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You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Applications > Thoughts on McAfee?

Thoughts on McAfee?
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frankthetank966
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Nov 10, 2011, 04:21 PM
 
What do y'all think of McAfee for a Virus Scan? I can get a free version. Is this worthwhile to use install? I currently use Onyx.
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Athens
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Nov 10, 2011, 05:03 PM
 
If you have PC's in the house and would like to have some protection for PC viruses that you might transfer to a PC then its a decent product. If not iAntivirus is a good one for protecting just your Mac which is also free.

I personally don't use the auto protection on my Mac and only have AV installed to manually scan stuff I download. On my moms mac I do have set to auto protection because she is not a pro user like me. For most of my clients I set up auto protection too.

I see little value in AV for Mac, but still think its best practice to use it because its not a question of if but when. Better to be safe then part of that group who get nailed really hard by a "first" major virus for Mac that does damage.

I wouldn't pay any money for Mac AV outside of a corporate environment where a unified centralized monitoring system in a mixed system environment makes more sense.

I have used Symantec, Trend, and iAntivirus for Mac. have not yet used McAfee and I think iAntivirus is good enough for people which only scans for Mac threats not both Mac and PC threats.
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ghporter
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Nov 11, 2011, 07:52 AM
 
For PC antivirus purposes, MacAfee is better than a sharp stick in the eye, but ClamAV is too, and Clam is free and doesn't goof things up nearly as badly as MacAfee. But for PCs, I strongly suggest using Symantec's products - and following the installation and configuration instructions very precisely. Not the cheaper, Norton-branded product, but the Symantec product. Better yet, the Enterprise version if you can lay your hands on it.

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cgc
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Nov 11, 2011, 08:13 AM
 
Does Onyx have AV? I haven't used it in awhile but it's always been a maintenance type of tool without any AV built in.
     
Thorzdad
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Nov 11, 2011, 09:31 AM
 
I have ClamXav (the Mac OSX version of Clam AV) on my iMac, and it seems to do just fine.
     
MrNo
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Nov 11, 2011, 10:31 AM
 
McAfee is one of the worst anti virus products I have used and managed on both platforms.
If you want to run an AV on a Mac, use Sophos it is MUCH better.
     
frankthetank966  (op)
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Nov 11, 2011, 02:23 PM
 
I am talking strictly Mac AV. I just use Onyx on a bi-weekly basis.
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seanc
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Nov 11, 2011, 02:48 PM
 
Yes, but Onyx is not anything to do with Antivirus.

I wouldn't use McAfee on a PC let alone a Mac.
Use Sophos if you really want to.
     
angelmb
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Nov 11, 2011, 05:21 PM
 
VirusBarrier Express. Nice and free as well.
     
frankthetank966  (op)
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Nov 11, 2011, 09:13 PM
 
Originally Posted by seanc View Post
Yes, but Onyx is not anything to do with Antivirus.

I wouldn't use McAfee on a PC let alone a Mac.
Use Sophos if you really want to.
Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition? Do you use it?
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Waragainstsleep
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Nov 11, 2011, 10:55 PM
 
I hate AV, it all seems equally crappy and annoying to me and everyone has their own favourite, often for no particular reasons.
After Norton lost the plot with their Mac products years ago and having experienced the pain of trying to fully uninstall it from Windows once, I steer clear wherever possible.

I had a free Virusbarrier license given to me by Intego a few years back but I rarely used it and it never found anything. I dislike the way that many of the authors of AV periodically stir up PR by announcing the first ever mac virus/trojan/spyware/etc. Intego is guilty of this, pretty sure Symantec is too. Just trying to panic people into buying their products.

Worst of all is this new breed of fake warnings that try to sell you AV and just run a fake scan after you pay them to get rid of the fake problems they showed up in the first place. I spent hours trying to clear one of those out the other week. MacKeeper seems to be along those lines. Very irritating, their pop-ups make me want to go to their office and punch them all until they each pay me not to. Ten I could go put a new outfit on and do it again.
I have plenty of more important things to do, if only I could bring myself to do them....
     
cgc
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Nov 13, 2011, 03:10 PM
 
Best bet is to install Little Snitch or Hands Off to monitor your outgoing traffic...
     
Spheric Harlot
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Oct 4, 2012, 07:06 AM
 
Originally Posted by mordekaiser View Post
Why dont you try mackeeper?
Because MacKeeper is useless software that is almost impossible to get rid of and is sold only through astroturfing, spam, and scare tactics, NONE of which in any way indicate a worthwhile product, or trustworthy people.
     
   
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