Apple says, no antivirus program on Mac

[Philipp]

Content source

http://www.apfelpage.de/antivirenprogramme-am-mac-virenschutz/

Hi there,

This is for all Mac Users out there. Apple has confirmed that no antivirus program is needed on OS X as well as on iOS. Thats why all mobile apps were deleted in the App Store. What concerns Mac: BUT I have warn, that malware is still there. Especially Adware. But you can remove it with programs such as AdwareMedic
Philipp

 

[nsm0220]

Oh Apple will you ever learn that malware will attack the Macs a lot,in the coming years.

 

[Enju]

I just love all those Apple cult pages: "only" 2,7% of 100.000 tested Apple Computers were infected, you don't need an AV but you might get infected by adware or spyware but that's fine... oh and the funniest thing: statistically speaking Mac users have a higher income than Windows users and so on and forth. It's amazing how much idiocy this page is spreading.

 

[Ink]

Google said you don't need an Antivirus for Android, but if it makes you feel better, use one. Same applies to any OS, if it's available for download. Understandably, Apple has finer control of the contents of it's App Store for iOS (iPad and iPhone), but on Mac OS X, it's Gatekeeper may or may not be enough for all types of users. A good example are Windows users who get infected on a daily basis, including the paranoid ones.

Antivirus for OS X, yes. Antivirus for iOS, probably not.
Antivirus for Windows, yes, Antivirus for WP, no.
Antivirus for Linux, no, but optional.
Antivirus for Android, no, but optional.

 

[SR7M]

Hi there,

This is for all Mac Users out there. Apple has confirmed that no antivirus program is needed on OS X as well as on iOS. Thats why all mobile apps were deleted in the App Store. What concerns Mac: BUT I have warn, that malware is still there. Especially Adware. But you can remove it with programs such as AdwareMedic
Philipp

PCMAG had a great page about that(mac won't get infected and other lies mac users believe)but I can't find that page right now but it's not just malware come at you from a usb what about phishing and malware download links?

 

[Maikuolan]

In case anyone is thinking that the author himself or herself is suggesting that viruses don't exist for Macs or for OSX systems, although I could be entirely wrong, reading through the article linked above, I don't think that's what the author is actually suggesting. He or she does suggest that anti-virus protection for Mac systems aren't -generally- required due to their (supposed) higher level of security at the OS level (which is something I still don't necessarily agree with, and something I think is still potentially very harmful advice for the author to be giving nonetheless).

"Wie eingangs erwähnt, muss ein Mac in aller Regel nicht mit einem zusätzlichen Virentool geschützt werden. Der Sicherheitsstandard ist bei Apple auf einem hohen Level und oftmals sind nicht die OS X-Systeme von Viren betroffen."

"Oftmals" (often) being a keyword there ("As mentioned earlier, a Mac as a rule doesn't need to be protected with an additional anti-virus tool. The safety standard at Apple is at a high level and often OSX systems aren't affected from viruses").

The author does then go on to suggest a few potential anti-virus solutions for the Mac and for OSX systems.

"Im eigenen App Store von Apple kann man für den Mac verschiedene Virenscanner finden. Bitdefender und Kaspersky sind hier vertreten und auch die App iAntivirus von Norton gibt es."

("In Apple's own App Store you can find several anti-virus tools for Mac. Bitdefender and Kaspersky are represented here as well as the apps iAntivirus and Norton there").

..And even supplies a list of Adware that affects Mac at the end of the article for examples. XD

Viruses aren't as common with Macs or OSX systems as they are with Windows systems; I doubt many of us would disagree with that. However, so long as they exist, and so long as they continue to be capable of affecting mainlined and currently in-use systems, I believe that having appropriate protection against them is going to be a good idea.

If I go for a swim at the beach and discover there's a shark in the water nearby to where I'm swimming, I'm not going to think, "they sometimes attack people, but they don't usually attack people because they prefer eating fish and seals, so there's no point getting out of the water"; I'm going to get out of the water, because, yes, attacks on people aren't common, but, if it's swimming in the same water that I am and it's nearby, being attacked is still a distinct risk, and I will act accordingly. It's for these same reasons that I don't holiday in hot war-zones or jump from the window of moving trains, and these same principles apply to my views regarding viruses.

I did speed-read the article and haven't read through it all thoroughly (I'm at work at this moment and so don't have a great deal of time to read through it all right now, but will likely read through it all again more thoroughly when I get home later tonight). Though, as for anyone out there (or here) that does actually swallow the Apple claim that there aren't any viruses that exist for Mac, iOS or OSX systems and thus truly believes that their Apple system is an impenetrable fortress of virus-free marvel, here's a large number of links I found via Google in no more than 10 minutes of searching for articles and postings regarding malware affecting Apple systems (which, of course, if Apple's claim is to be believed, then logically, every single one of these articles must be full of lies; though it's far more likely that it's just Apple that's telling a few porkies regarding the security of their systems):

CallMe:
- http://www.thesafemac.com/new-callme-malware-discovered/
- http://www.intego.com/mac-security-blog/topic/osxcallme-a/
Crisis:
- http://www.intego.com/mac-security-blog/new-osx-crisis-variant-invokes-pope-francis/
- http://www.intego.com/mac-security-...ed-osxcrisis-discovered-by-intego-virus-team/
- http://au.norton.com/mac-malware-osx-crisis
- https://community.f-secure.com/t5/Home-Security/Mac-Malware-New-OSX-Crisis-or/td-p/35959
Defma:
- http://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/us/threat-encyclopedia/malware/OSX_DEFMA.B
DevilRobber:
- http://www.intego.com/mac-security-...nd-bitcoins-performs-bitcoin-mining-and-more/
- https://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/backdoor_osx_devilrobber_a.shtml
- http://www.cnet.com/au/news/devilrobber-trojan-steals-bitcoins-and-data/
- https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/20...rse-spies-on-you-uses-gpu-for-bitcoin-mining/
Flashback:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trojan_BackDoor.Flashback
Genieo:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genieo
- https://support.norton.com/sp/en/au/home/current/solutions/v103415336_EndUserProfile_en_us
- https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5554258?tstart=0
HellRaiser:
- http://www.tidos-group.com/blog/2011/04/20/apple-mac-osx-and-malware-myth-vs-reality/
- http://ithreats.net/tag/xprotect-hellraiser/
- http://www.cnet.com/news/new-variant-of-the-hellraiser-low-risk-trojan-surfaces/
Icefog:
- http://www.intego.com/mac-security-blog/new-cross-platform-backdoor-trojans-used-in-targeted-attack/
- http://www.kaspersky.com/au/about/n...age_campaign_focusing_on_supply_chain_attacks
Imuler:
- https://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/backdoor_osx_imuler_a.shtml
- http://www.cnet.com/au/news/imulerrevir-trojan-for-os-x-resurfaces/
- http://krebsonsecurity.com/tag/backdoorosximuler-a/
Janicab:
- https://community.f-secure.com/t5/Home-Security/MAC-OS-X-MALWARE-Backdoor-Python/td-p/28272
- http://securityspread.com/2013/07/15/mac-malware-janicab/
KitM:
- https://community.f-secure.com/t5/Home-Security/OSX-KitM-A-virus/td-p/26294
- http://www.spamfighter.com/News-18363-“OSXKitMA”-New-Mac-Malware-Found.htm
Ventir:
- http://www.intego.com/mac-security-blog/ventir-trojan-intercepts-keystrokes-from-mac-os-x-computers/
- http://www.spamfighter.com/News-19267-Kaspersky-Intercepted-a-New-Malware-Mac-OSX-Ventir.htm
Macarena:
- http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2006-110217-1331-99
MacDefender:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_Defender
- https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT202225
Olyx:
- https://www.f-secure.com/v-descs/backdoor_osx_olyx_c.shtml
- http://blogs.technet.com/b/mmpc/arc...-olyx-is-it-malware-on-a-mission-for-mac.aspx
Pintsized:
- http://www.intego.com/mac-security-blog/pint-sized-backdoor-for-os-x-discovered/
- https://community.f-secure.com/t5/Home-Security/PintSized-A-mac-OS-X-malware/td-p/22226
- http://www.cnet.com/news/new-mac-malware-opens-secure-reverse-shell/
SabPub:
- http://www.cnet.com/au/news/checking-for-the-new-sabpub-malware-in-os-x/
- https://community.f-secure.com/t5/Home-Security/Mac-Malware-New-OSX-Crisis-or/td-p/35959
Weaponx:
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202225
Wirelurker:
- http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/5/7164839/new-ios-malware-targets-devices-through-chinese-app-stores
Yontoo:
- http://www.cnet.com/au/how-to/how-to-remove-yontoo-adware-trojan-from-your-os-x-system/
- http://www.maclife.com/article/news/yontoo_adware_trojan_infecting_macs_heres_how_stop_it
- http://www.thesafemac.com/arg-yontoo/
- http://www.macrumors.com/2013/03/21/new-yontoo-adware-trojan-targets-major-browsers-on-os-x/
- https://community.f-secure.com/t5/Home-Security/Trojan-Adware-for-Mac-OS-X-quot/td-p/23938

..Also, I kind of like this one:

During 2012, Mac users saw the harsh truth behind the myths about the security of Mac environments:

• In early 2012, the Flashfake botnet was discovered – consisting of 700,000 computers that were all running under Mac OS X.
• Throughout 2012, cybercriminals repeatedly used Mac malware when launching targeted attacks. One of the reasons behind these attacks is the fact that Apple products are popular with many prominent businessmen and influential politicians. The information stored in these users’ computers is of interest to a specific category ofcybercriminal.

Today, it’s recognized that Mac malware – or Apple malware – is a serious threat to the security of users’ computers and information.

Source - http://usa.kaspersky.com/internet-security-center/threats/mac#.VUtFBdKUfYc

 

[illumination]

Tell this to one of the 500,000 Mac users who were part of a botnet not long ago..

 

[Enju]

In case anyone is thinking that the author himself or herself is suggesting that viruses don't exist for Macs or for OSX systems, although I could be entirely wrong, reading through the article linked above, I don't think that's what the author is actually suggesting. He or she does suggest that anti-virus protection for Mac systems aren't -generally- required due to their (supposed) higher level of security at the OS level (which is something I still don't necessarily agree with, and something I think is still potentially very harmful advice for the author to be giving nonetheless).

Still, the author seems to have no idea what he is talking about:
First he rants about how Windows users are used to threats and you always have to be on guard with Windows. Furthermore he says: "Bei einem Mac von Apple ist das anders. Hier spricht man meist auch nicht von Viren, eher ist Malware als Bezeichnung passender." On an Apple Mac it is something totally different, those aren't viruses it is malware! When did you last see a real file infector virus without any trojan capabilities?
He also rambles on about how attack Mac users is more profitable for cybercriminals because they have higher income, how "only" 2.700 machines out of 100.0000 are infected by malware, on-demand scans are enough and so on and so forth.

 

[Maikuolan]

Still, the author seems to have no idea what he is talking about

Yeah.. I definitely can't argue with that, lol.

When did you last see a real file infector virus without any trojan capabilities?

Honestly? Can't actually remember. Curious, for that matter, if anyone else here can.

He also rambles on about how attack Mac users is more profitable for cybercriminals because they have higher income, how "only" 2.700 machines out of 100.0000 are infected by malware, on-demand scans are enough and so on and so forth.

True. In my mind, even one infected machine in a hundred is way too many, because, if the users of that one infected machine were to have taken appropriate yet usually simple precautions and ensure appropriate yet usually simple safeguards prior to infection, there's always a good chance it would've never occurred in the first place.

 

[jamescv7]

In a basic picture view, yes you may not need an AV for Mac OS X due to pretty different environment and also based from Linux kernel apart.

However we need to consider that its already frequently appearing from blogs and news about the discovery of threats which a extra precaution at all. Same as Windows; Mac can give you built in protection however its already reach in limit where for you, have a decision making where prevention should be.

Common sense can still give you as long proper configuration can save you a lot.

Same guidelines/tips on how to stay away from such accidents, still clicking is a part of life where everything will change.

 

[Atlas147]

Quite safe to say that iOS wouldn't need an antivirus unless you jailbreak the device, however for the page to claim that a mac doesn't need an AV is just insane. Not only can your mac be infected with malware, it can also act as a conduit for malware to infect windows computers via the spreading using removable media like USBs. There are always going to be new exploits that hackers are going to use to access your PC be it a windows or mac. I don't understand why apple doesn't just start a division in their HQ to create a line of defense for macs like how microsoft did with windows defender. Although WD isn't very good at catching threats it's at least the minimal protection they can get.