Do we need to install antivirus in macbook pro?

been a long time mac user and i dont install antivirus on my machines. just stay out on porn sites

 

i can't say you really need an antivirus, but here's a free and lightweight one, which i learned of from an old thread: Mac Antivirus, Malware Detection and Removal | Sophos Free Tools

 

Bottomline is: Macs are NOT immune to viruses. Don't believe anyone who says otherwise. You can find details of exploits and vulnerabilities online. When someone would ask me that question before, I used to say Macs were probably too small a target to be worth a hacker's time. Nowadays, we're still a small percentage compared to the number of PC's worldwide but OSX and iOS are attracting more and more users and unfortunately, a lot have the impression that viruses can't infect their machines and it is this complacency that makes them even more susceptible.

That said, no I also haven't installed an antivirus program yet on my machine and so far I also haven't run into problems. (so here's hoping I don't eat my words in the next few days) It helps that Apple does issue Security updates (your machine should check for updates regularly and automatically) but more than that, your defense should include some good, old-fashioned common sense, safe practices when surfing the net, installing new programs, copying or downloading files etc etc.

 

my old mac never got a beating from viruses. however its hard disk took a beating from my grad school projects...
never thought about an antivirus on a mac.
but if it gives you peace of mind...

 

Hi MiCBurZ and welcome to Philmug. Thanks for joining and hope you're enjoying this forum and having fun. In my opinion, its better to have an Anti-Virus installed and get one that has Anti-Malware and Anti-web phishing. I am using Intego Virus Barrier Mac Anti-Virus & Security - Intego

I chosed this because aside from being an anti-virus, it is one of the few softwares offering Anti-Malware and Anti-phishing. This can also detect an unauthorized port scan. This is when from an unknown remote ip address someone takes a peak at your computer without your permission or knowledge. Though Macs are usually not known to have virus attacks, like what Nre posted, Macs are not immune to virus specially Malware attacks. As far as I know, windows viruses cannot survive in the Unix environment of Mac OS. But if someone would create a virus intended for Macs then we may have a problem. But what is important in having an anti-virus is that you avoid infecting your Windows user friends whenever you exchange files.

 

add me to those people who do NOT use an Anti-Virus program on their Mac. - However, I am not saying that Macs can never be affected by a Virus. The reason I'm not using an AV software is because yeah it slows down some stuff and it affects my VOIP and VPN.

but remember, virus is different from MALWARE - this could be a big deal.

People use their computers in different ways. If you're like me who use a computer greatly for work and communication, then you don't need an AV. BUT, if you're the guy who just use your Mac for Social Networking, Chatting, and you browse a lot, I suggest you install an AV (one with anti-malware too).

 

I have ClamXav installed on my MBP.
I rarely run it though.
But whenever I do, it doesn't find anything.
It's there just for my peace of mind.

 

Well it never hurts to be cautious...

 

for me, I do not install AV on my mac. Also, i did not install Flash and Java. Both are target entry for malware infection on OS X.

 

no antivirus here.

 

Oh my, i already installed java. and i use a lot of surfing. but no porn sites. i do use torrent site (kat.ph only) . can i get infected? i dont have AV program except for iAntivirus which is a manual scan. do you think i need to unistall java?

 

The only precaution I take is to study any popup that requires my approval. Malicious websites can spoof popups or ads to make it appear that you are just closing the window or turning off an ad. That's when you inadvertently approve the malware's intrusion into your system. When I get popups that don't look right, I just force close Safari.

 

@Darrel

You wont get affected by currently known viruses. However, you could be a "carrier". So if you share files with friends on Windows, you'd pass it on to them and they might get affected.

 

No, never have, never will...and for that matter, no need to in any Mac machine that you own

 

I use the antivirus provided for free from the App Store: Bitdefender and Sophos.
I have never ran across a virus on my Mac.

 

thanks sir for the reply. this is why i love philmug i learn everyday ^^

 

i never had the need to use an anti-virus but just in case, i have iAntivirus by Symantec installed.