Published June 17th, 2012 at 8:38 PM EST , modified July 15th, 2015 at 7:30 PM EST
- Do You Need Antivirus For Macbook Pro
- Do I Need Antivirus For Macbook
- Do Macbooks Need Virus Protection
- Do You Need Antivirus Software For Mac
There is no simple yes or no answer to this question. The answer will depend on many factors, the biggest of which is your own opinion on security. However, I do have some recommendations. Before we get to those, we need to examine some basic facts about anti-virus (AV) software.
Perhaps the biggest fact that often gets swept under the rug is that no AV software (including XProtect, the anti-malware feature of Mac OS X) catches 100% of all malware. It is known that AV software in the Windows world typically recognizes at best 90% of all malware. Although some Mac anti-virus software does better than that, none is perfect, and some is actually pretty awful. Some are known to detect almost no Mac malware.
AVG Antivirus for Mac: In the past, AVG only provided antivirus solutions for Windows users, but now Mac users can enjoy protection, too. Fun free games for macbook. Free features include protection against downloaded and online threats, real-time monitoring, drag-and-drop file scanning, and free malware removal. So if you do think you need Anti Virus software, I can definitely recommend Bitdefender as a product that will have little to no affect on the speed of your Mac or it’s stability. And it did an amazing job of cleaning up a severely compromised OS.
Another important thing to understand is that no current AV software is capable of intercepting brand-new malware. https://rnypla.weebly.com/blog/apple-tv-for-mac. When new malware appears, that malware must become widespread enough to be noticed by the companies publishing AV software. Then they must find a copy of the malware, examine it and add it to the list of malware definitions used by their software. And, of course, none of that does you any good until you actually download the update, which doesn’t happen immediately. This means that, even if a particular AV program worked with 100% efficiency, it still would be completely useless for a period of time after the introduction of new malware. For example, in the case of the MacDefender outbreak, frequent name changes and minor tweaks to the “packaging” kept the MacDefender trojan variants one step ahead of all anti-virus software, for a day at a time here and there.
Trojans also make extensive use of what is called “social engineering”. Much like phishing scams and other online fraud, they are often carefully designed to use fear, greed, lust and other emotions to fool you into doing what they want. The MacDefender trojans are a perfect example: a malicious JavaScript injected into a legitimate site redirects you to a page that tries to fool you into thinking viruses have been detected on your machine, and from there fools you into downloading and installing “anti-virus software”. In reality, that software is a trojan that will do its best to make you think you’ve got real viruses (even faking some symptoms), all while pestering you to buy the software to remove them. If you “buy” the software, you have given the criminals your credit card number.
Because of all this, the “set it and forget it” style of using AV software can often make one more susceptible to infection by the right malware. If you become complacent, assuming that your AV software will protect you against all threats, it is unlikely that you will be as cautious as you should be, and something will eventually slip past your AV software. This is not just a theoretical concern, it has been documented to actually happen. I have personally seen reports from people with AV software who nonetheless got infected with something.
In addition, the vast majority of AV software will cause some kind of negative effect, ranging from mild to extreme. These effects can include, but are not limited to:
- Crashes
- Slowing the computer
- Damage to the system, apps or even user data
- Reduction in security of your computer (yes, you read that right)
However, there are some cases where AV software can be a good idea, or even a requirement. For example:
- If you need to use older software containing known vulnerabilities, such as older versions of Java or Flash, or old versions of Mac OS X (such as Mac OS X 10.6, aka Snow Leopard).
- If you are using a Mac in an environment where AV software is required inflexibly
- If you frequently trade files with Windows users and don’t want to be accused of passing on a Windows virus
- If there is a major change in the malware affecting Mac users (in which case I will note it here)
If you decide to install anti-virus software, do some research before installing it. There is a lot of very bad anti-virus software out there. Many AV packages are renowned for their ability to bring a healthy Mac to its knees. Others are practically scams, detecting very little Mac malware (or even none). Beware of anti-virus “review” sites, which may be fake or paid “advertorials.”
It should be fairly obvious, but I stand behind my own product, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac, as an example of good anti-virus software. It’s lightweight, easy to use and has no impact on the system’s performance. Further, if the program doesn’t fix your problem, Malwarebytes support is dedicated to helping you do that.
Just keep in mind that no anti-virus software can ever take the place of cautious online behavior, which will be discussed in detail in the next section.
<- How does Mac OS X protect me? | How can I protect myself? -> |
The days of PCs being viewed as virus-ridden boxes of dismay are long gone. But that doesn't mean there aren't lots of terrible people out there creating malicious programs with the intent to steal something or just create havoc. Musicbee for macbook.
Some PC makers will preload antivirus software and try to coerce you into signing up for it because that's how they make money. But you shouldn't ever feel pressured, and you likely don't need whatever it is they're shilling.
But do you actually need antivirus software in 2018? Yes .. but ..
It's not only viruses you need to watch out for
The fact that we still refer to this type of software as 'antivirus' is out of date. No longer do we have to be worried only about nasty viruses infecting our computers and wiping out our personal data. Malware is perhaps more common today, with a different tactic to achieve a still-nefarious goal.
The worst part is that the 'best' malware — if you can really even call it that — will quietly sneak onto your PC without you knowing. It'll maybe lie dormant, hidden from view, but all the while, it will also do something you don't want it to.
Whatever the term for it, the threats out there are still very real.
You have protection in Windows 10
Microsoft takes your security and safety in this permanently-online world very seriously, and it built two important tools right into Windows 10 to help keep you safe: Windows Firewall and Windows Defender.
This one-two punch is designed to keep your PC secure, and because it's integrated into the OS it doesn't hog any unnecessary resources. Microsoft also updates it frequently with new data definitions, all the while looking to keep the latest threats at bay.
If for any reason something breaks through and you can't get rid of it, there's a beefed-up version called Windows Defender Offline. You can run this while not connected to the internet from a USB drive, and it should find those harder-to-kill viruses.
Windows Defender is still considered in many corners to be little more than a baseline, though. Whatever your own opinion, it's still a good tool and there's no reason not to use it. It's also good to use alongside other software.
You can never be too careful
You might think that you're careful when you're online, visiting reputable sites and downloading from official sources like the Windows Store, or iTunes. But here's the thing: You're never being truly careful if you're going online completely unprotected.
Would you ride a motorcycle without a helmet? Even if you're careful, there's potential for disaster.
The people coding viruses and malware know exactly how to get it out to the wider world. That's why it still exists.
Something is always better than nothing
Malwarebytes is a useful and highly popular tool for keeping you away from nasties.
Do You Need Antivirus For Macbook Pro
Earlier, we asked if you need to use antivirus today. The answer was yes and no. The no refers to the fact that you don't have to go and find antivirus software anymore. If you're using Windows 10, and everything is up to date, you already have a solid, free tool built in that won't hog your system resources and will keep an eye on things in the background.
And if you're using nothing at all, immediately go enable Windows Defender. (Do it now!)
Do I Need Antivirus For Macbook
Sadly, you do still need antivirus software in 2018. It's not necessarily to stop viruses anymore, but there are all kinds of miscreants out there who want nothing more than to steal and cause mayhem by getting inside your PC. It sounds scary, but because much of our lives are now conducted online, the threat is as real as ever.
Which route you take and which software you use is ultimately your decision. But don't think it won't happen to you. That's precisely when it will.
Updated June 26, 2018: We refreshed this post to ensure you have the latest information for 2018.
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