Viruses and Macs

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ifelloutofatree

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Hoping I don't get flamed for this but my experience with macs is limited and with apple specific viruses non existent.

I'm after a few opinions about advising someone on anti virus software for a Mac. The customer had previously been told that no anti virus software is necessary, but clearly there are trojans (this mornings email for example) out there and no doubt more to be distributed as time goes on......

My question is are the viruses that target macs in any way different structurally from those that target windows - if so is there anti virus software that would be more appropriate for the mac filing system as opposed to windows. My client was a previous windows owner using the Bigpond security suite (which if memory serves is really authenticum rebadged) - they were happy with that as it was "set and forget" but dropped it altogether when they purchased a Mac.

I'm sure apple probably have their own av. but I'd like to hear from Mac techs about this and about covering macs with anti virus software in general.
 
There are a few AV's out there for macs, Mcaffee and Norton do one. Norton also do dual boot protection which is clever. This is protect people if they dual boot into windows.

Also going by the Email today, I will be recomanding AV to all my mac custys.
 
ifelloutofatree said:
The customer had previously been told that no anti virus software is necessary, but clearly there are trojans (this mornings email for example) out there and no doubt more to be distributed as time goes on......
Click to expand...

What exactly makes you believe this machine is virus infested? You mention something about email? That sounds like a spam issue.

If a virus is downloaded through Safari it sits in the downloads folder (OS 10.5.x) and can't be installed. There apparently are Mac specific malware out there, but these are usually distributed through pirated versions of software for OSX such as pirated versions of iLife, iWorks, Adobe CS4, etc..So as long as they haven't installed any pirated versions of Mac apps they should be fine. If they did they got what they probably diserved.
 
anonymous Mac Tech said:
What exactly makes you believe this machine is virus infested? You mention something about email? That sounds like a spam issue.

If a virus is downloaded through Safari it sits in the downloads folder (OS 10.5.x) and can't be installed. There apparently are Mac specific malware out there, but these are usually distributed through pirated versions of software for OSX such as pirated versions of iLife, iWorks, Adobe CS4, etc..So as long as they haven't installed any pirated versions of Mac apps they should be fine. If they did they got what they probably diserved.
Click to expand...


I never said the machine was infested. I was talking about the email Bryce sent all of us that morning discussing Trend Micros naming of a mac specific virus. This customer would never install anything pirated.
 
jimllfixit said:
There are a few AV's out there for macs, Mcaffee and Norton do one. Norton also do dual boot protection which is clever. This is protect people if they dual boot into windows.

Also going by the Email today, I will be recomanding AV to all my mac custys.
Click to expand...

Thanks, this is what I was after. Because customer has been advised previously by a mac tech that they didn't need anti virus and I wanted to advise the opposite, I wanted to hear from other mac techs where they stand. Also iisjman07 thanks for the site link, that article now gives weight to my advice to customer if Apple are putting antimalware in new osx themselves.
 
ifelloutofatree said:
Thanks, this is what I was after. Because customer has been advised previously by a mac tech that they didn't need anti virus and I wanted to advise the opposite, I wanted to hear from other mac techs where they stand.
Click to expand...

No offense, But the Mac tech is right. This Mac Tech probably advised this because they have yet to personally see a virus infect OSX. I can say the same as well as my 3 business partners and we have over 60 years combined professional Mac business experience. The best advice to give a customer is to make sure they are performing backups regularly. If they are running OS 10.5.x or later this has never been simpler to set up. I get inquiries from Mac users constantly and have yet to see a virus with OSX. But I DO see people lose their data constantly due to not having backup solutions in place. Now which is actually the bigger catastrphe? As soon as malware becomes even the slightest bit of an issue with Macs I'll be happy to relay that information to you. But even if malware becomes common in OSX it will NEVER be as common or as catastrphic as not doing regular backups.
 
anonymous Mac Tech said:
No offense, But the Mac tech is right. This Mac Tech probably advised this because they have yet to personally see a virus infect OSX. I can say the same as well as my 3 business partners and we have over 60 years combined professional Mac business experience. The best advice to give a customer is to make sure they are performing backups regularly. If they are running OS 10.5.x or later this has never been simpler to set up. I get inquiries from Mac users constantly and have yet to see a virus with OSX. But I DO see people lose their data constantly due to not having backup solutions in place. Now which is actually the bigger catastrphe? As soon as malware becomes even the slightest bit of an issue with Macs I'll be happy to relay that information to you. But even if malware becomes common in OSX it will NEVER be as common or as catastrphic as not doing regular backups.
Click to expand...

.. customer has a 1TB drive set up as back up on a daily basis from the day imac arrived .. thanks
 
I still remember the antivirus scanner taking quite some time on my se/30. oddly, i still have the se/30, the antivirus is still on it, and the machine still works and boots up faster to a gui desktop than any of my fastest pc's... LOL.
 
I've been using Macs throughout much of my life and I have never come across a virus on one of my home machines. This does not mean that that Macs are not capable of becoming virus ridden; simply, that I have not experienced it first hand. I wonder, has anyone else been infected on their home machine? If so, what attacked them and what were the consequences (symptoms)?
 
anonymous Mac Tech said:
I see viruses on Macs all the time. Usually sitting harmlessly in the downloads folder not able to execute.:p
Click to expand...

im calling that downloads folder the condom now

so basically every now and then you look in the condom and find loads of viruses i hope you dont reach in there and clean them out lol

awesome idea though i like that
 
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