Should I worry about getting a virus?
- Thread starter amo
- Start date
Dak RIT
Missing Intelligence
In short, no. There are some "Windows viruses (latin: virii)" that are actually "Outlook viruses" or "Word viruses". These viruses actually can (to some extent at least) effect a Mac that has for example MS Word. Windows virii however can not effect a Mac, Classic or OS X.
Virus writers basically are impatient and want to get the biggest bang for their buck... so the Macintosh has hardly been targeted at all, especially in the past several years, and UNIX systems don't get much more attention. The vast majority of virii therefore are written for Windows 9x or Windows 2000/XP (most virii coming out will probably now target 2000 and XP, especially considering XP's security flaws). I personally haven't used any virus software at all on my mac since the free and unobtrusive Disinfectant. However, if you use a popular program with macro support like MS Word, you may want some protection.
It will be interesting to see how much attention MacOS X now gets from virus writers in the coming years. As market share increases (it has increased since OS X, although only marginally so far) it would be fair to assume it will receive more attention... but Windows XP is just such a big target
Cheers,
Dak
simX
Unofficial Mac Genius
Even with the advent of MacOS X, hackers will still regard the Classic MacOS, Mac OS X, and UNIX as negligible platforms for viruses, and will still mostly target Windows users directly. However, as the previous poster said, Macs are not immune to viruses, especially when used in conjunction with Microsoft software, and they are not immune to side-effects of Windows viruses either (i.e.: network slowdown caused by massive e-mail viruses).
To be safe, I would get a virus program -- any of the major ones will do.. Virex or Norton AntiVirus are the two that spring to my mind. In my experience, I have never ever had a virus and I've only used the shareware Disinfectant program (which has long since gone defunct).
It's still better to be safe than sorry.
To be safe, I would get a virus program -- any of the major ones will do.. Virex or Norton AntiVirus are the two that spring to my mind. In my experience, I have never ever had a virus and I've only used the shareware Disinfectant program (which has long since gone defunct).
It's still better to be safe than sorry.
Smash
Cube is Trinity...
I'm working with Macs and PeeCee's at my office, 5 Macs for 10 Peecee's (snif). I just can tell you something for the past two month, I've received +/- 10 viruses on the PC's and Mac's, they were all "designed" for Windoze plarform. two of them bypassed Norton and have infected a machine.
But: All the Pc's are protected and live update are made constantly, and they still get infected...
For the Macs, yes I got Norton, in the bookcase, never used it, and never got a problem, the only viruses that have ran on my mac were trough virtual PC to see what was going to happend. (just for the pleasure to see Windobe crashes... he he he).
There's only one thing to do with viruses: if you don't know what an attached file is on your e-mail, do not touch it and ask, mostly if you don't know the sender of the mail.
If you have doubt about a file or an alert, you can dtill go to the norton site and check in the Virus encyclopedia.
But don't worry, as said upper, we are not the target for those things, we're too small... and that's exactly what's making us so powerfull.
But: All the Pc's are protected and live update are made constantly, and they still get infected...
For the Macs, yes I got Norton, in the bookcase, never used it, and never got a problem, the only viruses that have ran on my mac were trough virtual PC to see what was going to happend. (just for the pleasure to see Windobe crashes... he he he).
There's only one thing to do with viruses: if you don't know what an attached file is on your e-mail, do not touch it and ask, mostly if you don't know the sender of the mail.
If you have doubt about a file or an alert, you can dtill go to the norton site and check in the Virus encyclopedia.
But don't worry, as said upper, we are not the target for those things, we're too small... and that's exactly what's making us so powerfull.
quote: To be safe, I would get a virus program -- any of the major ones will do.. Virex or Norton AntiVirus are the two that spring to my mind. In my experience, I have never ever had a virus and I've only used the shareware Disinfectant program (which has long since gone defunct).
I've seen this line a thousand times on boards etc. WHY??? If Macs don't get viruses then why do people always say to get a virus program??? And why do they even make them? If there aren't Mac viruses going around then what do they even do? Especially since they only work half the time for "normal" computers that actually do get viruses. Why do people always recommend them? Are you getting kickbacks or something?
I've seen this line a thousand times on boards etc. WHY??? If Macs don't get viruses then why do people always say to get a virus program??? And why do they even make them? If there aren't Mac viruses going around then what do they even do? Especially since they only work half the time for "normal" computers that actually do get viruses. Why do people always recommend them? Are you getting kickbacks or something?