Sophos Offers Free Anti-Virus For Mac

[mongo]

[quote]2 November 2010

Sophos offers Free Anti-Virus Home Edition for Mac
World's first free business-strength security solution for Macs
IT security and data protection firm Sophos has today announced the availability of a free Mac anti-virus product for home users. Based on Sophos's flagship security software, which protects over 100 million business users worldwide, Sophos Anti-Virus Home Edition for Mac is available for consumers to download at no charge.

Visit http://www.sophos.com/freemacav to download.

Sophos Anti-Virus Home Edition for Mac provides automatic detection against existing and new threats for Mac OS X. The free software also incorporates strong disinfection capabilities, capable of removing malware infections that may already be present on the Mac computer.

Although malware is more common on Windows than it is on Macs, there is a growing concern that, as Mac OS X market-share continues to grow, the operating system will become a more attractive target for cybercriminals.

"While most businesses recognise the importance of protecting their Mac computers from malware threats, most home users do not," said Chris Kraft, product management vice president at Sophos. "By offering free industrial-strength security to home users, we aim to protect Mac users against today's and tomorrow's Mac threats. Everyone knows that Macs are beautiful computers - Sophos wants to lend a hand to keep them that way."

Sophos Anti-Virus Home Edition provides automatic on-access detection, running in the background - meaning Mac users are constantly protected against Windows and Mac viruses, worms, spyware and Trojans.


..............................................[/quote]



[url="http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/news/articles/2010/11/free-mac-anti-virus.html?_log_from=rss"]Link to rest of announcement[/url]


[url="http://www.sophos.com/products/free-tools/free-mac-anti-virus/"]Link to download page[/url]




Just because malware and viruses are tough to get onto a Mac doesn't mean you shouldn't have something protecting you.

[mongo]

Haha! I was installing it as I posted the thread, then went ahead and had it scan my hard drives. Apparently it's going to scan all 3.6 million files on my hard drives for problems.... It boggles my Apple II+, Commodore PET rooted brain to think I have 3.6 million files to scan.

[|Elflocko|]

[quote]World's first free business-strength security solution for Macs[/quote]

Well, maybe for free. I've been running SEP 11 on mine for a few months now as I get it through work.

Sophos looks like a viable option though; I'll have to keep that in mind for the future...

[|Montana Bengal|]

I thought Macs didn't need antivirus software.

[|Elflocko|]

[quote name='Montana Bengal' timestamp='1288708112' post='936637']
I thought Macs didn't need antivirus software.
[/quote]

[b]Every[/b] computer needs AV. Even if they might not be susceptible to common malware or viruses, AV [b]will[/b] prevent them from passing them on to other susceptible (read Windows) computers via email or file shares...

[mongo]

[quote name='Montana Bengal' timestamp='1288708112' post='936637']
I thought Macs didn't need antivirus software.
[/quote]


So far, it hasn't. The computer is 18 months old, 3.6 million files, running it's first AV scan, and it's coming up with nothing.

[-GoBengals-]

[quote name='mongo' timestamp='1288723649' post='936726']
So far, it hasn't. The computer is 18 months old, 3.6 million files, running it's first AV scan, and it's coming up with nothing.
[/quote]

yeeaa...

i am straight up RECKLESS with my mac, going to shifty ass file sharing sites, downloading super shady torrents, etc... and NOTHING...

[|Bunghole|]

Do people really not realize that its only a matter of time before the malicious assholes that propagate this stuff end up writing code to affect Mac users too? It can't be that far off can it?

[-GoBengals-]

[quote name='Bunghole' timestamp='1288757036' post='936929']
Do people really not realize that its only a matter of time before the malicious assholes that propagate this stuff end up writing code to affect Mac users too? It can't be that far off can it?
[/quote]

market share would need to be over 30-40% for apple for it to become any big issue..

which is probably 3-10 years off depending how both companies go..

id say the creators of virus like problems are likely going to focus on mobile devices moreso since people use them all day everyday and some in place of a real computer these days..

tablets, ipads, android devices, etc..

i have gone just shy of 2 years with not a hint of a slow computer, virus, computer problem spyware, pop up install horseshit and have several years to go before its much of a concern in reality?


shit just works, programs are much faster and easier installed and removed, the shit just flat out works..



Apples business model: Make you pay for higher end computer components that they know work properly with their OS, and make OS $29 for only full version.
Microsoft: Let any suck ass company make shit computers, toss their OS on it for $300+ for the version with all of the features in 64 bit.

so yea.. worst case.. in several years, youll need remotely the same precautions as a PC.. ill take the years of ease and happiness until then...