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[ Apples and iPods ]

Apple tells Mac users to run Anti-Virus

Editor-in-chief December 3, 2008 · 1 min read
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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.

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Written by
Abe Olandres

Abe Olandres

Editor-in-chief

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 is considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines.

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51 Comments

ST
Stefan Dzimidko · 15 years ago

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


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PA
Paul · 15 years ago

“OS X is still the world’s most advanced operating system.” This speaks the fanboi without facts.


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TR
TROJAN HORSE · 15 years ago

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!


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LI
lisa stannings · 17 years ago

that’s weird. i thought mac is virus free.


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NE
Newton · 18 years ago

@ja i, too, took on that misconception hehe


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JA
Ja · 18 years ago

@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.


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HU
humblePride · 18 years ago

mac is not susceptible to viruses ayt?
http://humble-pride.blogspot.com/
http://promditarlac.blogspot.com/


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JH
jhay · 18 years ago

It’s the price for going mainstream by switching to Intel chips years ago. ;)


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TE
Tenshi · 18 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.”

http://www.macworld.com/article/137267/2008/12/antivirusremoved.html?


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AL
Alcarcalimo · 18 years ago

Sofie had a great insight there as Apple is getting sued by an iPhone customer because of their misleading ads.


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AL
Alcarcalimo · 18 years ago

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.


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MI
Miguel · 18 years ago

I’m pretty sure my Mac is virus free.

I have a G4!


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AN
Andre Marcelo-Tanner · 18 years ago

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.


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SO
Sofie · 18 years ago

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. :)


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SO
Sofie · 18 years ago

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?


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AB
Abe Olandres Editor-in-chief · 18 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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SO
Sofie · 18 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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AL
Alcarcalimo · 18 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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PA
paul · 18 years ago

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


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OB
Obed · 18 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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SC
scandinavian_armor · 18 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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SC
scandinavian_armor · 18 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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EM
emben · 18 years ago

should i purchase it for my ipod touch… waa expensive


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TE
TechPinas · 18 years ago

Hahaha. Now that’s news. :)

So much for virus-free Macs.


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JA
Jan Alvin · 18 years ago

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


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