What's the best protection out there?

[tartansparkle]

Hey you people,

Naive boy here again, haha, aka tartansparkle. MBP 17" soon to be my new toy. I am feeling fairly confident on the Office:Mac issue thanks to everyone who replied.

Now my next concern is internet security/protection. Quite simply...which is the best software to purchase to protect my Mac? I don't want to be spending a small fortune but I don't want to cut corners either. I don't want something hugely complex coz I am not the brightest with all that jazz. Something effective and non too complicated to operate!

So far I have seen some good things about 'Intego; Internet Security Barrier' and thats approx £60. Can anyone please put some in some suggestions that will allow me to make an informed judgement.

(Thanx Ric, I 100% get what you are sayin about having these issues in the forums )

 

[Ric]

Hi there,

Quite an involved answer is required...but heres the short version.

I would probably estimate that 99% of all the members on here don't have any anti virus software running on their Macs.

Whilst it's not completely accurate to say that there are no virus's for the Mac (there are) they are not worth worrying about ! (I know this will come back to bite me!)

I haven't had a play with the Intego version but the reviews seem quite good.

Technically a 'Good Mac citizen' would have antivirus software' then when they get an email with a PC 'attached' virus in an email the software spots it and deletes it so that you don't forward it on to anyone else...

All the software that you need to keep your Mac protected comes with your Mac. It has a built in Firewall that is pretty good. We can help you set this up once you have your Mac.

I personaly would save your £60...

Will you be having a wireless network ? That tends to be the weakest link...depending on how you set it up !

(I don't have antivirus software running ! )

regards

Ric

 

[tartansparkle]

Ric: I would probably estimate that 99% of all the members on here don't have any anti virus software running on their Macs.

TS: First of all, isn't that crazy?! With the all that is potentially out there shouldn't the Mac people stay protected? I read an article on a BBC link about an expert saying that Mac users were becoming too "smug" for thinking they are almost amune to virus' and all that jazz.


All the software that you need to keep your Mac protected comes with your Mac. It has a built in Firewall that is pretty good. We can help you set this up once you have your Mac.

Maybe its just marketing talk but shouldn't we be backing up this Firewall already installed? Have the internal one as a fail-safe? Will be glad to get your help before I venture into the net. I am assuming that I should get "updates" from Apple website as soon as I get the baby?

I personaly would save your £60...

Funny that because personally I would like to save that £60 whilst spending £1750 on a computer!

Will you be having a wireless network ? That tends to be the weakest link...depending on how you set it up !

I will not be using a wireless connection to the net. I am not bothered at all about using it around the house...since I live at home whilst at uni I will only be using it in my room. I am going to buy a Ethernet cable and Telewest has assured me that the Mac will just run on the net without anything else, even though my PC had to have a software from the disc to let it run?

Thanks Ric, as we say round my bit..."your the man"

 

[karazelle]

TS: First of all, isn't that crazy?! With the all that is potentially out there shouldn't the Mac people stay protected? I read an article on a BBC link about an expert saying that Mac users were becoming too "smug" for thinking they are almost amune to virus' and all that jazz.

I run Norton Antivirus 10 on both MacOS X Server and MacOS X. They work excellent and can scan PCs over a network as well. They don't cause any stability problems that I can tell on either system (both are 10.4.7). I get latest Norton release for Mac from my ISP for free (telenor, norwegian equiv of BT)

Others like Virex I think. I didn't like the interface.

Maybe its just marketing talk but shouldn't we be backing up this Firewall already installed? Have the internal one as a fail-safe? Will be glad to get your help before I venture into the net. I am assuming that I should get "updates" from Apple website as soon as I get the baby?

The firewall built into OS X is pretty powerful. And unfortunately, Norton Personal Firewall for Mac doesn't work on intel macs and isn't quite stable on OS X 10.4 either.

I am going to buy a Ethernet cable and Telewest has assured me that the Mac will just run on the net without anything else, even though my PC had to have a software from the disc to let it run?

I worked for an isp here. The CD for PC users just automate a lot of things, switching of dialup profiles, patching IE and OE, branding them perhaps, installing tools provided by us, automatically adding an account to OE, installing Flash and if necessary the PPPoE dialer for older versions of Windows and shows how to do the cabling. It doesn't do anything the user could not do automatically, but many customers are assured by such a CD thing. They also often offer the ability to test the DSL connection and make an error code that saves support some time on the phone to diagnose the problem. But other than that, most use industry standards, we did, so you should not need a CD.

 

[Carol_t]

i was using MacScan because I picked up a Trojan - nasty one called DNSChanger - it redirects your internet activity to anther site . MacScan cleaned it of. Now the demo is finished I might buy it - but there might be better ones to look at ?

I wouldnt normally be doing virus scans on my Mac but its more of a concern now having Windows installed on it as well. (NEVER thought I would do that!)

 

[rglynjones]

http://www.iantivirus.com provides a free version. I've been running it for a few weeks now with no problems.

 

[Carol_t]

Thanks rglynjones - I'll have a look at that!

Always good to get a recommendation!