Mac OS Anti-virus recommendations

[Ethnod]

So my little sister has Mac's all over the place, well up into that eco system and yet I know nothing and today she has a virus but no protection. And I have no idea what to recommend, I mean I can recommend something like Kaspersky or Sophos as I know them but I do not know anything about how good they operate on Mac or how resource hungry they are.

 

Any suggestions?

[Arty]

Why would you need one?

You don't

The odds of obtaining a virus on a mac is so slim, people don't waste their time making one.

 

even on windows you don't need one, 

Never used Protection

never had any problems

i run MBAM once a month thats about it...

[Indus Monk]

Macs don't have viruses

[Kherm]

Macs don't get viruses. 

 

MBAM, if they even make it for OSX

[STRMfrmXMN]

So my little sister has Mac's all over the place, well up into that eco system and yet I know nothing and today she has a virus but no protection. And I have no idea what to recommend, I mean I can recommend something like Kaspersky or Sophos as I know them but I do not know anything about how good they operate on Mac or how resource hungry they are.

 

Any suggestions?

Don't use an AV. You're highly unlikely to get nearly any Mac virus.

[Guest]

Why would you need one?

You don't

The odds of obtaining a virus on a mac is so slim, people don't waste their time making one.

 

even on windows you don't need one, 

Never used Protection

never had any problems

i run MBAM once a month thats about it...

 

Well, it depends on the person. For someone somewhat technically inclined and aware, you probably don't, although even then you're still open to malware no matter how aware you are. Same on Mac, you're not immune to malware, it just may be harder to infect Mac OS than it is Windows.

 

Avast for Mac is pretty good, always handy having anti-virus for scans and such anyway. 

[MblaZe7run]

Never heard of Sophos being resource heavy. Always been a lightweight program.

 

@Arty You don't technically need one on Windows either, but for most people it is best to have one. Mac's may be targeted far less than other platforms, but the viruses that attack Mac OS are usually much more powerful.

[Arty]

Well, it depends on the person. For someone somewhat technically inclined and aware, you probably don't, although even then you're still open to malware no matter how aware you are. Same on Mac, you're not immune to malware, it just may be harder to infect Mac than it is Windows.

 

Avast for Mac is pretty good, always handy having anti-virus for scans and such anyway. 

True.

[Arty]

Never heard of Sophos being resource heavy. Always been a lightweight program.

 

@Arty You don't technically need one on Windows either, but for most people it is best to have one. Mac's may be targeted far less than other platforms, but the viruses that attack Mac OS are usually much more powerful.

Very True.

[MblaZe7run]

Macs don't get viruses. 

 

MBAM, if they even make it for OSX

 

 

Macs don't have viruses

 

Stop.. Just stop.

 

http://www.zdnet.com/article/macs-vulnerable-to-virtually-undetectable-virus-that-cant-be-removed/

 

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/17226/20141006/os-x-malware-mac-backdoor-iworm-piggybacks-reddit-to-infect-over-17000-macs-how-about-yours.htm

[Ethnod]

Why would you need one?

You don't

The odds of obtaining a virus on a mac is so slim, people don't waste their time making one.

 

even on windows you don't need one, 

Never used Protection

never had any problems

i run MBAM once a month thats about it...

 

 

Macs don't have viruses

 

 

Well they do but due to the way software is installed and the overall market share OS X has, there are just less of them. More importantly, there seem to be less viruses now than there was like 5 years ago. As for AV software, try ClamAV.

 

 

Macs don't get viruses. 

 

MBAM, if they even make it for OSX

 

 

Don't use an AV. You're highly unlikely to get nearly any Mac virus.

 

Ok for those that did not read the OP before replying. Its not for me, I do not use Mac OS, know very little. Personally I have not had a AV or FW for like 6-8 years or something and no issues, install and scan every so often but I wipe my OS annually regardless so its not really an issue.

 

But guys, not for me. For my little sister and she is not technical so YES!!! She does not need a AV

 

Troll on general or Off Topic plz, I actually really just wanted to help on the AV for Mac OS

 

P.S: Mac's have been getting Viruses for years and years, not a new thing

[STRMfrmXMN]

Ok for those that did not read the OP before replying. Its not for me, I do not use Mac OS, know very little. Personally I have not had a AV or FW for like 6-8 years or something and no issues, install and scan every so often but I wipe my OS annually regardless so its not really an issue.

 

But guys, not for me. For my little sister and she is not technical so YES!!! She does not need a AV

 

Troll on general or Off Topic plz, I actually really just wanted to help on the AV for Mac OS

 

P.S: Mac's have been getting Viruses for years and years, not a new thing

As I said (and I was serious) you do not need an AV.

[Ethnod]

As I said (and I was serious) you do not need an AV.

 

Explain to me how someone who is not technical, will click on any crap online and has no awareness on what is phishing and what is not does not need an AV program?

[Bsmith]

i recommand bit defender virus scanner, is free, comes through the store(so it is not junk for sure) and works pretty well compared to things like "ICare" which you should avoid because its free version has most things behind a pay wall

[Bsmith]

As I said (and I was serious) you do not need an AV.

 

why take the risk?

I mean, you use a condom to right? even if you don't need one because she uses the pill.

[NumLock21]

Virus on a Mac is a feature.

Symantec has antivirus for Macs.

[STRMfrmXMN]

why take the risk?

I mean, you use a condom to right? even if you don't need one because she uses the pill.

3 Macs in the house in the last ten years, two still going, none have gotten viruses and let's just say that my parents aren't that bright about sketchy ads on the internet.

[STRMfrmXMN]

Explain to me how someone who is not technical, will click on any crap online and has no awareness on what is phishing and what is not does not need an AV program?

Adblock.

[Ethnod]

Adblock.

 

Go back, read my posts cause you clearly did not read them. Your recommendation does not apply mate. Yes YOU have been fine, as for her... read above

[STRMfrmXMN]

Go back, read my posts cause you clearly did not read them. Your recommendation does not apply mate. Yes YOU have been fine, as for her... read above

Ah, geez... sorry too many tabs

I would use ClamXav, though when I had my old iMac it never found anything, though I never did have issues.

[SIGSEGV]

If you REALLY need one get Sophos (e.g: Siblings are gonna use it and click on "win a free iPad"), otherwise you can just go without one