Re: Virus Checker / Firewall protection

[winston19842005 <bjjlyates@NOSPAMbellsouth.net>]

On 1/17/09 10:12 AM, in article gzmcl.78007$2w.7906@newsfe28.ams2, "Glen"
<glen.bradbury@virgin.net> wrote:

> I am looking to buy my first iMac but wondered what to do regarding Firewall
> / Virus protection - currently use McAfee on my PC.  Guy in the Apple store
> said I don't need anything - but is this really true, or does my new Mac
> come with some protection built in?
> Any advice appreciated
> 
> 
1. Ask in a newsgroup with "mac" in the name.

ok, got that out of the way.

2. The mac comes with a built-in software firewall. And if you use a router,
you should have its firewall protection turned on. You won't need the
software firewall if you have your hardware firewall set properly.

3. Virus protection - you can buy virus protection for your Mac. To say you
don't need protection may be silly. However, I don't run it on mine. But I
am silly. However, it remains true that most viruses are aimed at the most
popular OS, Microsoft Windows. Virus writers are more interested in
targeting the biggest audiences.

ClamAV is free. I've tried it before on Linux, but I really did not like it.
I think AVG has a free version for the Mac, I almost downloaded it IIRC.

BTW: You didn't mention spyware... I've done a couple of scans on my Mac
using a spyware scanner (can't remember where) and never found anything.
What does that mean? Not sure, perhaps the scanner sucked.

Honestly, last few times I tried Adaware on my PC at work, it found nothing
but cookies and some other non-interesting things. And spybot, once they
upgraded some time back, the program will run for hours on the machine at
work, meaning it is impractical to use.