Don't be a bonehead: Run antivirus on your Mac


Userlevel 7
  • Retired Webrooter
  • 1455 replies


 
The arguments of there being no viruses on a Mac aren't realistic and it's time to accept that OSX isn't malware-proof. Mac's are increasingly vulenerable and are becoming bigger targets as they enter the BYOD market. 
 
ZDnet recommends you protect your Mac with antivirus/antimalware software, and you can read more about it right here.
 
Webroot offers Mac protection for the Flashback Trojan and other OS X threats without the performance impact and system slowdowns that come with free solutions.
 
Also, we provide the SecureWeb app for free on your iPhone, iPad, and iPod.
 
 

32 replies

Userlevel 7
Blah, blah, blah...or you might just as well. Mike...for all the good that will do...most Mac users are in fact hoodwinked by Apple's presumptuous view of their own invincibility to the malware threat.
 
You are right/they are wrong! ;)
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
I used to be one of those folks who ran a Mac with no AV, but working here has opened my eyes.  Even just being protected from phishing attacks, which are platform independent, is worth it.
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
:D
@ wrote:
I used to be one of those folks who ran a Mac with no AV, but working here has opened my eyes.  Even just being protected from phishing attacks, which are platform independent, is worth it.
Yes don't get me started!! Well maybe just alittle..I never used AV for 6 years on my Mac until November and relialized I was under attack and found Webroot! I'm having much more calmer days since then! Geeze I also thought the Mac?Apple was invulnerable to attacks!! How wrong I was!!!;)
Userlevel 7
Indeed, Sherry...nothing is invulnerable all of the times just as there is no such thing as 100% protection...even with WSA...unfortunately, when marketeers take over, as they do at Apple...this is what you get...what is sad is despite learned people providing good advice...the marketeers are still believed by many.  But entirely my own opinion...of course.
 
But to err is to be human...as they say...:D
Userlevel 6
@ wrote:
:D
@ wrote:
I used to be one of those folks who ran a Mac with no AV, but working here has opened my eyes.  Even just being protected from phishing attacks, which are platform independent, is worth it.
Yes don't get me started!! Well maybe just alittle..I never used AV for 6 years on my Mac until November and relialized I was under attack and found Webroot! I'm having much more calmer days since then! Geeze I also thought the Mac?Apple was invulnerable to attacks!! How wrong I was!!!;)
Sherry,
Your experience is something that should be shared with all users of Mac/Apple devices. I am in the process of hooking up an Apple all-in-one own owner with Webroot. Is it OK with your if I pass your experience on?
No one is and nothing is immune from getting a virus or trojan...etc... Apple included
Beth
Userlevel 6
@ wrote:
:D
I never used AV for 6 years on my Mac until November and relialized I was under attack and found Webroot! I'm having much more calmer days since then! Geeze I also thought the Mac?Apple was invulnerable to attacks!! How wrong I was!!!;)
Sherry,
Your experience is something that should be shared with all users of Mac/Apple devices. I am in the process of hooking up an Apple all-in-one owner with Webroot. Is it OK with your if I pass your experience on?
No one is and nothing is immune from getting a virus or trojan...etc... Apple included
Beth
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
@BB97 wrote:
@ wrote:
:D
I never used AV for 6 years on my Mac until November and relialized I was under attack and found Webroot! I'm having much more calmer days since then! Geeze I also thought the Mac?Apple was invulnerable to attacks!! How wrong I was!!!;)
Sherry,
Your experience is something that should be shared with all users of Mac/Apple devices. I am in the process of hooking up an Apple all-in-one owner with Webroot. Is it OK with your if I pass your experience on?
No one is and nothing is immune from getting a virus or trojan...etc... Apple included
Beth
Beth its totally a very long drawn out story and its something that I would prefer to stay at bay with. But First of all one thing I will mention is in 2013 Webroot struggled to get WSAC to work on my system. After months, hours with tech support remotely esculating my problem which I refused to give up the ship with this AV and it wasn't until January 2014 that the update to WSA fixed my Mac..WSAC would not start to scan after installing...I've been great since the first week of Jan. My whole Network with 4 PCs were hooked up and the Mac which was my main OS and I had to struggle to recover them all and was forced to install new HD on the Mac!! I've sinced replaced Asus and Linksys Routers since then and now have TimeWarner cable and Router in one and this way I have support and TW can reset and keep up the Firmware! I couldn't keep up with the hackers oherwise! Bad Dream. But I'm telling you a Mac can be remotely controlled just as easy as a PC. 
 
At further ado I think I've said enough and the keyloggers are also taken care of by WSA! I love my MAC!! To me its a real 'puter...LOL My dears fans of Apple..Daniel and Sir Baldrick!! My mentors to say the least!:D
 
Oops I didn't take a breath with all this did I :p
Userlevel 7
Well at least when us real computer users (PC) click on the red X, the app actually closes like it's supposed to.

😛
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
@_GoSpursGo wrote:
Well at least when us real computer users (PC) click on the red X, the app actually closes like it's supposed to.

:p
Say what my dear Friend Shran my red X is in the left upper corner!! :p
Userlevel 6
Sorry Sherry,
 
I was referring to the positive part of your experience only, just that line I quoted in my previous post. I wouldnt share the negative, just the positive! :D
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
@BB97 wrote:
Sorry Sherry,
 
I was referring to the positive part of your experience only, just that line I quoted in my previous post. I wouldnt share the negative, just the positive! :D
Its all POSITIVE!! Because it was a learning experience and I discovered this Form along with WSAC!:D
Userlevel 7
Yes and it doesn't actually close the app it just minimizes it to the background 😛.
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
@_GoSpursGo wrote:
Yes and it doesn't actually close the app it just minimizes it to the background 😛.
Well Shran I'm not aware of that because I shut my apps off in the Dock..but as for my IPAD is different because you have to swipe it up to close out the programs.. I don't mean to hijack this thread but you know more....;)
Userlevel 7
Yes shutting them off in the dock actually closes them down - but if you click the red X like on a PC it only minimizes it to the background 😛. I have used Macs and the hardware is good I admit, but OS wise Windows 7 will always be better 😉
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
@_GoSpursGo wrote:
Yes shutting them off in the dock actually closes them down - but if you click the red X like on a PC it only minimizes it to the background 😛. I have used Macs and the hardware is good I admit, but OS wise Windows 7 will always be better ;)
Yes thats what I hear..that OS W/7 is the best of all the rest and I'm waiting for W/9..Whoo hoo!!!:p And I know you can run a Mac because you helped me.LOL;)
Userlevel 1
Badge +2
While I mostly agree with the article (on using an A/V on a Mac), it loses all seriousness and authority with the use of the word "bonehead". It doesn't look like a fun, lighthearted article but rather an urgent warning on Mac virus threats. I'm sure there are many advanced users that can safely handle their Mac's without resorting to an A/V, so insulting them is probably not the way to go. (and perhaps it's a bit inelegant to quote it as is on the Webroot forum)
Userlevel 7
Badge +56
You could be right but most Mac users are unaware and not security minded that there are Viruses that affect and or infect there systems so getting the knowledge out there is very important! Look at the issues with iOS recently but they don't allow AV's to run on them.
 
Daniel 😉
Userlevel 7
Badge +62
@ wrote:
You could be right but most Mac users are unaware and not security minded that there are Viruses that affect and or infect there systems so getting the knowledge out there is very important! Look at the issues with iOS recently but they don't allow AV's to run on them.
 
Daniel ;)
Hello I'm an iOS user and I can count at least 3 times that its been updated in the last few months and the Mac also. But I protect my Mac with WSAC and I do need to know about the updates on these News Articles! I a not tech savy with my Mac and its nice to know ...no matter how it's put across in the news! :D As I saw this article as being very important for other Apple users that arent aware of the loop holes or back doors that is created even with iTunes, 
 
And Thank you Daniel for your input!;)
Userlevel 7
I have to agree with you, Daniel when you say that.  
 
If I look at the people I know who use Macs and those that use WIndows, the latter seem to be far more technically & security aware than the former...basically because Windows has in the past been less secure than iOS, and because Apple tends to market to those who are less technologically minded (not suggestng that the Mac is not for the technologiically minded...that is why I said marketed).
 
So funnily enough Windows users tend by necessity to need, and therefore be, more technologically & securityminded...IMHO
 
 
Baldrick
Userlevel 6
@ wrote:
I have to agree with you, Daniel when you say that.  
 
If I look at the people I know who use Macs and those that use WIndows, the latter seem to be far more technically & security aware than the former...basically because Windows has in the past been less secure than iOS, and because Apple tends to market to those who are less technologically minded (not suggestng that the Mac is not for the technologiically minded...that is why I said marketed).
 
So funnily enough Windows users tend by necessity to need, and therefore be, more technologically & securityminded...IMHO
 
 
Baldrick
Have to agree on that. Apple developed a system for the less technically inclined, user friendy, a computer that anyone can learn to use.
 
 
Userlevel 6
@BB97 wrote:
@ wrote:
I have to agree with you, Daniel when you say that.  
 
If I look at the people I know who use Macs and those that use WIndows, the latter seem to be far more technically & security aware than the former...basically because Windows has in the past been less secure than iOS, and because Apple tends to market to those who are less technologically minded (not suggestng that the Mac is not for the technologiically minded...that is why I said marketed).
 
So funnily enough Windows users tend by necessity to need, and therefore be, more technologically & securityminded...IMHO
 
 
Baldrick
Have to agree on that. Apple developed a system for the less technically inclined, user friendy, a computer that anyone can learn to use.
 
 
And yet I can't get used to the GUI of OSX...  
I can administrate Windows and Linux (regardless if I know the desktop environment or not) and can easily adopt to new software. But on OSX everything seems unusual and different so that my random clickiticlick doesn't work ;) 
And I do have the feeling that the standard apple user doesn't have any technology knowledge beyond browsing in the Internet. 
Userlevel 7
@ wrote:
@BB97 wrote:
@ wrote:

If I look at the people I know who use Macs and those that use WIndows, the latter seem to be far more technically & security aware than the former...basically because Windows has in the past been less secure than iOS, and because Apple tends to market to those who are less technologically minded (not suggestng that the Mac is not for the technologiically minded...that is why I said marketed).
 
So funnily enough Windows users tend by necessity to need, and therefore be, more technologically & securityminded...IMHO
 
 
Baldrick
Have to agree on that. Apple developed a system for the less technically inclined, user friendy, a computer that anyone can learn to use.
 
 

And I do have the feeling that the standard apple user doesn't have any technology knowledge beyond browsing in the Internet. 
Well I hope @ is seeing these comments....hehehe....

Userlevel 6
I'm only talking about the standard user ;)

Disclaimer: this only reflects my personal experience and I know that the standard Windows user also isn't a technology expert.
Userlevel 7
Haha...don't worry. I was just joking around.;)
i'd like advice on should i get any more program than webroot? 

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