2006-08-26 15:42:26 · 4 answers · asked by GO Ravens 52 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Hardware ➔ Desktops
Do you think I need to buy virus software for my mac?
2006-08-26 15:48:22 · update #1
Yes - if Cell phones can get viruses, PDAs can get viruses, what makes you think the mac is immune?
Anything that can be programmed can be subject to a virus or spyware infection. Here's the thing - if you were one of the "bad guys" what would you want to do? You'd want to affect as many people and computers as possible. Well, what do MOST computers (by far, MOST computers) run? Windows! So you will write your malicious code to affect Windows systems.
But that doesn't mean there aren't a few people "thinking outside the box" and figuring I don't like how mac uses are so smug, I'm going to write a virus for them! Or something similar for ANY platform. The point is, yes you can be infected on anything with writable memory and the ability to connect to something else but your odds of being infected are MUCH lower on platforms that are not Windows.
Do you need anti-virus software? Yes. Maybe you'll never be infected - but won't you be cursing the gods if your the unlucky one to get a virus and it causes you damage because you didn't want to use antivirus software?
2006-08-26 15:46:42 · answer #1 · answered by lwcomputing 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Of course. BUT, if you run a good hardware firewall ( like on a router ) and never open or install any files from an unkown origin you wont have a problem with viruses. To date there have never been any worm type viruses that could tunel into a Mac. Spyware is an unfortunate byproduct of surfing the web. Fortunately most of it is written to hack into a windows based system using ActiveX and other ports to enter the system. I've only heard of one product that claims ot searches for spyware, MacScan. You can find it here; http://macscan.securemac.com/ I've also heard that no one has found any keyloggers or spyware on their Macs with this product. Be careful with what you download and what you open and you'll be fine.
2006-08-27 00:45:42 · answer #2 · answered by mvmike 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
CAN it become infested? Yes, when a virus is written for it, which hasn't happened yet....
But you CAN pass on infected files to Windows using friends and family. For that reason you might want to put some AV on there.
ClamXav is a good, FREE, AV for OS X. Go get it here: http://www.markallan.co.uk/clamXav/
Don't believe the hype from Norton, Symantec, and the other AV makers. ClamXav is all you need. And did I mention that it's FREE?
2006-08-27 00:57:10 · answer #3 · answered by Boro Mac Man 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, just not as often as Windows based pcs.
2006-08-26 22:45:47 · answer #4 · answered by Jordan L 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋