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Do Macs need anti virus or firewall sftware?

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This is perhaps a minor quibble, but the one sentence you quoted out of a fairly extensive post I wrote is a sentence that states a theory that I do not agree with and immediately there after explain why I think it is wrong.

Quoted this way makes it appear that I believe the whole limited market share being the reason Macs don't have viruses. And, I absolutely do not believe that.
john said:
razormac said:
1) It is just a matter of time, wait until Macs have a larger market share then you will see!
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there is another theory, is that virus are written by anti virus company secretly, if the sale of anti virus software are not good on that platform, chance are they will have less virus written for it, so this is why there are not much virus for the mac, because most of the macuser never care about anti virus, on the other side pc, nearly every pcuser on their pc they will install one or more anti virus programs, and they will feel so bare without it, so they have the most virus.

so even there maybe more macuser in the future, that does not mean more chance they will get virus.
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1. For the past ten years, I used "Norton AV for Mac software" on my Mac computers and I and my Macs were very happy campers.

2. Recently, I downloaded and I am still using the trial versions of the Intego software seen at the link below and life is even better for me and my Macs. This software is so good, fun to use and it does work (it found a malware/virus problem on my Mac that even Norton AV for Mac has never found). After a couple of weeks using Intego, I've already removed Norton AV software from my Macs, as I intend to purchase an Intego License Key for their software that I now use and have loaded on my Macs:

http://www.intego.com/isbDP/

(you loose nothing by downloading and trying the free trial version(s); and, if you don't run windows on your Macs, the non-Dual protection version(s) of the software is even cheaper)

--
BRJR ....(LOL, some of us are quite satisfied as Hobbyists ..)


Clark Hampton said:
If so, which software is considered the best?
--

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Here's exactly what Intego found: "VirusBarrier X6 detected a threat on your computer. The file 1023.dmg is infected by the 'OSX/RS Plug.BIO' malware". And, it gave me choices for dealing with this infection as: "Reveal in finder, ignore, Put in quarantine, repair". To be on the safe side, I simply deleted the file as I didn't seem to need it anyway (and, proof that I didn't is that I haven't had a problem with anything since ;)).

--
BRJR ....(LOL, some of us are quite satisfied as Hobbyists ..)


mlewan said:
BRJR said:
(it found a malware/virus problem on my Mac that even Norton AV for Mac has never found).
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You actually had a real problem?!? Do you remember what it was and how you got it?

--
http://photophindings.blogspot.com/
http://picasaweb.google.com/nmlewan
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This is real malware, associated with "dubious" websites and their downloads.
BRJR said:
Here's exactly what Intego found: "VirusBarrier X6 detected a threat on your computer. The file 1023.dmg is infected by the 'OSX/RS Plug.BIO' malware". And, it gave me choices for dealing with this infection as: "Reveal in finder, ignore, Put in quarantine, repair". To be on the safe side, I simply deleted the file as I didn't seem to need it anyway (and, proof that I didn't is that I haven't had a problem with anything since ;)).

--
BRJR ....(LOL, some of us are quite satisfied as Hobbyists ..)


mlewan said:
BRJR said:
(it found a malware/virus problem on my Mac that even Norton AV for Mac has never found).
Click to expand...
You actually had a real problem?!? Do you remember what it was and how you got it?

--
http://photophindings.blogspot.com/
http://picasaweb.google.com/nmlewan
Click to expand...
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1. Exactly, and "Intego VirusBarrier X6" detected it in the one file where it existed out of a total of over one million files it checked (more specifically: 1,143,990 files). Several days later, when I had "Intego VirusBarrier X6" similarly scan my DROBO Backup, of course it found the same malware in the backup of the infected file as well.

2. Whether something found is harmful or not, I prefer to use a program such as "Intego VirusBarrier X6" that will detect/block it in the first place and similarly warn me of potentially hazardous sites and occurrences. This software and Little Snitch are my favorites and together with what OSX is suppose to be doing, provide me with a level of security that suggests I've done my part in trying to protect myself and my Macs; and, together we're a fighting team. ;)

--
BRJR ....(LOL, some of us are quite satisfied as Hobbyists ..)


nick101 said:
BRJR said:
Here's exactly what Intego found: "VirusBarrier X6 detected a threat on your computer. The file 1023.dmg is infected by the 'OSX/RS Plug.BIO' malware". And, it gave me choices for dealing with this infection as: "Reveal in finder, ignore, Put in quarantine, repair". To be on the safe side, I simply deleted the file as I didn't seem to need it anyway (and, proof that I didn't is that I haven't had a problem with anything since ;)).

--
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
nick101 said:
nick101 said:
mlewan said:
BRJR said:
(it found a malware/virus problem on my Mac that even Norton AV for Mac has never found).
Click to expand...
You actually had a real problem?!? Do you remember what it was and how you got it?

--
http://photophindings.blogspot.com/
http://picasaweb.google.com/nmlewan
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
BRJR said:
Here's exactly what Intego found: "VirusBarrier X6 detected a threat on your computer. The file 1023.dmg is infected by the 'OSX/RS Plug.BIO' malware". And, it gave me choices for dealing with this infection as: "Reveal in finder, ignore, Put in quarantine, repair". To be on the safe side, I simply deleted the file as I didn't seem to need it anyway (and, proof that I didn't is that I haven't had a problem with anything since ;)).
Click to expand...
Ok. Yes, that is malware, but it is a trojan, so you must have chosen to install it, typing the password of your Mac to do so. You probably did not know that you were installing a trojan, if it disguised itself as a necessary browser plugin, but you were careless, as you did not double check its origin.

Besides, Mac OS X 10.6 now seems to contain a built in protection against it, so you probably ran an earlier version of Mac OS X when you were infected.

http://macs.about.com/b/2010/06/18/apple-updates-malware-scanner-list.htm

I would claim that to protect yourself against infection by this particular trojan, Intego serves no purpose on a Mac with the latest version of Mac OS X.

Besides, it is probably difficult to find any website today that carries the Trojan, as the latest versions of all major browsers have lists of suspected servers.

For future Trojans, it is possible, but not certain, that Intego will be updated to find them before Mac OS X or your favourite browser.

However, you did the right thing in running the check on your current system, as Mac OS X and the browsers currently are unable to find existing infections on your system. They just protect you from becoming infected in the first place.

--
http://photophindings.blogspot.com/
http://picasaweb.google.com/nmlewan
 
I hope you all are not continuing to blindly rely on just one of any particular system to "protect/safe guard" your security interest(s) the best you can. ;)

--
BRJR ....(LOL, some of us are quite satisfied as Hobbyists ..)


mlewan said:
BRJR said:
Here's exactly what Intego found: "VirusBarrier X6 detected a threat on your computer. The file 1023.dmg is infected by the 'OSX/RS Plug.BIO' malware". And, it gave me choices for dealing with this infection as: "Reveal in finder, ignore, Put in quarantine, repair". To be on the safe side, I simply deleted the file as I didn't seem to need it anyway (and, proof that I didn't is that I haven't had a problem with anything since ;)).
Click to expand...
Ok. Yes, that is malware, but it is a trojan, so you must have chosen to install it, typing the password of your Mac to do so. You probably did not know that you were installing a trojan, if it disguised itself as a necessary browser plugin, but you were careless, as you did not double check its origin.

Besides, Mac OS X 10.6 now seems to contain a built in protection against it, so you probably ran an earlier version of Mac OS X when you were infected.

http://macs.about.com/b/2010/06/18/apple-updates-malware-scanner-list.htm

I would claim that to protect yourself against infection by this particular trojan, Intego serves no purpose on a Mac with the latest version of Mac OS X.

Besides, it is probably difficult to find any website today that carries the Trojan, as the latest versions of all major browsers have lists of suspected servers.

For future Trojans, it is possible, but not certain, that Intego will be updated to find them before Mac OS X or your favourite browser.

However, you did the right thing in running the check on your current system, as Mac OS X and the browsers currently are unable to find existing infections on your system. They just protect you from becoming infected in the first place.

--
http://photophindings.blogspot.com/
http://picasaweb.google.com/nmlewan
Click to expand...
 
mlewan said:
Besides, it is probably difficult to find any website today that carries the Trojan, as the latest versions of all major browsers have lists of suspected servers.
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While this is a great new feature and definately worth noting when you get a warning; I would not count on this feature to keep your computer clean. It takes some time for a website to get flagged, and according to studies the site will do the most infecting within the first 12h of malware going live.
 
Let's see ... so if I enable remote access features (like VNC), and invite a script kiddie to run code on my machine ("here, have a password!"), and he uses something like this "Blackhole RAT" to request my administrator password (using very crude, obviously "wrong-looking" windows), and I give THAT to him, too, he could then do some damage?

Also, since when are the bad guys in the habit of giving their "unfinished malware" to anti-virus firms?
 
When the anti-virus firm needs a reason why people should want their product - - -perhaps they are in house "bad guys" :)
Tom_N said:
Also, since when are the bad guys in the habit of giving their "unfinished malware" to anti-virus firms?
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--
My kit - D200, 10.5mm f/2.8D, 35mm f/1.8G, 50mm f/1.4G & 70-300VR
SB800, SB600 and other misc lighting equipment

Lenses worth mentioning owned and sold– 12-24 f/4, 17-55 f/2.8, 35-70 f/2.8, 80-200 f/2.8, 20mm f/2.8, 35mm f/2, 50mm f/1.8, 50mm f/1.4D, 60mm f/2.8D, 85mm f/1.8, 105mm f/2D-DC, 180mm f/2.8, 300mm f/4D-ED
 
Yeah, that whole thing is blown out of proportion, however it's still important to notice that generally with malware these days you have two components, the exploit and the payload.

As is that is not worth much thought, but once you start to have a good package ready it will be far easier for anyone to take advantage of security holes (and they don't have to be in OSX, they could be in Firefox, Flash, Java etc). Once something like this can be easily used and tailored as the payload the only thing left is making the infrastructure and an exploit.

But it's funny how exploits are already vaporware...
 
azeemtn said:
Here's one more. The evidence every day grows toward protecting yourself instead of protecting the name of Apple or trying to act like Mac's are impregnable.
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It's not evidence of anything, other than users will be stupid and fall for scams. People get tricked into giving out credit card numbers over the phone. That's not the phone's fault.

This can only work if the user proceeds with the installation of software they didn't request and provides an admin password.

Click quit and nothing happens.
 
azeemtn said:
Here's one more. The evidence every day grows toward protecting yourself instead of protecting the name of Apple or trying to act like Mac's are impregnable.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9216335/Fake_security_software_takes_aim_at_Mac_users
Click to expand...
That's a link about fake security software. The only people who would be infected by it are people who think that security software is needed. Yet another proof that it is best to stay away from antivirus software.

--
http://photophindings.blogspot.com/
http://picasaweb.google.com/nmlewan
 
azeemtn said:
Gaussian Blur,

It looks like not protecting yourself it not going so well today. You cannot rely on the typical overall userbase to have any idea how to protect themselves. You need to have other mechanisms in place.

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1155860
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Its still going well for me. I don't care about people who carelessly download, type in their password, and install malware. I still wouldn't do that and I still don't need anti-virus software. Nothing's changed.

Sal
 
Depends upon how you define "protecting yourself". Many folks find that knowing when to supply your admin password is protection plenty. It might not be that way in the future, but it works quite well now.

Using the built in firewall, not allowing external connections to most programs, and not installing crap unless you have a pretty good idea as to what it does and where it comes from does wonders. Of course that assumes that the user has at least a small clue as to what is going on. Seems that many (most?) users are clueless.
 
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