[Leica] OT: Anti-Virus Software for Mac

[Robert Rose]

I use the free ClamXav scanner.  Get it at the App Store.  There is no reason not to use it.  I set it to autoupdate definitions and autoscan.  

This is the program that the Genius Bar recommended.  They said nothing else was needed if I did a regular scheduled scan.

It automatically sends bad files to quarantine and kills them.  Cheap at twice the price.

There are definitely virus programs floating around that infect Macs.  They (in my experience) are in these classes:

Adware
Java based which you pickup at websites you should have avoided
Phishing email attachments

OSX is loaded with roadblocks that help avoid the Java stuff.  The problem is that they usually filter too much, and in particular it causes severe headaches with the US Patent Office (I spend a lot of time on their website).

One type of online malware that really annoys me is the popup.  It might warn me that my computer is infected (really just bullshit), and perversely clicking anything will install some adware.  The only way to defeat it is force quit Safari and start over.

A new malware attack is the extortion popup.  This warns me that something bad will happen unless I send money.  Actually the malware is the extortion demand itself. Nothing really has been done to the computer, so simply force quitting Safari defeats it.

The way to avoid an email virus is what you already know — don’t open anything from someone you were not expecting.  You can run it through ClamXav if you want to be super careful.