[markw10]

I know there's not a problem with viruses, worms, etc. in OS X but do I need to worry about Spyware, Adware, etc? Should I look for programs to get rid of those and if so any suggestions?

[discotronic]

The simple answer is no. At one time there was a program for OS X that scanned for these things but I don't think it exits anymore.

[- - e r i k - -]

At present time and forseeable future, no. If you are really paranoid though, get Little Snitch 1.2.4b3 - MacUpdate

[ghporter]

Spyware and adware is not currently a problem for Macs-the nasties that write that crud haven't figured out how to write OS X code yet... Viruses exist but none are "in the wild" and thus there's no current threat. If you share a lot of files with Windows users you may want a good (and free) antivirus package (and I'm not going to suggest one-just mentioning that you might want one will stir up enough optimists that think there will never ever be a Mac virus-do some searching for yourself and see what's out there) to keep from being the vehicle for Bob to infect Charlie by sending you something.

[Big Mac]

I don't think it's the case that they haven't figured out how to write spyware for OS X but rather that it isn't worth it for them to do so (yet).

[monkeybrain]

There's no spyware/adware, viruses etc., but you should still watch out for phishing sites (since they don't rely on technology exploits, but rather exploits of human nature). Some people might get complacent about phishing on the Mac because it is otherwise secure.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by Big Mac 

I don't think it's the case that they haven't figured out how to write spyware for OS X but rather that it isn't worth it for them to do so (yet).

As most OS X systems do not have ActiveX on by default in a sieve of a Web browser, it is logistically a lot harder to actually make effective malware.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Big Mac 

I don't think it's the case that they haven't figured out how to write spyware for OS X but rather that it isn't worth it for them to do so (yet).

That's true in the case of the real coders, but they also haven't bothered to write virus kits, so the script kiddies aren't busy against Macs either. Script kiddies, who use someone else's tools to cobble together malware are the most prolific Windows virus writers, and why you'll see reports of fifteen or twenty different versions of the same basic virus-the kiddies put their own obscene messages into a modular package, click "compile" and think they've written something. Not that I have any strong feelings about these losers...

Anyway, you're 100% on target with the real virus writers-it's not worth the trouble to probe and prod OS X to give up any potential holes when they can hose over so many Windows users with simple variations on what they already have.

Originally Posted by Chuckit

As most OS X systems do not have ActiveX on by default in a sieve of a Web browser, it is logistically a lot harder to actually make effective malware.

I didn't think Safari supported ActiveX at all (though I may be wrong here). Firefox certainly doesn't on either Windows or Mac. ActiveX is the single most dangerous thing Microsoft ever did in terms of surfing security, because it offers signed plugins, but there's no master control of signatures, so Joe Malware can sign particularly malicious ActiveX controls and everything's cool for IE. Dumb, Redford, dumb.

[PER3]

Nevertheless, it couldn't hurt to have a look at ClamXav—a free virus scanner for OS X:

ClamXav - The FREE Virus Scanner for Mac OS X

If nothing else, it could help you from passing on Windows viruses to your associates.

[PER3]

And I still don't get why people say there are no Mac ad/spyware attacks because of a small user base.

On the one hand, you have a population of users, probably on average wealthier than average, who are absolutely naive to danger on the internet.

On the other, you have a population of predators that focusses on insignificantly tiny groups. I mean, there are industries built on Asian girls peeing, or people that cut themselves.

Surely if these markets can survive (probably they are smaller than the Mac market), why wouldn't anyone target the unprotected, wealthy, and naive population of Mac users?

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by PER3 

And I still don't get why people say there are no Mac ad/spyware attacks because of a small user base.

On the one hand, you have a population of users, probably on average wealthier than average, who are absolutely naive to danger on the internet.

On the other, you have a population of predators that focusses on insignificantly tiny groups. I mean, there are industries built on Asian girls peeing, or people that cut themselves.

Surely if these markets can survive (probably they are smaller than the Mac market), why wouldn't anyone target the unprotected, wealthy, and naive population of Mac users?

You're assuming that spyware writers are skilled at both marketing and coding. They are skilled at neither; most spyware is cobbled together from the same sort of tool kits that script kiddies "write" viruses from. The really skilled coders don't bother with OS X because it IS harder to break into, and it's very hard to track a user without that user's permission. But they also don't have the incentive to find holes because there are so many juicy Windows targets to cash in on.

[analogika]

No, he's not assuming that. Big Mac is.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by analogika 

No, he's not assuming that. Big Mac is.

Good point, but I still think it's more about script kiddies.

[Curiosity]

Why do you think it is harder to track an OS X user than a Windows user? There are still cookies and referers. That is a function of browsers rather than operating systems. If you use Firefox it is easy to block both while picking up images.

[ghporter]

Yes, there are cookies, but cookies are only available to the site that set them. And there aren't programs for Mac OS that surreptitiously do more than cookies do. That's what I was talking about-spyware as a genre is not terribly viable on Macs because it is harder to get around the way the OS is built and the way data is compartmentalized in OS X.

[tooki]

This is the Mac OS X forum. ALL application questions go in the Applications forum.

tooki

[ghporter]

It sure drifted quickly, didn't it? And right under my nose... Oops.