Beginner Mac Virus Software Options?

russellsnr

russellsnr

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Russell
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Hi, OK so going to Mac from Windows and at this time no next to nothing about the mac OS.
Now with Windows I use two computers, one for every day including any software downloads and the other is just for editing my images, the Mac will be doing the editing.
Once downloaded I always run a scan to ensure there are no naughty things included in the download then transfer via memory stick to the editing computer.
Yes it seem over cautious but to do it takes a few minutes rather than not doing and taking hours to sort a problem.
Anyway the question, "Do you use 3rd party software to protect your Mac and if yes what ?
Thank You, Russ.
 
Apologies, this isn't the question you've asked but your opening statement makes me wonder... If you know nothing of Mac, why are you switching?
 
FWIW I use MacKeeper, but I do find it slows down the startup significantly, compared to one of my other mac's where I haven't installed it. Since it's highly uncommon to get an infestation on Mac's, I shall probably remove it from the two machines it is currently on. I spent about 15 years with no AV software on any of my Mac's and had no issues.
 
LancsMak said:
Apologies, this isn't the question you've asked but your opening statement makes me wonder... If you know nothing of Mac, why are you switching?
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Why not? I've never used a Mac in my life but if I was going out to buy a laptop now it would be a Macbook. The M series chips are so far ahead of anything else in the Windows space in terms of performance and battery life I wouldn't even consider anything else.
 
LancsMak said:
Apologies, this isn't the question you've asked but your opening statement makes me wonder... If you know nothing of Mac, why are you switching?
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I'd never used OSX before switching to Mac either, I'd never used DOS or Windows either before buying my first PC.
 
LancsMak said:
Apologies, this isn't the question you've asked but your opening statement makes me wonder... If you know nothing of Mac, why are you switching?
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Hi, I have used Windows for many years but after a lot of thought and should I shouldn't I, decided to have a change.
Other big reason is when we moved back to the UK we only live in a small two bedroom bungalow and space with two large computer towers is a little cramped.
I did go into an Apple store last week in Brighton and was lured by the Mac Mini M2 it seems to have so much more power to run applications in such a small box.
It's OK having a Windows system but as they start to get old you spend IMO a lot of money updating GPU or CPU and RAM etc but Macs just seem from what I have found last for ever.
Russ.
 
You don't need anti-virus for Macs. but if you want it, there are a number of options.
 
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Thanks for taking my query in the spirit it was meant @russellsnr , I didn't mean to get anyone's back up with my query. I've seen people bitten before with not realising it's a totally different software ecosystem, having to re-buy software and also running into flexibility issues depending on how they used their machines which was more the angle I'm coming from.

No denying at present that in the mid range market the M1 and M2 silicon are the ones to beat, even more so if you're using it away from a power socket.
 
Malwarebytes free if you want to be extra cautious :)
 
russellsnr said:
but Macs just seem from what I have found last for ever.
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The general principle is that Mac's are mostly not upgradeable, so if you want a long lifespan then spec for 3 years time. People have a variety of experiences and also a wide range of what they consider adequate performance. A Mac can last a long time and continue to work well, but if increased demands are made by new software & processes (or if they are underspec'd from new - not a issue at the moment) then the only way to get more performance is replacement.

FWIW I'm neither fan nor hater, and still own one - present incarnation seems good, and a great deal better than pre-M chip Mac's.
 
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Yeah, I use Malwarebytes. Can't remember when it last found something. Pretty sure it was a PC virus it found, but I guess it is good practice not to pass them on.
 
I use Bitdefender on my Macs.
 
When I first transitioned to Mac I used Sophos, but it gradually got more bloated and started to slow down my system so I now don’t have any a/v software. FWIW I used to work as an IT Security Manager.
 
I use BitDefender on both Windows and Mac, one licence. Seems to work pretty well. Before that I used to use Kaspersky, but gradually became a bit anxious about their potential closeness to the Russian State!
 
I've read many articles on the merits of anti virus software on Mac computers, or the need/no need. But for my own peace of mind I run Bitdefender :)
 
Been using Macs for 23 years. I'm no expert & maybe just been plain lucky, but never had anti-virus software & never had a virus.
 
Oldgrunter said:
Been using Macs for 23 years. I'm no expert & maybe just been plain lucky, but never had anti-virus software & never had a virus.
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Ditto.
 
How do you know though?

(I used Mac for years without anti-virus too)
 
Ive used AVG free for 20 odd years now on pc and phones never had any nastys they keep wanting me to upgrade to the paid version but I just stick with the free one. I believe there is a mac version
 
Mac’s we’re never mainstream enough as a target, that is slowly changing and virus’ on mac is nowhere near as uncommon as it used to be.

If you’re tech-savvy and aware of safe-browsing then I’d argue you also don’t need AV on Windows.

I’ve not had a virus on either my MacBook or my PC devices in decades
 
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