[teh tenk]

I'm soon to be new to the Apple world, but does anyone use virus protection with their Macs? Or are there just not many Mac virii out there?

[lland]

If you are in the UK you could try Virusbarrier X it's on a CD with this months MacFormat.

If you have a fast connection it is also available with others on

www.versiontracker.com

Symantec Norton Anti-Virus should be available from their website as a trial

[Atef's corpse]

I wouldn't worry about it. The Mac has viruses, but they're hard to get, and few and far between.

don't waste your money on an antivirus app. if you're going to use MS Office, make sure 'macro virus protection' is turned ON!

[ngrundy]

I'd suggest staying away from norton AV for mac. I installed it and ended up formating to get rid of it. It's just that bad. I saw a 25% drop in system performance :/ (1ghz powerbook)

[brachiator]

Originally posted by 4 other Unidentified people in the Car with Atef and doesn't it bother you that the CIA has been given overt combat authority without any public discussion?:
I wouldn't worry about it. The Mac has viruses, but they're hard to get, and few and far between.

don't waste your money on an antivirus app.

Unless, that is, you care to worry about being a conduit for viruses to your friends, colleagues, or correspondents, by passing along Windoze viruses. If you are concerned, Virex is, so far as I know, the only Mac product that scans/repairs for Win viruses, etc. NAV is useless in that regard...

If you don't care, then probably there's not much point in it, because there are very few Mac viruses, as was said.

[teh tenk]

well the reason i ask is because i have two computers on my network and i found out today that my main rig got nimda somehow. i ran NAV, punched it out, took an anti-nimda tool and went back again. it should be gone. i was just worried that somehow those virii would be able to jump ship...even though the os is entirely different. i'm just worried about my beautiful new mac.

[Emotionally Fragile Luke]

Well, there are no virus's out for OSX?

All 50 of the OS9 Virus's almost all of them were relatively harmless.

Still worried?

[TheIceMan]

teh tenk: I guess I'm just one of those people who likes to be sure. I have Norton Internet Security 2.0 for Mac. It has the Antivirus, FireWall, and Privacy Control. While there are not as many viruses for the Mac as the PC, the fact is that they still exists. I, for one, want my Mac to be secure. Go check out the prices here: http://www.cnet.com/software/0-352108-1204-9663233.html If you don't get the virus protection, at least get some kind of FireWall. It's better to be safer than sorry. This is an article from MacObserver:
http://www.macobserver.com/article/2001/06/20.2.shtml Remember, that was in 2001, and they counted over 100 viruses. I don't know how how may be out there now as we approach 2003.

[Emotionally Fragile Luke]

Originally posted by TheIceMan:
teh tenk: I guess I'm just one of those people who likes to be sure. I have Norton Internet Security 2.0 for Mac. It has the Antivirus, FireWall, and Privacy Control. While there are not as many viruses for the Mac as the PC, the fact is that they still exists.

I just said. THERE ARE NO OSX VIRUS'!!! So what do you want to be sure about? Pretend ones?

Norton is terrible, it will cause more problems then solve. Also OSX has it's own built in firewall, so you don't need that Norton crap.

I can understand your paranoia coming from a PC but try running nothing for 3 months and you will see that Virus's will never cross your mind, nor will security concerns. Trust me, once you are in this mindset you will be happier and actually use your computer for work instead of worrying about how it works.

[solitere]

Originally posted by teh tenk:
I'm soon to be new to the Apple world, but does anyone use virus protection with their Macs? Or are there just not many Mac virii out there?

Have been using macs since 89 and I have only got one virus during this time what I could recall it was a macrovirus for excel and it didn´t do much harm!

[TheIceMan]

Originally posted by Emotionally Fragile Luke:
I just said. THERE ARE NO OSX VIRUS'!!! So what do you want to be sure about? Pretend ones?

Norton is terrible, it will cause more problems then solve. Also OSX has it's own built in firewall, so you don't need that Norton crap.

I can understand your paranoia coming from a PC but try running nothing for 3 months and you will see that Virus's will never cross your mind, nor will security concerns. Trust me, once you are in this mindset you will be happier and actually use your computer for work instead of worrying about how it works.

Luke: I appreciate the encouragement. However, I want to point you to this article. http://www.creativepro.com/printerfr...ory/14071.html If I am not mistaken, UNIX is the backbone of OSX, and as such "Hackers and viruses pose more of a threat than ever for the Mac platform due to the Unix underpinnings of Mac OS X (quoted from the site)." You don't care for virus protection, that's fine. But since teh tenk wanted to know who uses virus protection, I am one of the few who do use it.

[Developer]

Originally posted by TheIceMan:
Hackers and viruses pose more of a threat than ever for the Mac platform due to the Unix underpinnings of Mac OS X

Could you name a few viruses that affect Mac OS X?
(no Office macro viruses please, since they are unrelated to Unix underpinnings)

[TheIceMan]

Originally posted by Developer:
Could you name a few viruses that affect Mac OS X? (no Office macro viruses please, since they are unrelated to Unix underpinnings)

Developer: I never claimed to be the OSX virus expert. All I'm saying is that I use a virus protection program. I've only started using the Mac since October 2002. Since I paid good money for my PowerBook, I'm getting some protection for it (even if there may not be any virus danger to it yet). I'm glad that there are fewer viruses for the Mac platform. But having a virus program, for me, is like having insurance because I'll never know when I'll need it. Simple. But there are many other Mac faithfuls who don't use any virus programs, that's cool with me. Don't see why you guys get so worked up over personal preferences.

[Boochie]

You left out an important detail, which is that the person making the quoted statement was a product manager at Symantec, an entity with a vested interest in creating demand for anti-virus software.

Originally posted by TheIceMan:


Luke: I appreciate the encouragement. However, I want to point you to this article. http://www.creativepro.com/printerfr...ory/14071.html If I am not mistaken, UNIX is the backbone of OSX, and as such "Hackers and viruses pose more of a threat than ever for the Mac platform due to the Unix underpinnings of Mac OS X (quoted from the site)." You don't care for virus protection, that's fine. But since teh tenk wanted to know who uses virus protection, I am one of the few who do use it.

[Appleman]

Originally posted by TheIceMan:
If you don't get the virus protection, at least get some kind of FireWall. It's better to be safer than sorry.

Firewall is within System Preferences -> Sharing, included with OS X.

I never have a virusscanner, never had on since OS X beta, but I don't say they don't exist. Probably made a few by Symantec to encourage us to buy their crappy products

[Developer]

Originally posted by TheIceMan:

All I'm saying is that I use a virus protection program.

I didn't say that's a bad idea. I just asked a question.
You said Mac OS X increased the risk of infection (compared to Mac OS), so I thought you might know something specific.

[mrtew]

I've been using a Mac for 8 years and have never heard of a Mac virus except for mentions of harmless ones on this board. Using a virus protection program to protect your Mac is as insane as wearing a tinfoil hat to protect your brain.

And if there ever is a destructive OSX virus Apple with patch the system faster than you can patch your virus protection program anyway. What are those virus protection programs even scanning for if there are no Mac viruses. It's like scanning the sky for flying pigs every day.... there are NO flying pigs (at least until the A380 hits the air in 2006)

[Appleman]

Originally posted by mrtew:
I've been using a Mac for 8 years and have never heard of a Mac virus except for mentions of harmless ones on this board. Using a virus protection program to protect your Mac is as insane as wearing a tinfoil hat to protect your brain.

And if there ever is a destructive OSX virus Apple with patch the system faster than you can patch your virus protection program anyway. What are those virus protection programs even scanning for if there are no Mac viruses. It's like scanning the sky for flying pigs every day.... there are NO flying pigs (at least until the A380 hits the air in 2006)

product manager at Airbus?

[Atef's corpse]

Originally posted by brachiator:
4 other Unidentified people in the Car with Atef and doesn't it bother you that the CIA has been given overt combat authority without any public discussion?
.....
Unless, that is, you care to worry about being a conduit for viruses to your friends, colleagues, or correspondents, by passing along Windoze viruses.

So I'm supposed to scan and protect the Windows world from viruses, is that it? Get off it. Let them worry about their crap. Besides, no Mac is going to pass along Windows viruses, unless they're those stupid macro viruses.

And as far as me, Atef, being killed in the car: The other 4 were stupid--they shouldn't have hung around with a terrorist that is a target for capture or elimination. Get off it. War is war. Do you think the US is going to ask for your lame opinions whenever it wants to strike at terrorists in Afghanistan? No, and praise Allah for that.

[Emotionally Fragile Luke]

Originally posted by TheIceMan:
But since teh tenk wanted to know who uses virus protection, I am one of the few who do use it.

Sorry, I can't quite make that one out, did a virus cause that

Look, yes OSX is based on UNIX.... BUT, there is not ONE OSX virus even though it has been out for years.

You read propaganda from someone who sells virus software. Great source.

The reason people are getting so hyped up is because even though there is not a single Mac OSX virus you are being paranoid and this is something that PC folks do.

As Mac users we are all used to sitting back and laughing as the news reports another Windows virus making itself around the world causing hell. It doesn't happen to us. EVEN if it did I hardly think you would be the first person to get this new virus, you would have plenty of time to fire up your Virus software and scan to your hearts content.

All we are saying is Virus software causes so many more problems then any virus I have ever seen. If you go over to www.macfixit.com you can see lots of reports of problems that Virex causes to your system. You can also have a look around and see that nobody is having a single virus problem.

You are using Virus software for the sake of using it because that is what you did on your PC. You are on a Mac now, try something new.

[cowerd]

atef's mangled corpse said (quite a feat in itself actually):

Get off it. War is war.

Is that the War on Drugs, the War on Poverty, the War against the Poor or the War between the States? Whatever it is, count me in. Me like war--doubleplusgood.

[TheIceMan]

Luke: I'm teachable. I'm so new to the Mac. You're right Luke. I had 3 viruses that caused me problems with my PC. I guess that "paranoia" is hard to shake.

Originally posted by Developer:
I didn't say that's a bad idea. I just asked a question. You said Mac OS X increased the risk of infection (compared to Mac OS), so I thought you might know something specific.

Developer: Unfortunately I am still learning.

Boochie: Yes, the quote was from Symantec. Good point and well-taken.

I guess I need to take a step back before buying in to the hype that companies try to sell us. Damn the propaganda. Hehehe.

[Emotionally Fragile Luke]

Originally posted by TheIceMan:
Luke: I'm teachable. I'm so new to the Mac. You're right Luke. I had 3 viruses that caused me problems with my PC. I guess that "paranoia" is hard to shake.

I understand. I know a PC use who turns his computer on in the morning, scans for virus' for 30 min. Checks his email for 15 minutes and then scans for virus' for another half hour before he shuts down. He is obsessed with making sure he never gets a virus even though he never had one before. It is scary.

Try no virus software for a while and when you hear someone else getting one then you can go back to it.

[brachiator]

Originally posted by Atef's corpse:
So I'm supposed to scan and protect the Windows world from viruses, is that it? Get off it. Let them worry about their crap. Besides, no Mac is going to pass along Windows viruses, unless they're those stupid macro viruses.

Well, yeah. It kinda goes along with the viral analogy, dontcha think? "Them" includes the majority of my friends and colleagues, so it's my worry as well. You don't want to, fine -- at least you've copped to the selfish rationale. "I've got mine Jack, screw you." If you don't live in a multi-platform environment, that would be one thing, excusable.

And considering how much of a problem the macro viruses are, why don't they count... I mean, other than that they undermine your point?

Luke: One reason I am concerned with this, in particular, is that I use my Powebook a lot for work, in a large enterprise situation that is (aside from one other guy) all PC. I don't want to be the weak link (so to speak)... so I don't want to rely on the low probabilities.

Originally posted by Harithi's corpse:
And as far as me, Atef, being killed in the car: The other 4 were stupid--they shouldn't have hung around with a terrorist that is a target for capture or elimination. Get off it. War is war. Do you think the US is going to ask for your lame opinions whenever it wants to strike at terrorists in Afghanistan? No, and praise Allah for that.

This is the best you can do? I troll a factually inaccurate poke at you .. and you resort to "war is war..." and sneer at the way a democratic republic runs?

Wait, I'll save you the trouble:

Posted in response by Atef's corpse:
Get off it. Get off it. Your opinon is lame. You're a lamer. Get off it. I won't waste time bandying words with you. blah blah

[Emotionally Fragile Luke]

Originally posted by brachiator:

Luke: One reason I am concerned with this, in particular, is that I use my Powebook a lot for work, in a large enterprise situation that is (aside from one other guy) all PC. I don't want to be the weak link (so to speak)...

Mac virus apps will NOT detect or remove PC virus' from your computer. So you are not protecting your PC buddies.

[Millennium]

The bit about OSX being more vulnerable to hackers and viruses because of its Unix underpinnings is complete, total, and utter tripe, manufactured by Symantec in an attempt to garner a few more sales for itself.

Currently, there are no known viruses for OSX, though Entourage may be susceptible to the Simpsons worm (if that's still in circulation) and Microsoft's programs are still susceptible to macro viruses. Even if a virus were to be developed, it could not spread through the entire system unless the user was logged in as root; otherwise it could only affect the user who caught it.

However, even if you cannot catch viruses, you can still be a carrier. That is, you may accidentally have a virus on your machine which does not affect you personally, but you may end up giving that file to someone who can catch the virus (this is the way viruses used to spread, before the Net became a popular delivery mechanism).

Therefore, antivirus software is still a good idea. I have heard both good and bad things about Norton Antivirus. Virex, which is free with a .Mac subscription, should be considered minimal at best; it's little more than a frontend slapped onto a command-line scanner, meaning that there is very little system integration. Intego's VirusBarrier seems to be the most reputable of the lot, thus far.

A note on older, MacOS viruses: only one intentionally-destructive virus has ever been known to exist. There were plenty of others, however, which were sloppily-coded, such that they can destabilize the system. And then there was the constantly-mutating nVIR, which had two strains that could actually mate and reproduce if they got into the same file, resulting in new strains.

[typoon]

Originally posted by Millennium:
The bit about OSX being more vulnerable to hackers and viruses because of its Unix underpinnings is complete, total, and utter tripe, manufactured by Symantec in an attempt to garner a few more sales for itself.

Currently, there are no known viruses for OSX, though Entourage may be susceptible to the Simpsons worm (if that's still in circulation) and Microsoft's programs are still susceptible to macro viruses. Even if a virus were to be developed, it could not spread through the entire system unless the user was logged in as root; otherwise it could only affect the user who caught it.

However, even if you cannot catch viruses, you can still be a carrier. That is, you may accidentally have a virus on your machine which does not affect you personally, but you may end up giving that file to someone who can catch the virus (this is the way viruses used to spread, before the Net became a popular delivery mechanism).

Therefore, antivirus software is still a good idea. I have heard both good and bad things about Norton Antivirus. Virex, which is free with a .Mac subscription, should be considered minimal at best; it's little more than a frontend slapped onto a command-line scanner, meaning that there is very little system integration. Intego's VirusBarrier seems to be the most reputable of the lot, thus far.

A note on older, MacOS viruses: only one intentionally-destructive virus has ever been known to exist. There were plenty of others, however, which were sloppily-coded, such that they can destabilize the system. And then there was the constantly-mutating nVIR, which had two strains that could actually mate and reproduce if they got into the same file, resulting in new strains.

Thanks Millenium, good post.

Generally like many other have said there are no know viruses for OS X and if there were since the majority of it is opensource it would probably be fixed faster than you could sneeze at it. It never hurts to have on your system. I've had one on my system have run it twice since I've had it but I keep it updated. I haven't really bothered to worry about it though. I had virus protection on my machine a while ago and in 10 years I've only detected 1.

[brachiator]

Originally posted by Emotionally Fragile Luke:
Mac virus apps will NOT detect or remove PC virus' from your computer. So you are not protecting your PC buddies.

Unless McAfee is lying about it, you are NOT correct, though, Luke. (Which frankly surprises me, since you've been so strident on this and the other posts this thread, I figured you must be in the know... )

From the Virex ReadMe:

"This package will update the scanning engine and virus definition files for Virex 7, which now protects against both Mac viruses and Windows PC viruses."

Additionally, the read me lists numerous Windows viruses -- real system viruses, that is, as well as the Office macros.

I know that Mac OSX is comparatively very safe -- that's one of the reasons I own a Mac. But it'$ a wicked world that we live in...

[besson3c]

However, even if you cannot catch viruses, you can still be a carrier. That is, you may accidentally have a virus on your machine which does not affect you personally, but you may end up giving that file to someone who can catch the virus (this is the way viruses used to spread, before the Net became a popular delivery mechanism).

HOw is it possible to be the carrier of viruses if you cannot execute the email attachment? When you get a virus, it is going to do NOTHING unless it was written to be executable under OS X. Right?

[besson3c]

From the Virex ReadMe:

"This package will update the scanning engine and virus definition files for Virex 7, which now protects against both Mac viruses and Windows PC viruses."

I think this is misleading. You will be protected from Windows viruses because they cannot be executed. This would be the case regardless.

Is my logic flawwed?

[Socially Awkward Solo]

Originally posted by brachiator:
Unless McAfee is lying about it, you are NOT correct, though, Luke. (Which frankly surprises me, since you've been so strident on this and the other posts this thread, I figured you must be in the know... )

Either way, Mac's connot spread windows virus' in the same way PC's do so their is not much point.

[brachiator]

Originally posted by Socially Awkward Solo:
Either way, Mac's connot spread windows virus' in the same way PC's do so their is not much point.

OK. I know that the viruses can't run and thus can't propagate themselves the way they do on a Win box. And that thus a Mac is not a good host, and the rate of propagation is very low. But if you, with your Mac, are nevertheless responsible for passing through a virus into the next Windoze enclave, the difference doesn't matter. It only matters in terms of probability -- but I mentioned above that I am highly risk averse in my situation. I'm not saying that everyone should run AV, because it's a cost/benefit thing, and the risk is relatively low. But I'd be annoyed to receive a virus from a fellow Mac user. I'd think it irresponsible, although more understandable if they were a broke student or artist who couldn't afford the s/w.

Or is there another way I am missing on how Macs don't spread Win viruses the same?


Besson --
at least pending answer of the above, here's the deal on "protection." There's protection of your own computer, which, you're right, is protected against Windows viruses simply because they are ineffective on the Mac. But there is also protection of your network environment -- however far you want to extend that -- and that is where, say, Virex protects against Win viruses by detecting and repairing them. For example, my home LAN has one PC on it. If I get a virus on my Mac, I could conceivably pass it along to the PC -- so if Virex catches it, I've been protected. Or, similarly, any of the computers on the internet or on my work LAN with which I exchange files, emails, etc., are protected. The likelihood of a pass-through is very low, as Solo noted and you alluded to (I assume), because the Win virus lays utterly dormant while on your Mac. You'd have to share/email/etc. the actual infected file to pass it on. But the risk is there. I'm looking at it from a risk averse perspective, since I interact with a lot of PCs, as well as a lot of unsophisticated PC users (outside the work environment, i.e., my non-mac, non-PC-geek friends/family). It's like wearing a condom -- it's good for your partner, too.

[Leia's Right Bun]

Originally posted by brachiator:
But what does this mean? The viruses are none the less spread, no? How does the manner of propagation differ? And how does that difference translate into being less of a carrier?

It means that all od those virus' that are supposed to spread themselves to everyone in your addresss book stops DEAD when they hit a Mac with or without virus applications.

[brachiator]

Originally posted by Leia's Right Bun:
It means that all od those virus' that are supposed to spread themselves to everyone in your addresss book stops DEAD when they hit a Mac with or without virus applications.

Sorry, of course... I edited my post while you were writing yours. Too much turkey on the brain.

Except not DEAD. Dormant, awaiting the off chance. No?

[Socially Awkward Solo]

Originally posted by brachiator:

Except not DEAD. Dormant, awaiting the off chance. No?

Perhaps if you Mac one day transformed fully in to a PC then yes.

[besson3c]

The virus does not lie dormant in the sense that it will or could come to life at an unexpected time. The only way the virus could infect a Windows user is if you actually forward the message to a Windows user and kept the attachment intact. The chance that you would feel inclined to forward a message to a PC user entitled "Japanese Lass Sexy Pictures" is so remote you might as well consider it zero.

Even if you did forward the message, it would be treated no differently than any other virus. Several viruses spoof their from addresses, so who knows - the PC user might be getting "Japanese Lass Sexy Pictures" from what appears to be you everyday.

The whole virus thing has spiralled out of control. I think the ONLY thing that can be done is to protect yourself, and in the case of the Mac that protection is pretty much just to install NAV only if the threat rises above literally non-existant.

Just my thoughts...

[Atef's corpse]

Originally posted by brachiator:
Well, yeah. It kinda goes along with the viral analogy, dontcha think? "Them" includes the majority of my friends and colleagues, so it's my worry as well. You don't want to, fine -- at least you've copped to the selfish rationale. "I've got mine Jack, screw you." If you don't live in a multi-platform environment, that would be one thing, excusable.

And considering how much of a problem the macro viruses are, why don't they count... I mean, other than that they undermine your point?

Macro viruses are problems for the morons who don't check the option for protecting against macros. And I'm not about to spend $30+ USD on an antivirus program just so I can scan my friends' computers and files. They wanna warez it up, they can buy norton or mcafee themselves.

It might be the good samaritan thing to help them out, but it is FAR from my responsibility to do so.

Don't be such a butthole. The basics of this thread are very simplistic. Folks with Mac OS X aren't going to get viruses. Using Office v.X, then turn off macros. End of story.

[mrtew]

Originally posted by Emotionally Fragile Luke:
Mac virus apps will NOT detect or remove PC virus' from your computer. So you are not protecting your PC buddies.

So if there are no OSX viruses and the Mac programs don't scan for Windoze viruses, then I ask again... what exactly are these program looking for anyway? Tell me!

And would running Virtual PC open up a Mac to Windoze viruses?

[Socially Awkward Solo]

Originally posted by mrtew:
So if there are no OSX viruses and the Mac programs don't scan for Windoze viruses, then I ask again... what exactly are these program looking for anyway? Tell me!

And would running Virtual PC open up a Mac to Windoze viruses?

There is no such thing as a Mac to windows virus.

What are these Virus apps scanning for? OS9 Virus' (all 50 of them) and word Macro virus'.

PLEASE tell is if it ever finds anything. Download every app you can find and email like nuts, you will will not get one.

For the record... I have been on a Mac with Net access for 8 years. Total virus' in that time. ZERO!

[besson3c]

So, here's an interesting question...

If you were to brag about not having any viruses to Windows users, they will often just discount these claims by saying that the only reason why we have no viruses is because of Apple's small marketshare.

Is this right? Partially right? Is Windows just that much more inheriently virus prone somehow? Are Macs better designed to be less virus prone?

My thoughts are that many of the PC viruses exploit that old gaping security hole of having email attachments automatically execute. This was a VERY poor decision on Microsoft's part which they are paying for to this day. However, consider a PC that is patched to not allow this (the patch was written a long time ago):

Could somebody write an OS X virus that would ask you to authenticate, claim free reign on your OS X Address Book and propogate itself like a Windows virus, and of course muck up your own system?

I'm assuming the answer to this is yes. Therefore, the only distinction between this and a PC virus would be the detterent of having to authenticate. While this might be enough for some people, there are SEVERAL unsavvy users who I'm sure would be more than happy to type in their user/pass.

So, is the lack of viruses just a product of our low marketshare?

[Socially Awkward Solo]

Originally posted by besson3c:
So, here's an interesting question...

If you were to brag about not having any viruses to Windows users, they will often just discount these claims by saying that the only reason why we have no viruses is because of Apple's small marketshare.

Pfff, so? While there computers are being whipped and costing millions of dollers all over the world the best comback they can come up with is "Apple has only 25 million users". Some dis.

The reason there are less Mac virus' is:

1) Mac OS9 is much harder to crack as it has no command line. OSX has a command line but UNIX is 30 years old and most of the security issues are cleaned up. DOS is a load of crap that is hacker heaven.

2) Less users less people with too much time on their hands. Thank the lord. If there are 500 Million Mac users or 10 it has no effect on the amount of work I do or the ease in which I do it. What does market share matter other then the amount of money Apple makes that I don't see a cut off.

3) Mac users have far better things to do.

[besson3c]

Pfff, so? While there computers are being whipped and costing millions of dollers all over the world the best comback they can come up with is "Apple has only 25 million users". Some dis.

The reason there are less Mac virus' is:

1) Mac OS9 is much harder to crack as it has no command line. OSX has a command line but UNIX is 30 years old and most of the security issues are cleaned up. DOS is a load of crap that is hacker heaven.

2) Less users less people with too much time on their hands. Thank the lord. If there are 500 Million Mac users or 10 it has no effect on the amount of work I do or the ease in which I do it. What does market share matter other then the amount of money Apple makes that I don't see a cut off.

3) Mac users have far better things to do.

1) Is a command line necessary to write a virus?

2) You're right that marketshare itself is irrelevant, but what I meant by marketshare was platform population. I'm not sure if I buy the idea myself, but the idea is that because there are more Windows users and Microsoft haters there are more viruses on the PC side.

[dawho9]

OK, here are my two cents on the subject. I have some background on the subject, as part of my job as a Network Admin is to test and implement virus protection at my place of work.

The claim that McAfee is making that is stops Windows Viruses is correct. I have intentionally infected our OSX boxes with Nimda (copied files to workstation through an open share) and Klez (via e-mail) and Virex detected and cleaned both.

With that said, I have never seen a virus attack any of our Mac's in the past 5 years I have worked here (that is OSX.2 back to OS7).

However, Millennium is correct that you could be a carrier, but really only through e-mail. Viruses like Nimda that copy itself to open shares on the network, do stop when they get onto a Mac, as they cannot execute once on the Mac. So Anti-Virus software would only be necessary if you want to help out the PC people of the world. Viruses like Klez will only work if you forward the virus to others; it cannot access your address book and send it to those people like on a PC.

As for the question about Virtual PC. Yes, you should run virus scan within VPC, if you are on a network or checking your e-mail.

And of course, all PC users should use virus protection, as it is a must. To illustrate how bad PC's really are, its 7:07 am on Dec 26th. Most people have not come to work yet, but if I fire up ePolicy Orchestra and take a look at the database, I see that seven people have already had a virus this morning. All seven coming from removable media, 6 being Macro and one being Klez. Fortunately, all seven were cleaned.

How I have Windows at times.

dw9

[Mac Man 020581]

Does Norton Anti-Virus 8.0 work with Jag. 10.2.x?

[cowerd]

Virex, which is free with a .Mac subscription, should be considered minimal at best; it's little more than a frontend slapped onto a command-line scanner, meaning that there is very little system integration

Actually this IS the best part about Virex. You can run a chron job in the background to scan your drives, move infected files to another directory and to append a log. Stays in the background uses little CPU and is very easy to do with something like Cronix. Now if only you could update from the CLI.

Its probably pretty pointless, but a little paranoia goes a long way as far as system security and virii.

[TheIceMan]

Originally posted by Mac Man 020581:Does Norton Anti-Virus 8.0 work with Jag. 10.2.x?

Symantec says it does

[Leia's Right Bun]

Originally posted by dawho9:

The claim that McAfee is making that is stops Windows Viruses is correct. I have intentionally infected our OSX boxes with Nimda (copied files to workstation through an open share) and Klez (via e-mail) and Virex detected and cleaned both.

Well what does that mean? Both those virus' would stop dead in the tracks as soon as they hit a Mac anyway with or without virus software.

[dawho9]

Originally posted by Leia's Right Bun:
Well what does that mean? Both those virus' would stop dead in the tracks as soon as they hit a Mac anyway with or without virus software.

Nimda would stop in its tracks. Klez you could pass, only if you actually forwarded the infected e-mail to someone else. So yes, basically it is stopped in its tracks.

dw9

[Leia's Right Bun]

Originally posted by dawho9:
Nimda would stop in its tracks. Klez you could pass, only if you actually forwarded the infected e-mail to someone else. So yes, basically it is stopped in its tracks.

dw9

So again, you hardly need Virex.

[OreoCookie]

Never heard of an OS X virus, only Unix-related exploits that are not relevant for most of us.