Imac Security?

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Hi may sound like a daft question but Im new to macs do anyone use extra security if so which one ?
 
would advise some sort of anti malware. the amount of cross platform threats via email we've been blocking at work has risen.

for example office files with malicious macros. that and using macs as hosts for windows exploits is fairly common.
 
The thing is works ipad can receive emails but home imac and now iphone cant ? Rang Yahoo they said that there were things tracking in the back ground ? Maybe being think but how can one get files the other cant
 
I would setup an admin account and a user account for yourself. Don't use the admin account for day to day use. It's a bit of a pain when installing Hingis as you will need to provide admin login details, but so it will lock down your system to a degree.

Any access to important system files will require admin login details so if something pops up asking for details unexpectedly you can cancel.

I've had my iMacs since 2006 and never had any anti virus software running, but Im also a sensible user that doesn't visit dodgy sites or open suspicious emails.
 
I use Sophos on all my Mac's and they have found the odd virus normally embedded in a Microsoft Office document or similar. I also use MacScan to get rid of spying cookies etc.

A
 
Download Sophos for Mac, it's free and updates regularly. Even if your Mac isn't infected by a virus it can still be a carrier and you pass them on to Microsoft users. There have been Mac viruses in the past, one or two nasty ones, Apple usually sees them off with a security update but they certainly exist. Why run the risk and why risk compromising your friends and colleagues when you can run Sophos for nothing? Mobile devices are another matter and probably at greater risk.
 
davidy233 said:
Nope - been using macs since 1992 - never had a virus
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How can you know if you have or haven't been infected with malware if you use no software to detect such malicious software?
 
I've never used anything, been using a mac for three years now. Off to get Sophos now though after reading this.
I'd heard - perhaps wrongly - that macs used to be to safe due to their rarity. Can't be true now surely?
 
I run ClamX and have done for over 4 years now. OK it's not free any more, but £23 is not a lot to pay. It did detect a malicious attachment ( I had already noticed it ) a year or so ago. I do receive files via DropBox from other users so I get it to run sentry on those , just in case. Macs are getting more and more popular so we may start to see attacks aimed at them. Better safe than sorry
 
ecoleman said:
I've had my iMacs since 2006 and never had any anti virus software running, but Im also a sensible user that doesn't visit dodgy sites or open suspicious emails.
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The key part is bold :)

The same can be said for me on a PC however I would never recommend someone to not have any AV/Malware protection as you cannot categorically say what they will be looking at, and my stance would be that simply relying on the OS to keep you safe is a bad idea. Just because a user has not had a virus does not mean that the platform they use is immune.

All platforms have vulnerabilities, Android/iOS/Windows/OSX, none of them are exempt.....
 
If you are a BT Broadband user you get McAfee for free, just log into your BT account and there is a link for it. You can get as many serial numbers as you need so you are not limited to just 1. Works on Macs and PCs.
 
Something is better than nothing. The amount of Spam we get at work with embedded Office files has gone up 100 fold in the past month. So beware out there....

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I was insinuating that the reason he had never had a virus (or at least been aware of) was due to cautious browsing, NOT because its a Mac.

I stand by my post, an AV should always be recommended, regardless of platform ;)
 
I don't bother with any third party software either. Keep your OS up to date, use Gatekeeper (set "allow apps downloaded from" to app store and identified developers in Security & Privacy) and enable the firewall.
You don't need to set up separate accounts as OS X will prompt for a password to install stuff anyway.

Whatever you do, avoid MacKeeper
 
Whatever you do, avoid MacKeeper

That's the truth.
 
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