AntiVirus Software for Mac?

[minmin001]

Hi all
I just got my first Macbook pro last month so I'm very new to the Mac world. My e-mail account just got hacked this morning and they sent out alot of spam to people which I was very embarrassed about. I changed my password but I want to scan for any virus on my computer. Please let me know what's the best way to do it and if there is any antivirus software I should get
Thank you

 

[stepcutnut]

Have heard good things about Intego VirusBarrier X6

Good Luck!

 

[minmin001]

Is there a basic virus scan that comes with Mac so I can do a quick scan by any chance?

 

[stepcutnut]

Not that I am aware of. First off, I would suggest that you run a check to make sure your operating system is up to date with updates.

 

[luv2sparkle]

I don't think you need it with a Mac, it is built in. That is one of the great features about owning a Mac. However, hacking is another thing altogether. I would call or go in to a mac store and ask them. I have always got great help there.

 

[minmin001]

I don't think you need it with a Mac, it is built in. That is one of the great features about owning a Mac. However, hacking is another thing altogether. I would call or go in to a mac store and ask them. I have always got great help there.

Ok, thank you all for your help

 

[ame]

I have honestly never used it on my home macs. My office had Norton and it was worthless, and couldn't run and run graphics programs simultaneously. But my partners were morons and opened all sorts of crap on our email server that made a mess for us all the time.

IF you have changed your passwords (email and FB), and your network is secure with a PW, you SHOULD be ok.

 

[minmin001]

I have honestly never used it on my home macs. My office had Norton and it was worthless, and couldn't run and run graphics programs simultaneously. But my partners were morons and opened all sorts of crap on our email server that made a mess for us all the time.

IF you have changed your passwords (email and FB), and your network is secure with a PW, you SHOULD be ok.

Yeah I heard Norton mess up Mac computer. I just don't know how they hacked my e-mail Normally on my PC it's probably because of a virus.. sign..

 

[Abril]

I stopped running antivirus software on my Mac. It never caught anything and was only slowing my computer down. Macs probably aren't popular enough to be targeted by hackers just yet, so you can get away with no antivirus program... for now.

 

[Porridge]

Wow I don't know. I have been using mac for over 6 years and I have never ever had or needed to have anti-virus software. Maybe bring it back to the store for help if you just bought it. The Genius people might help?

 

[mrswahs]

I worked at an apple store in college and I have friends who still work there. That store has been open over 12 years and has never, EVER, had a customer come in with a virus. People have come in *thinking* they had viruses, but never with people who actually did. It's possible but highly unlikely.

In order to get a virus on your Mac you basically need to be doing something you shouldn't be doing, like downloading software illegally. Macs will not let anything downloaded on your computer auto run so for something to be installed such as a virus, you need to actually give it the okay. Open it, type in your password, etc.

If you had your password hacked, it's likely because you typed it in somewhere that wasn't secure unknowingly or because you use the same password on multiple websites.

I wouldn't worry about it, but if you still want more peace of mind, I would call apple and save yourself a trip into the store. You get free phone support for a year with your computer (3 years if you bought apple care) and they can tell you more. 1-800-APL-CARE

 

[minmin001]

Thank you all. Maybe I used it on some website and don't remember. that being said I probably need a set of password just for random site instead of keeping them the same.

 

[ame]

Yea it's hard to get yourself to use different passwords. But it's worth doing. It only took one serious breach to change that for me.

MOST viruses/trojans/etc are NOT written for Macs because the folks who write them with the intention of harm and to take over a machine want to take out the most machines they can at once, and more people and businesses use PCs than Macs so it's not really worth it to them to write a dual platform or mac virus. NOW, if your EMAIL gets hacked and all that, you're dealing with a bigger animal, more than likely a PC server bank at someplace like Google or Yahoo, and if you infect the whole server, you take down more people on that server, and probably tick off G and Y pretty good