware.

OP, if security is important to you then there is value in running antivirus. Computers these days, especially with SSDs, aren't going to suddenly wither under the pressure of something running a scan every now and again.
 
Well I've gone with sophos after having a read online, seems good so far and not very obtrusive to the system. I never go on knowingly bogus sites but sometimes innocent research on the web and lead you to a few crud sites.
 
feriso said:
*bangs head on table* viruses ( or viri for those who understand) are platform specific, it will not stop them being sent on as it isn't looking for them; likewise you could have a disk full of window viri and you wouldn't know as they'd do naff all.
Click to expand...

Plenty of AV software can spot viruses (virii for those who are smug) across multiple platforms.
 
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