To Have Anti Virus On Os-x Or Not To

JazzAzz

JazzAzz

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That is the question and a controversial one too :).

I have always found, "Tom's Guide," to have great info, and I know this may start a bucket of worms, but what to y'all think, say, both Pro & Con?? Me personally am PRO, having installed and used Avast Free AV for OS-X, from day one for my MacMini (2014 Model), purchased on New Years day.

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/best-antivirus,review-2588-6.html

By the way, Avast has blocked several threats so far.
 
I can't see why you might have decided on Avast. Maybe because the protection app design doesn't make much different in the end, eh?
But, I think you should do what feels best for you.
If I had to choose one, it would be Sophos, which I do have, but I don't actually leave it installed all the time. I use it for a full scan once a year, then promptly uninstall it.
As most anti-malware apps that actively scan your system are resource hogs, I haven't found one that suited me.
So, I have settled on Malwarebytes most of the time, which does not have an active scan installation, as part of a strategy that I use, which does not primarily depend on software that I have installed.
I run it about once a month. In a couple of years use, it has detected malware twice, both being adware.
Will something more potent than adware come down the pike at some point? Could be.
What else do I do? I pay attention to what I am doing on the 'net. The adware that was found, I already had a suspicion that I had "found" something, and used Malwarebytes to verify (and remove the offender)
 
DeltaMac said:
I can't see why you might have decided on Avast. Maybe because the protection app design doesn't make much different in the end, eh?
But, I think you should do what feels best for you.
If I had to choose one, it would be Sophos, which I do have, but I don't actually leave it installed all the time. I use it for a full scan once a year, then promptly uninstall it.
As most anti-malware apps that actively scan your system are resource hogs, I haven't found one that suited me.
So, I have settled on Malwarebytes most of the time, which does not have an active scan installation, as part of a strategy that I use, which does not primarily depend on software that I have installed.
I run it about once a month. In a couple of years use, it has detected malware twice, both being adware.
Will something more potent than adware come down the pike at some point? Could be.
What else do I do? I pay attention to what I am doing on the 'net. The adware that was found, I already had a suspicion that I had "found" something, and used Malwarebytes to verify (and remove the offender)
Click to expand...


Thanks for your reply. Just chose Avast, because that is one I always used, as well as AVG, and was always happy with it, Thanks again.

Odd how many argued with me in the regular Apple Support grp. that has too many restrictions on what can be posted, said, and how; argued with me about not even ever needing ANY AVs.
 
Yeah, it's all personal prefs, and part of Apple's Mac heritage, which STILL never had an active virus on OS X, now macOS.
That would explain why you run into that attitude. Maccer's just feel safer - for good reason.
I do use antivirus, just not as a routine thing, as the macOS continues to do a good job of protecting itself, with the AV stuff that is part of the native system.
It's a (really) good reason that you should restart your Mac at least once a month, just to make sure the internal AV tools are up to date.
If I didn't do that, my Mac might be running for 2 or 3 months between shutdowns - I always sleep my mini.

Another point is that AV software might detect Win malware, which can't possibly attack a Mac, but might still be present. The AV software might clean that off, but it is no hazard to your Mac in the first place.
 
Well I just learned something new folks. Previously DAYS AGO, not the above post where Avast blocked whatever, I was in a TV streaming site, and when I went to look for a show the site tried to do a, "Flashplayer.dmg," which Avast BLOCKED as a threat. I believed that something from that site was sneakily trying to invade my machine. Well it turns out that my Chrome Browser, which I have always preferred Chrome, was not up to date. Apparently Chrome does not AUTO Update, at least not on a regular Windows or MAC machine. It does on my Chromebook though.

Anyway that TV streaming site WAS legitimately trying to get me the current latest Adobe Flash, yet Avast did not like that. Well I am now current on my Chrome Browser version, and Adobe Flash is part of Chrome, so it is also now on the latest version of FLASH. All this worry for nothing beginning the other day>>LOL. I went to that streaming site, and it is also now happy. Some may see that as a negative about having an AV like Avast, but I see it as Johnny on the Spot. Better to be safe than sorry. I'd also like to share this on the OFFICIAL APPLE Support Discussion Grp. but every time I try, my post gets removed saying I am violating their GUIDE LINES, too restrictive, for whatever reason.

I hope what I just posted makes sense. I seem to be learning every day.
 
There are some apps that you need to set in preferences to check for updates. Then it checks for updates every time you launch the app.
 
Cheryl said:
There are some apps that you need to set in preferences to check for updates. Then it checks for updates every time you launch the app.
Click to expand...


My Chrome browser is not there as an APP, as far as I know, just a browser, and I have checked Chromes Setting options after Googling this, a lot complain about that, and I can not see any option in there for AUTO Updates. Well I guess in a MC it is, under, "Finder>>Applications," yes it is there, Sorry :)
 
Launch Chrome.
Click on Chrome menu, then choose About Google Chrome
That 'About' window will automatically scan for updates.
directly underneath the line "Google Chrome is up to date", you should see a setup button to provide automatic updates for Chrome.
If you DON'T see that button to set up automatic updates, then you have already done that. The choice does not appear when you have auto-updates set up in Chrome.
 
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