Mac Antivirus? - DPChallenge Forums

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

06/20/2007 03:19:44 PM · #1

Yeah, I know, Mac's don't get viruses.

Are there any decent free antivirus apps for Macs or should I just shell out the $30 it would cost me for Symantec Antivirus? Is Symantec any good for Mac anyway? I just don't know.

strangeghost

Canon EOS-7D

06/20/2007 03:26:20 PM · #2

Mac antivirus software is hard to judge because there is so little threat on the Mac side. I don't use any virus protection software, nor any popup blocker, nor an other malwar stoppers. Unless you know of a specific threat that you're vulnerable to, you may not need to either.

06/20/2007 03:36:17 PM · #3

It's just that it's for my two teenage daughters MacBooks. And one of them is going off to college in the fall. Maybe I'll just pony up the $30 and feel a little safer.

06/20/2007 03:42:27 PM · #4

question pops up here:

why are there no viruses for Mac?

06/20/2007 03:44:57 PM · #5

There are viruses for macs. Just not many.

06/20/2007 03:46:46 PM · #6

Originally posted by Jason_Cross:

There are viruses for macs. Just not many.

ok, but why not?

06/20/2007 03:51:01 PM · #7

Originally posted by biteme:

Originally posted by Jason_Cross:
There are viruses for macs. Just not many.

ok, but why not?

Basically, because the virus writers just don't care. Mac's don't have much market share. They get more bang for their buck writing Windows viruses.

An interesting thing. Last week, Apple release a beta version of their web browser, Safari, for Windows. Within hours, the security people found holes in it. A little more searching found that the same holes exist in the production version for the MAc, which has been out for a couple years. No one ever thought to look.

Message edited by author 2007-06-20 15:51:08.

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

06/20/2007 03:52:06 PM · #8

Well for one, viruses are about damage, and there are very few macs compared to PC's. Macs make up less than 3% of the market, so if you were to make a virus it would be silly to make one that would have so little effect.

Another reason is that there are not as many Mac servers making it harder to transmit viruses. Most mac viruses have to come through windows software which is not real common.

strangeghost

Canon EOS-7D

06/20/2007 03:54:37 PM · #9

Yeah, Macs just aren't numerous enough to warrant the type of attention from the "evil-doers" that Windows machines are. Also, I've heard it said (but don't know for sure) that the Mac OS is inherently harder to attack because it's built on the UNIX core, and UNIX has had decades to solidify. Windows has only been around for a little more than a decade, and has the disadvantage of having been programmed by Microsoft engineers.

;-)

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

06/20/2007 03:55:29 PM · #10

ok thanks guys, that makes sense.

Glad I'm on a Mac :D

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

06/20/2007 03:59:14 PM · #11

Originally posted by biteme:

why are there no viruses for Mac?

Many people will tell you that it's because there are so few Mac users that hackers don't bother. The fact that OS/2 and Solaris have more viruses than OS X despite their tiny market share should demonstrate the fallacy of that argument. Many/most hackers are in it for the ego, so there's a HUGE incentive for them to be the first to write a real Mac virus. Basically, Macs are more secure because most of the holes that hackers exploit on PCs are closed by default in OS X. There have been a handful of [mostly harmless] proof-of-concept exploits, but Apple is very good about quickly patching security flaws.

Message edited by author 2007-06-20 15:59:28.

06/20/2007 04:00:57 PM · #12

I have always said that you should worry about a ipod virus before a mac one. PC+ipod = potential trouble.

06/20/2007 04:02:46 PM · #13

Originally posted by scalvert:

Originally posted by biteme:
why are there no viruses for Mac?

Many people will tell you that it's because there are so few Mac users that hackers don't bother. The fact that OS/2 and Solaris have more viruses than OS X despite their tiny market share should demonstrate the fallacy of that argument. Many/most hackers are in it for the ego, so there's a HUGE incentive for them to be the first to write a real Mac virus. Basically, Macs are more secure because most of the holes that hackers exploit on PCs are closed by default in OS X. There have been a handful of [mostly harmless] proof-of-concept exploits, but Apple is very good about quickly patching security flaws.

So, I don't need to buy antivirus software?

06/20/2007 04:03:20 PM · #14

Originally posted by larryslights:

Originally posted by scalvert:

Originally posted by biteme:
why are there no viruses for Mac?

Many people will tell you that it's because there are so few Mac users that hackers don't bother. The fact that OS/2 and Solaris have more viruses than OS X despite their tiny market share should demonstrate the fallacy of that argument. Many/most hackers are in it for the ego, so there's a HUGE incentive for them to be the first to write a real Mac virus. Basically, Macs are more secure because most of the holes that hackers exploit on PCs are closed by default in OS X. There have been a handful of [mostly harmless] proof-of-concept exploits, but Apple is very good about quickly patching security flaws.

So, I don't need to buy antivirus software?

I don't think so ;)

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

06/20/2007 04:05:56 PM · #15

Originally posted by biteme:

Originally posted by larryslights:

Originally posted by scalvert:

Originally posted by biteme:
why are there no viruses for Mac?

Many people will tell you that it's because there are so few Mac users that hackers don't bother. The fact that OS/2 and Solaris have more viruses than OS X despite their tiny market share should demonstrate the fallacy of that argument. Many/most hackers are in it for the ego, so there's a HUGE incentive for them to be the first to write a real Mac virus. Basically, Macs are more secure because most of the holes that hackers exploit on PCs are closed by default in OS X. There have been a handful of [mostly harmless] proof-of-concept exploits, but Apple is very good about quickly patching security flaws.

So, I don't need to buy antivirus software?

I don't think so ;)

Then why do they sell it? On the Apple web site?

RainMotorsports

Nikon D60

06/20/2007 04:07:13 PM · #16

Ive run PC's for 6 months at a time with no antivirus and no problems. Installed one swept the machine found a few minor things.

Depends on what you do where you go and alot of randomness. Ive had protected machines wiped out and non protected machines be okay. But it doesnt hurt to have a little protection because your not always gonna be lucky.

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

06/20/2007 04:07:16 PM · #17

Originally posted by larryslights:

So, I don't need to buy antivirus software?

Not until there's a real threat. A few years ago, after 10 years of running Macs connected to the internet without virus software, my boss became convinced that we had a virus. He bought Norton and had me run it on every machine. The only thing it found were a few Word macro viruses (which only affect PCs).

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR

06/20/2007 04:07:16 PM · #18

Originally posted by larryslights:

Originally posted by biteme:

Originally posted by larryslights:

Originally posted by scalvert:

Originally posted by biteme:
why are there no viruses for Mac?

Many people will tell you that it's because there are so few Mac users that hackers don't bother. The fact that OS/2 and Solaris have more viruses than OS X despite their tiny market share should demonstrate the fallacy of that argument. Many/most hackers are in it for the ego, so there's a HUGE incentive for them to be the first to write a real Mac virus. Basically, Macs are more secure because most of the holes that hackers exploit on PCs are closed by default in OS X. There have been a handful of [mostly harmless] proof-of-concept exploits, but Apple is very good about quickly patching security flaws.

So, I don't need to buy antivirus software?

I don't think so ;)

Then why do they sell it? On the Apple web site?

Price: $69.95

RainMotorsports

Nikon D60

06/20/2007 04:07:40 PM · #19

Originally posted by larryslights:

Then why do they sell it? On the Apple web site?

Because people are stupid enough to buy it and it makes money.....

scalvert

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

06/20/2007 04:09:36 PM · #20

Originally posted by larryslights:

Then why do they sell it?

Where there is fear, there's a market. ;-)

06/20/2007 04:09:40 PM · #21

Okay, it's settled. I'm saving my $30 (I can get it this cheap as an employee of a University...if I were to buy it. Which I think I'm not. For now.).

Message edited by author 2007-06-20 16:10:00.

Olympus 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Digital ED

06/20/2007 05:02:24 PM · #22

I have never used AV on my PC's. I have suffered 2 diffrent virus attacks since 1992. Both caused HD's to need re-formatted, one of them got onto floppy and had to be cleaned using a freeware AV.

There was a spell there where freakin spyware was much more of an issue than viruses. I am glad that that whole issue has been calming down.

Larry, I work in a school with lots of mac and lots of PC. We protect the PC's and not the macs. It just isn't a huge problem. Also you might want to check with your internet provider, because many times they include a subscription to Norton or McAfee for free with their service.

annasense

Olympus E-500 EVOLT

06/20/2007 06:05:54 PM · #23

Originally posted by RainMotorsports:

Originally posted by larryslights:

Then why do they sell it? On the Apple web site?

Because people are stupid enough to buy it and it makes money.....

ding ding ding! good answer. :)

doctornick

Apple iPhone 13 Pro