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December 1st, 2008

Calling Mac users - Have you installed antivirus on your Mac?

Posted by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes @ 8:14 am

Categories: Apple, Security, Software

Tags: Apple Macintosh, Antivirus, Apple Inc., Desktops, Viruses And Worms, Hardware, Security, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Apple now recommends that users install antivirus software on their Mac systems. Well, have you?

The knowledge base entry on Apple’s support site is short and to the point:

Apple encourages the widespread use of multiple antivirus utilities so that virus programmers have more than one application to circumvent, thus making the whole virus writing process more difficult. Here are some available antivirus utilities:

- Intego VirusBarrier X5, available from the Apple Online Store
License: commercial
 
- Symantec Norton Anti-Virus 11 for Macintosh, available from the Apple Online Store
License: commercial
 
- McAfee VirusScan for Mac
License: commercial

Have you installed antivirus on your Mac?

View Results

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It’s worth adding that there is a free antivirus program called ClamXav for the Mac.

But is it worth the cost and hassle to install antivirus software on the Mac, or is Apple just covering its back with the knowledge base entry? Having given the impression that Macs are invulnerable to malware, this change could unnerve some users (though personally it’s hard to see it as anything more than an indication of the times we live in and the fact that there are plenty of Mac users who are just as gullible as Windows users).

Personally, I can’t be bothered to install any on the Mac mini we have here, but if I was processing a lot of back and forth email on it I might install AV just in case …

Anyone here have any experience with AV software for the Mac? Is it as bad as most AV software for Windows is?

Adrian Kingsley-HughesAdrian is a technology journalist and author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology. He also runs a popular blog called The PC Doctor. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations

Want to get in touch? Got a tip? Feel free to drop me a note! I ALWAYS respect anonymity. I'm also on Twitter (@the_pc_doc)

Right to Reply: Should any industry representatives wish to comment on any posts on Hardware 2.0, I will be happy to publish their reply verbatim on this blog.

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  • Talkback
  • Most Recent of 109 Talkback(s)
RE: Calling Mac users - Have you installed antivirus on your Mac?
I make a habit of installing AV software on any machine I have regardless of OS. I remember the days when Macs were attacked as frequently as PCs vividly - I was in college and lost a whole semester's... (Read the rest)
Posted by: traceyclaybon Posted on: 09/25/09 You are currently: a Guest | | Terms of Use
Multiple anti-virius solutions?  JT82 | 12/01/08
It could simply be that  GuidingLight | 12/01/08
Yea thats true  JT82 | 12/01/08
Not Multiple AV Solutions!  JoeyF_NYC | 12/02/08
I'm not telling Mac users to ignore AV  mtgarden | 12/01/08
Quantity vs Quality  MKleinpaste | 12/02/08
RE: Calling Mac users - Have you installed antivirus on your Mac?  medezark@... | 12/01/08
But thats normal for windows  don@... | 12/01/08
Um, no, it's not normal  tikigawd | 12/02/08
RE: Have you installed antivirus on your Mac?  Badgered | 12/01/08
She does now....  NStalnecker | 12/01/08
Yes  Jkirk3279 | 12/01/08
re: Yes  Badgered | 12/02/08
You're right  tikigawd | 12/02/08
Agreed!  awasson@... | 12/02/08
Security Model  Jkirk3279 | 12/03/08
RE: Calling Mac users - Have you installed antivirus on your Mac?  rjw_mpwr@... | 12/01/08
Bad guess, rjw  KaplanMike | 12/01/08
Why not be more specific folks ?  Intellihence | 12/01/08
well  isulzer | 12/01/08
RE: Calling Mac users - Have you installed antivirus on your Mac?  jaledwith | 12/01/08
Just Like Aliens and Ghosts  CowLauncher | 12/01/08
Just Like Aliens and Ghosts - Hacked in 2 inutes flat!  Pembo | 12/01/08
Yeah...  Jkirk3279 | 12/01/08
That particular hack required physical access  KaplanMike | 12/01/08
No physical access was required. The test was *NOT* rigged.  rtk | 12/01/08
Just as you tried to claim Linux could be hacked...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/02/08
Wasn't me that made the claim  rtk | 12/02/08
Which leads to this next link  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/02/08
What's your point?  rtk | 12/02/08
It still hasn't been hacked yet, rtk  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/02/08
Off what hook?  rtk | 12/02/08
Denial is a powerful thing  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/03/08
Agreed, your denial is showing.  rtk | 12/03/08
rtk still doesn't have a clue...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/03/08
Alright then...  rtk | 12/03/08
Have you ever criticized Micro$oft, rtk?  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/04/08
re: Have you ever criticized Micro$oft, rtk?  rtk | 12/04/08
Really? Well you could've fooled me...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/04/08
As we've discussed before  rtk | 12/04/08
But you can never do that...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/05/08
Clam AV  Bill4 | 12/01/08
RE: Calling Mac users - Have you installed antivirus on your Mac?  durretjd@... | 12/01/08
!!!!  Jkirk3279 | 12/01/08
How has Apple Pushed the idea that Macs are invulnerable to malware?  Kid Icarus-21097050858087920245213802267493 | 12/01/08
What's a 'Windows Hugger'?  Sleeper Service | 12/01/08
Ever heard of a tree-hugger?  Kid Icarus-21097050858087920245213802267493 | 12/01/08
Why yes...  Sleeper Service | 12/01/08
Those who wish to save their precious Windows marketshare  Kid Icarus-21097050858087920245213802267493 | 12/01/08
So...are you saying that you're a Mac-Hugger  Yax_to_the_Max | 12/02/08
Low probability  Mikael_z | 12/01/08
I actually use ClamXav  Kid Icarus-21097050858087920245213802267493 | 12/01/08
and does it have an active engine?  JT82 | 12/01/08
It will monitor whatever areas I tell it to  Kid Icarus-21097050858087920245213802267493 | 12/01/08
Not quite  Badgered | 12/01/08
And your average consumer..  JT82 | 12/01/08
average consumer  Pembo | 12/01/08
*ahem*  mikefarinha | 12/01/08
no virus commercials  Pembo | 12/01/08
Why?  MGP2 | 12/01/08
Who cares?  JoeMama_z | 12/01/08
This isn't new  rtk | 12/01/08
What do you care...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/02/08
Well  tikigawd | 12/02/08
Yeah, but I don't believe that's the real motive here...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/02/08
Well  rtk | 12/02/08
Well what...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/02/08
How exactly have I helped myself?  rtk | 12/03/08
How exactly have you helped others...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/03/08
lol  rtk | 12/03/08
lol  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/04/08
Well, for starters  rtk | 12/04/08
What frustration...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/04/08
"picked" on me?  rtk | 12/04/08
Yeah, picked on you...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/05/08
b8375629@..., looks like you are the one being picked on  Scrat | 12/05/08
Not quite up on  rtk | 12/05/08
Is that your new alias, rtk?  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/06/08
Oh I'm quite familiar with it rtk  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/06/08
Goes to show  rtk | 12/06/08
Woo - Hoooo...  hasta la Vista, bah-bie | 12/08/08
RE: Calling Mac users - Have you installed antivirus on your Mac?  support@... | 12/01/08
confused......  Badgered | 12/01/08
erm.  isulzer | 12/01/08
RE: Calling Mac users - Have you installed antivirus on your Mac?  pbovis | 12/02/08
RE: Calling Mac users - Have you installed antivirus on your Mac?  powershaker | 12/01/08
Some ratio...  MGP2 | 12/01/08
Windows on Mac  veggiedude | 12/01/08
Mac gets hacked first in hacker contest - 2 minutes flat!!!  Pembo | 12/01/08
Aliens and Ghosts - Mac hacked first. 2 minutes flat!!  Pembo | 12/01/08
Here's how...  Spiritusindomit@... | 12/01/08
The switcher is the real target of malware  Samic | 12/01/08
Great post  balaknair | 12/02/08
It's a CYA  Userama | 12/01/08
Running ClamXAV about once per month  DHI1 | 12/02/08
ClamXAV for Mac has a serious problem  Dan the Digital Dog | 12/02/08
RE: Calling Mac users - Have you installed antivirus on your Mac?  vespinas@... | 12/02/08
I wonder...  Userama | 12/02/08
What?  rtk | 12/02/08
RE: Calling Mac users - Have you installed antivirus on your Mac?  piers@... | 12/02/08
the article you point to is originally from 2002..  doctorSpoc | 12/02/08
correction article originally 2007...  doctorSpoc | 12/02/08
Apple TOOK the Anti Virus page down  dcsos | 12/02/08
of course they did  rtk | 12/03/08
Mac Viruses exists and wouldn't you want to block Windows ones too?  ian.butterworth | 12/04/08
ClamXAV - I was lucky...  DHI1 | 12/04/08
RE: Calling Mac users - Have you installed antivirus on your Mac?  rjbradlow@... | 12/04/08
Oh, You Mean Like TWiT Network's Leo "I'm a CAREFUL Web Surfer" Laporte?  drprodny | 12/04/08
RE: Calling Mac users - Have you installed antivirus on your Mac?  traceyclaybon | 09/25/09

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