Just got a MacBook Pro

[SOJA]

Curious because I have never had a Mac, any good anti-virus, anti-malware, or anti-spyware software you guys/galls recommend? Or are the rumors that "Macs don't get viruses" true? Anything else interesting I should look into? 

 

 

Also inb4 Mac blws PC rulz

[RedMage138]

I'm so sorry.

[PhillyB]

i just bought one last week. still trying to figure everything out, it's a big change

[TruthVsComfort]

I purchased my first mac 3 years ago. It is also a macbook pro. Before switching to mac - I used to work on PC's some as an A+ Certified Tech. But there is absolutely no need for any anti-virus or anti-spyware on your mac. I have had zero problems in 3 years - it still runs like brand new and I use it a ton every day. Just periodically clear the cache of firefox or whatever browser you use and you should be in good shape. I will never be going back to PC/windows (although I did install windows on a partition of the macbook pro's hard-drive so I could play a video game that at the time was windows only.

[dos poptarts]

I'm still trying to figure out how people get virus's.

If your crusing for PR0n & warez, questionable websites, I'd understand.

But wasn't there a virus on the Atlanta Falcons board a few years ago?

 

BTW, OSX is not immune to virus/bots.

http://arstechnica.com/apple/2012/05/hands-on-with-five-antivirus-apps-for-the-mac/

 

[carpanfan96]

^Very true. OSX has security holes in it, just hackers don't care right now because it won't impact enough people. There's numerous exploitable features through iTunes, Time Machine and other similar programs. Not to mention that Java 6 recently had major security issues running on OSX, and there were a few other exploits in the system that allowed remote execution's to be performed. While the Java 6 and remote issues were recently patched back in March, there's still security issues with OSX. I'd strongly advise any one running a computer to have some sort of protection against viruses and such. 

[Doc Holiday]

I've had a mac book pro for 3 years now, Love it, the switch throws you off for about the first month or so but after that its smooth sailing, I will never buy another windows PC as long as I can avoid it.

 

also never once have I had a virus issue, I know a few guys are like look see they can get them, but I've never had a problem even for a minute

[Zaximus]

Unfortunately my new job I started a few weeks ago gave me a new Mac book pro.  It's like a fad here, and it's silly, because if I'm remote, I connect in with VPN and then remote desktop to a windows desktop to do server stuff lol.  Although I have Fusion so I'll probably make a windows VM.

 

They are build well, screen is super nice, etc, but overpriced, way over priced.  I'd choose Windows over it for myself, but I think my parents would do well with the Mac book.

[SOJA]

Unfortunately my new job I started a few weeks ago gave me a new Mac book pro.  It's like a fad here, and it's silly, because if I'm remote, I connect in with VPN and then remote desktop to a windows desktop to do server stuff lol.  Although I have Fusion so I'll probably make a windows VM.

 

They are build well, screen is super nice, etc, but overpriced, way over priced.  I'd choose Windows over it for myself, but I think my parents would do well with the Mac book.

I actually got a really good deal on mine, so that clinched it for me seeing that the price wasn't too bad

[C47]

I've had a mac book pro for 3 years now, Love it, the switch throws you off for about the first month or so but after that its smooth sailing, I will never buy another windows PC as long as I can avoid it.

 

also never once have I had a virus issue, I know a few guys are like look see they can get them, but I've never had a problem even for a minute

 

Its like the other two above you said.  You CAN design a virus for OSX, it's just a waste of time because the user base that you would infect isn't high enough to make it worth your while.  If the majority of the world used OSX or Linux instead of Windows then Windows would be the "virus free" Operating System....

[Doc Holiday]

Its like the other two above you said.  You CAN design a virus for OSX, it's just a waste of time because the user base that you would infect isn't high enough to make it worth your while.  If the majority of the world used OSX or Linux instead of Windows then Windows would be the "virus free" Operating System....

Or it's because Windows is the easier OP to program for, you do realize that many people have been switching to Mac's(you know apple at one point being the biggest company ever and all), acting as if no body uses them would be like Ford people pretending that no one drives Chevy, yeah they're isn't as many Chevys on the road but it isn't exactly none either.

 

your whole argument is predicated on a fallacy 

 

again not saying that Macs wont get viruses but my last PC(god rest it's soul) would get a virus once every few months, and in 3 years i've never had one on a mac(knocks on wood).

[carpanfan96]

Let me start by saying that I love Apple and have worked in tech support on OSX and Iphones, I was working with Lion before it ever came out to the public. Let me repeat I love Apple, I don't use one at home because the GF hates them.... Go figure.... 

 

On to the topic at hand, OSX and it's liability for viruses and malware. Let's start with the market to help explain one of the reasons MS has a issue with viruses and bots.  

 

As of right now Mac OSX runs on about 10-15 percent of all media devices and that's counting Iphone's, Ipad's, and Macs. That PC to Mac gap is still 20-1, so for every 20 PC's sold there is one Mac sold. That's the closest it's been since the mid 90's. Six years ago that gap was 60-1. If you take all of Apple's devices and added them up as MAC OSX users it's still only roughly 10% of the Desktop/Laptop operating system market compared to Windows which owns roughly 80-85% of the Market.

 

Why would I waste my time making a virus that's possibly going to affect a few million when I can make something that's possibly going to affect 100's of Millions of users????? 

 

Just to point out a few recent Malware issues recently with OSX. 

 

The Flashback Trojan, MacDefender being the two largest having appeared in the last two years from the same group. As well as the more recent CallMe and Pintsized malware. The Flashback trojan infected roughly 600-700 thousand macs. Not to mention that because of the Flashback Trojan, Apple had to change it's marketing on viruses. While CallMe has been added to the Xprotect it's still being found in the wild with different file definitions and destinations. Pintsized was used to successfully hack Facebook, Twitter and Apple earlier this year. 

 

 

The most recent scare came just yesterday when a variant of hackback/Filesteal was noticed at a conference, KitM is coded and attached to a Apple Developer ID and takes screenshots every 20 seconds and uploads them to a remote server. Apple removed the Dev ID, but the spyware stil runs and isn't caught by Apple's protection against hackback/Filesteal. 

 

 

Just a word from someone in the networking and tech support field with previous experience with Apple. 

 

Your a fool to run a computer without some sort of protection. While your less of a fool with Apple because of the unix foundation and Apple's attention to detail in the security field. 

 

However,  If you use anything with Flash or Java then get protection. If you use a lot of torrent downloads or watch porn often, then get some protection. Finally, If you use MS Office product's, get protection. 

 

If you don't have Flash, Java or do any of the above then your good behind your modem's firewall as long as you keep your Mac updated. I'd still advise against it though, just because of the high increase in malware attacks against OSX over the last three years. 

 

If you use Java and/or Flash and don't run any protection at all, then quite honestly I'm surprised you didn't get one of the malwares I mentioned above. You definitely need to do something more then rely on built in definitions even if your up to date.  

 

 

 

 

TLDR - The market difference between MS and Apple is still stupid large and it's one of the reason's for a lack of a Malware or virus issue with OSX. However, there are security issues with OSX and If you have an OSX device that you use Java or Flash products on then you need to get protection of some sort on your computer if you don't already have some.  Basically Java and Flash = the devil and you need to stay far away from them bitches. 

[C47]

Or it's because Windows is the easier OP to program for, you do realize that many people have been switching to Mac's(you know apple at one point being the biggest company ever and all), acting as if no body uses them would be like Ford people pretending that no one drives Chevy, yeah they're isn't as many Chevys on the road but it isn't exactly none either.

 

your whole argument is predicated on a fallacy 

 

again not saying that Macs wont get viruses but my last PC(god rest it's soul) would get a virus once every few months, and in 3 years i've never had one on a mac(knocks on wood).

 

Ever since I was like 13 and knew how to protect my PC from viruses I've had 1, and it was inside a file on a program my friend installed from a flash drive so not anything I even downloaded.  It's really not hard to protect your PC from viruses.  You're counting ipod and iphone sales in that biggest company ever claim, which is a joke because we're talking about computers not mp3 players and cellphones....

[carpanfan96]

Ever since I was like 13 and knew how to protect my PC from viruses I've had 1, and it was inside a file on a program my friend installed from a flash drive so not anything I even downloaded.  It's really not hard to protect your PC from viruses.  You're counting ipod and iphone sales in that biggest company ever claim, which is a joke because we're talking about computers not mp3 players and cellphones....

 

 

If you count just the Desktop and Laptop market's, OSX is currently running on around "Numbers"

 

OSX - 6.42%

Windows - 91.6%

 

 

"Let's put it this way, more people use Windows 8 then OSX 10.8. or More people use Windows Vista then OSX 10.8"

 

 

That's how dominate MS is in the desktop/laptop market. 

 

 

Since this report was done in January, Windows 8 has shot pass OSX 10.8. 

 

Windows 8 is considered a failure by the market research firms and it still has more users then OSX 10.8.

 

 

The PC market is getting smaller while the Mobile market is getting larger, but MS has about 4% of the Mobile market in just around 6 month's and with another huge push coming later this year with Blue. who knows what can happen there. 

 

 

You can develop malware and virus for unix and linux operating systems, just whats the damn point when it's not even going to affect 10% of the market?