Apple tells Mac users to run Anti-Virus

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.

Abe Olandres

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines. He is also a technology consultant, a tech columnist with several national publications, resource speaker and mentor/advisor to several start-up companies.

https://www.yugatech.com

26 Comments

Jan Alvin says:

16 years ago

And for once I thought, Mac is invulnerable to viruses.
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TechPinas says:

16 years ago

Hahaha. Now that’s news. :)

So much for virus-free Macs.
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emben says:

16 years ago

should i purchase it for my ipod touch… waa expensive
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scandinavian_armor says:

16 years ago

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…..
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scandinavian_armor says:

16 years ago

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…..
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Obed says:

16 years ago

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
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paul says:

16 years ago

there goes the apple fanboys’ “i-have-no-virus-‘coz-i’m-a-mac-user” bragging rights. ;-)
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Alcarcalimo says:

16 years ago

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
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Sofie says:

16 years ago

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!
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Abe Olandres says:

16 years ago

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.
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