Can’t believe when I first read this but it looks like Apple has been telling its Mac users to install multiple anti-virus software for some time now.
There are 3 commercial anti-virus softwares that are made for Macs as well as the iPhone and iPod Touch.
Intego VirusBarrier X5
Mac OS X 10.4 or higher
Also scans iPhone and iPod Touch for malware
Price: $69.95
Norton AntiVirus 11.0 for Mac
Price: $49.95
McAfee VirusScan for Mac 8.6 (McAfee Virex 7.7 for Macintosh)
Price: $36.55
Apple has been selling some of these anti-virus on their online store for some time now so I wonder why they had this ad in the first place?
What’s more surprising was that Apple is actually recommending to its users that they should run multiple-antivirus software:
“Apple encourages the widespread use of multiple anti-virus utilities so that virus programmers have more than one application to circumvent, thus making the whole virus writing process more difficult.”
No wonder Apple had its recent ad banned in UK for misleading consumers.
This is not a problem in most of cases with OSX itself or even Apple (as many people can say), but with people themselves and third part applications. As you know OSX is build with on BSD (most secure system), but also (by default) all ingeration into the system should be done with admin password. People most of the time don’t read this information. On the second way there is also problem with holes in Firefox, Adobe products which Apple doesn’t monitor.
So in my opinion words like 35 viruses/trojans 10000 viruses/trojans are useless, because it’s always problem with other applications and users.
Read my blog > Mac and Viruses
“OS X is still the world’s most advanced operating system.” This speaks the fanboi without facts.
LOL! MULTIPLE ANTI-VIRUS? ARE YOU CRAZY?
EVEN THE TOP OS LIKE WINDOWS DOESNT EVEN AGREED FOR MULTIPLE AV! AND FOR ALL IVE THOUGHT MAC OS IS INVULNERABLE FOR VIRUSES. SO THE APPLE COM. ADMITTED THAT THEY ARE VULNERABLE TO VIRUS IN SPITE OF THEIR OWN FILE TYPES! HELL!
that’s weird. i thought mac is virus free.
@ja i, too, took on that misconception hehe
@jhay switching to Intel doesn’t mean the OS has been compromised. OS X is still the world’s most advanced operating system.
To the blogger, I think you should make sure you research and confirm everything before you blog about something.
mac is not susceptible to viruses ayt?
http://humble-pride.blogspot.com/
http://promditarlac.blogspot.com/
It’s the price for going mainstream by switching to Intel chips years ago. ;)
The support document being discussed was already pulled out by Apple for being “old and inaccurate.”
“We have removed the KnowledgeBase article because it was old and inaccurate,” Apple spokesman Bill Evans, told Macworld. “The Mac is designed with built-in technologies that provide protection against malicious software and security threats right out of the box.â€
http://www.macworld.com/article/137267/2008/12/antivirusremoved.html?
Sofie had a great insight there as Apple is getting sued by an iPhone customer because of their misleading ads.
For the moment the Mac is impervious to viruses, but with a statement such as this:
“We have removed the KnowledgeBase article because it was old and inaccurate,” Apple spokesman Bill Evans, explained for Macworld. “The Mac is designed with built-in technologies that provide protection against malicious software and security threats right out of the box,†he added.
Mac’s just inviting virus-creators to create one just to tick the company off.
I’m pretty sure my Mac is virus free.
I have a G4!
no system is really safe from viruses, its just that macs and linux are less popular but they have problems too and thus anti virus programs to combat these. Sure builtin protection would be best.
Hello again!
Sorry, just got another update.
This is the latest…
http://gizmodo.com/5101266/apple-removes-anti+virus-support-note-reiterates-macs-have-protection-built+in
I suggest to readers to read the notes in brackets. :)
Hello Abe,
Apple has been selling anti-virus like Norton, etc. a long time ago.
As I see it, I don’t think Mac OS X is really 100% virus free. Well, maybe the ad is a little bit inconsistent.
I also think that Apple is playing safe here if in case a Mac gets infected with virus, Apple users couldn’t sue them as they have a recommendation or warning to run anti-virus software on a Mac. What do you think?
Nope, haven’t read it but what I meant about “for some time now” is that it’s an old issue that has taken a new lease in life now.
Actually, that makes people more curious since during those times, Apple still went out with the “No Virus” ad as shown above.
Hello Abe,
Haven’t you read this…
http://gizmodo.com/5100996/false-alarm-apple-mac-os-x-anti+virus-recommendation-is-old
Have a great week!
They heard the interwebz, and have since pulled down the recommendation.
http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Apples_Antivirus_Suggestions_Are_Not_Available_For_Now_30476.html
there goes the apple fanboys’ “i-have-no-virus-‘coz-i’m-a-mac-user” bragging rights. ;-)
I remember reading an ad from mac that goes something like this, “1000 virus?! not an APPLE!” Lolz, now they are telling people to use multiple Anti-Virus? Funny how karma goes around :P
uhm… they say that newer versions of macOSX are based on the linux kernel. i thought the main advantage of the ‘Mighty MAC’ is it is not prone to viruses. i think steve jobs is not contented with those overpriced macs.
and installing more than one antivirus?! even Microsoft did not said that it needs multiple antivirus on their OS.
haha… hail jobs…..
uhm… they say that newer versions of macOSX are based on the linux kernel. i thought the main advantage of the ‘Mighty MAC’ is it is not prone to virus. i think steve jobs is not contempted with those overpriced macs.
and installing more than one antivirus?! even Microsoft did not said that it needs multiple antivirus on their OS.
haha… hail jobs…..
should i purchase it for my ipod touch… waa expensive
Hahaha. Now that’s news. :)
So much for virus-free Macs.
And for once I thought, Mac is invulnerable to viruses.