Could you seasoned Mac users please recommend a good AV for OS X? I find Norton AV too difficult to update and it seems I may need to purchase the newest suite instead of upgrading just the AV. I already have a firewall and have had to deal with PC user problems due to Norton Internet Security suites.
I have read a bit about these two:
Sophos: http://www.sophos.com/products/es/endpoint-server/sav-mac.html
Virus Barrier: http://www.intego.com/virusbarrier/
Any others?
Thanks,
T
There is a short comparison review (1 pager) for Mac Antivirus products in the May 2006 issue of Monitor, under the GUESTshot column. (page 70). The reviewer compares 5 products: Norton Antivirus 10.0, McAfee Virex 7.7, Intego VirusBarrier 10.4.3, Sophos Anti-Virus 4.7, and ClamXav 1.01. Not much description with the review, but judging by his overall rating by stars, the reviewer gave VirusBarrier the most stars (5). The reviewer has a nice chart of features, and which products have those features included. He also gives a few other general common sense tips. And he's warning Mac users that it's time to be more serious about protecting themselves. As Macs become more popular, they will become a bigger target.
The article may be available online at http://www.monitor.ca or http://www.monitortoday.com
ClamXav is freeware and "elegantly simple". http://www.clamxav.com
re: your Norton AV: I would hope you could just pay an annual subscription price to have it updated?!?!
-Mike
There has been more data loss because of having anti-virus software installed on OS X than there has from OS X Viruses. Until OS X AV software has a better track record I am more afraid of the AV software than I am of Viruses. I know how much AV software sludges up a windows machine, and I don't want to inflict that on my Mac until there is a credible threat from Viruses to the Mac, and I can find AV software I can trust. I'm not holding my breath waiting for either of those things to happen.
If you are a home user with just Macs then don't worry at all. You won't be multiplying them, you can only pass them on. If you are an office user in a mixed environment then the proper place for Anti-Virus software is on your Storage Server and Mail Server. ClamAV is very good, integrates nicely with SpamAssassin for your mail server. Rather than sludging up desktops with AV software, I'd put it on Servers which are often sitting with fairly busy I/O, but very bored processors which would love to run some AV software.
Thanks for the advice. I had upgraded to Tiger last July and had to re-install Norton AV afterwards. I had problems updating the definitions list afterwards where it would seemingly download and update but when I'd open the program again or run live update it would show the def list from 2002 (installation CD). Their on-line support was very frustrating to use in finding a solution.
I am ashamed to say that I've been having unprotected communications since then. I am a single Mac home user plus since getting DSL I have been allowing three teenagers on-line with MSN, Hotmail and other sites/services.
I've heard very good things about Sophos and was considering to try the Eval. Based on the Monitor review though, it looks pricey! I may start with the freeware.
Thanks again.
T
Hi,
I have found another interesting article concerning AntiVirus Software...
http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20060511065134478
Good luck!
- Sam
Running virus-free since 1984 :)
Yes, another good article. There are some interested comments to it as well.
I've downloaded and installed ClamXav. Not sure if it will work for the teens' accounts as well. More testing will be required.
Thanks again
T
Making sure your firewall is up is much simpler and much better protection for your Mac than AV software - at least until there are actually Mac OS X Viruses.
If you are behind a router, a software firewall won't do much as the router blocks pretty much any incoming traffic to specific ports. If you happen to have opened ports on your router... that's another story. Attacks are often made when "crackers" find open ports on an IP address. Also, if you are on a DSL Line with a dynamic IP, the chances of your computer being exploited is very slim due to the fact that your IP addresses changes almost every day or so (please correct me if I'm wrong...)
Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Sam
Quote from: SupportMyMac on June 16, 2006, 10:33:56 AM
Also, if you are on a DSL Line with a dynamic IP, the chances of your computer being exploited is very slim due to the fact that your IP addresses changes almost every day or so (please correct me if I'm wrong...)
In my experience, dynamic IPs on DSL rarely change. It usually requires powering down the DSL modem for a while to "lose" the IP. But your point about the firewall in routers is quite valid. Most of them are so good, that there is no need to run the OS X firewall.
Hi,
I'm the guy who wrote the article for Monitor, so I have a few words to add to this discussion. Sorry I didn't have much room to go into detail in Monitor, editorial restraints, but I did thoroughly test all five products. First off Sophos and McAfee's Virex are only available as five-seat minimums, so forget either of these for home use. Sophos only plays well within a Sophos environment -i,e ALL machines running Sophos as well as their server products. Virex is, well... crap. Norton is a mess - as someone else has already mentioned, a case of the preventative being worse than the disease, or potential disease.
That only leaves Intego Virus Barrier and ClamXav. I gave Virus Barrier high marks for being first (by a long shot) to respond to the Oompa-A virus, ease of use, little or no interruption to "normal" activities, price and support. Unfortunately, it seems almost impossible to aquire this product in Canada. The two current distributors in Canada are not retail-oriented and as of yet, your best bet is to buy it mail-order from the US - I notice Allume Systems (stuffit guys) have added this product to their roster. Intego also has Net barrier (sw firewall) and some other security products and that's all they do. We are attempting to get this product in our store even if it means becoming distributors!
ClamXav has the rather nice price - free - and actually were second to respond the the so-called Oompa-A "threat". However, Clam itself has some known security holes and may become a target for net nasties if it hasn't already - it is an Open Source product and exists in flavours for Linux and Windows as well.
So, having said all that, my general comment is in agreement with everyone else - AntiVirus is not at the top of a lot of peoples want/need lists. A hardware firewall is your best protection and almost all routers have one - but they are not easy for your average user to setup. OS X has a soft firewall which is easy to configure and hard to get around for hackers. Take your pick or get Net Barrier for a more complete soft firewall.
Your biggest concern and need for Antivirus is PC viruses, which we cannot "catch" but we can certainly carry and forward to our PeeCee friends - after all 86.7% of your friends use Windows - right? Did I mention macro viruses? We can catch those!
It's just putting your head in the sand to say "I have a Mac, I don't need antivirus!" I guess you weren't around for the NVIR virus of a decade or so ago? It was devaststing. Mac's can get viruses, and we were certainly on guard until OS X came along. Now we're all smugly having unprotected intercourse with ANYONE. We're just a train wreck waiting to happen.
Would you rather wait until after IT (the next killer virus for Mac) hits to get protected?
Just my two-cent's worth,
Dan