Author Topic: Avast on Mac  (Read 30781 times)

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Offline OrangeCrate

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Re: Avast on Mac
« Reply #30 on: March 26, 2007, 09:31:04 PM »
Oy...  :P

Here, read this while you're waiting...

http://www.apple.com/getamac/viruses.html

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the only reason you would need antivirus software on a Mac would be if you were running Virtual PC for Windows? But then, wouldn't you want a Windows version?

As I understand it, there is no possibility that viruses could transfer from the Virtual PC to your Mac. Right?

Though I'm empathetic, I guess I'm just not getting this.
« Last Edit: March 26, 2007, 10:03:36 PM by OrangeCrate »

drhayden1

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Re: Avast on Mac
« Reply #31 on: March 26, 2007, 10:07:05 PM »
i can't understand it either why you need avast on a mac even though i have a mini-mac at home for my work-what's the purpose of it if what's in that article is true ??? ::)
« Last Edit: March 26, 2007, 10:12:24 PM by drhayden1 »

Offline Vlk

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Re: Avast on Mac
« Reply #32 on: March 26, 2007, 10:17:42 PM »
There's a couple of tens of viruses for Mac out there. The reason there's magnitudes more for Windows is that it's probably not worth the hassle (for the virus writers) to bother with the non-mainstream platform (suppose you want to write a virus - which platform will you choose? - one that's used by ~90% of users [Windows], or one that's used by 1% of users [OS X]?).
If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving's not for you.

drhayden1

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Re: Avast on Mac
« Reply #33 on: March 26, 2007, 10:30:06 PM »
thanks Vlk...still gonna put it on my work mini-mac....knowing it will be better with avast! on it like my two window computers are :)

Offline OrangeCrate

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Re: Avast on Mac
« Reply #34 on: March 26, 2007, 10:36:30 PM »
There's a couple of tens of viruses for Mac out there. The reason there's magnitudes more for Windows is that it's probably not worth the hassle (for the virus writers) to bother with the non-mainstream platform (suppose you want to write a virus - which platform will you choose? - one that's used by ~90% of users [Windows], or one that's used by 1% of users [OS X]?).

Thanks for the response Vlk. You know, that has been said about Linux too, and is greatly refuted as being incorrect (for both OS X and Linux).

There are many articles regarding this. Here's one of the best I've seen:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/10/06/linux_vs_windows_viruses/

(I post this link primarily for others. It is certainly not news to you.  :))

Edit: As I mentioned in my original post, if a person is running virtual Windows, wouldn't they want the Windows version of avast?
« Last Edit: March 26, 2007, 10:40:32 PM by OrangeCrate »

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Avast on Mac
« Reply #35 on: March 26, 2007, 10:46:31 PM »
Edit: As I mentioned in my original post, if a person is running virtual Windows, wouldn't they want the Windows version of avast?
No problems. avast does install and work both in Windows XP and Vista, both on virtual environment...
Hope this is an answer that you've waiting for...
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Offline radicalb21

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Re: Avast on Mac
« Reply #36 on: March 26, 2007, 10:47:01 PM »
Thanks to the people at Alwil that made this truly possible and I know the MAC people will enjoy having a topnotch antivirus on there MAC.
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Offline OrangeCrate

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Re: Avast on Mac
« Reply #37 on: March 26, 2007, 11:01:34 PM »
Hope this is an answer that you've waiting for...

Yes, that answers the biggest part of my question.

The other part is then why is there going to be a Mac version? If you read both of attachments to my posts, is it really needed on a Unix based OS such as OS X?

Similar question. Is an antivirus program needed on Kubuntu if your not running a mail server? (Uh, I guess we both know the answer to that one.)

If you're running virtual Windows on a Mac, and using a windows version of avast, isn't running a Mac version redundant?

Look, I'm not trying to downplay new products from avast. I'm a great fan of their products, and wish them success with anything they do. Just trying to learn here...
« Last Edit: March 27, 2007, 11:40:31 AM by OrangeCrate »

Offline Vlk

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Re: Avast on Mac
« Reply #38 on: March 26, 2007, 11:54:24 PM »
Malware can generally run equally well on Windows and Unix based systems (Linux, OS X etc.)

It's just that it is not doing very well (so far) on Unix based systems mainly because
- most malware authors only target the mainstream (i.e. Windows)
- non-Windows users are (statistically) more computer-knowledgable and don't "help" spreading malware that much (this is true for Linux - I'm not so sure about OS X though :))

Think of an AV as insurance - the fact there's nothing going on TODAY doesn't mean there won't be a big outbreak TOMORROW - and being ready for this can simply pay off.

Cheers
Vlk
If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving's not for you.

mouniernetwork

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Re: Avast on Mac
« Reply #39 on: March 27, 2007, 12:21:40 AM »
Any clues on when is Avast for Mac coming out VlK

Thanks

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Offline OrangeCrate

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Re: Avast on Mac
« Reply #40 on: March 27, 2007, 01:05:19 AM »
Malware can generally run equally well on Windows and Unix based systems (Linux, OS X etc.)

As posted earlier in this thread:

http://www.apple.com/getamac/viruses.html

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/10/06/linux_vs_windows_viruses/

Think of an AV as insurance - the fact there's nothing going on TODAY doesn't mean there won't be a big outbreak TOMORROW - and being ready for this can simply pay off.

I wish avast well, good luck with the new product.

 :)
« Last Edit: March 27, 2007, 01:07:36 AM by OrangeCrate »

Offline .: Mac :.

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Re: Avast on Mac
« Reply #41 on: March 27, 2007, 03:26:38 AM »
Vlk Mac OS X market share is bigger than 1% ;)

Also there are no more than 10 pieces of malware for the mac, almost all are proof of concept. But as Vlk says the fact there's nothing going on TODAY doesn't mean there won't be a big outbreak TOMORROW Hence Avast for mac. Plus it will be useful to detect windows viruses and worms in your email so you wont accidentally spread them to windows users
"People who are really serious about software should make their own hardware." - Alan Kay

meinrosebud

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Re: Avast on Mac
« Reply #42 on: March 28, 2007, 12:17:29 PM »
I feel that it will only take time and some coding for someone to take advantage of Mac OSX's confidence in its immunity, the only reasons that these things exist is because of the challenge and the wish to infuriate and confuse other users. Yes, Unix-based systems are better protected than MSDOS/Windows/Vista systems because the user is not running as root or administrator so therefore any critical commands will be stopped because of lack of root... but multitasking, virtual machines and the like were only theories once.

I would like to see an Avast product something because they care. 

drhayden1

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Re: Avast on Mac
« Reply #43 on: March 28, 2007, 02:17:34 PM »
will they be a home free edition and professional version as the same as it is for windows ???
« Last Edit: March 28, 2007, 02:41:04 PM by drhayden1 »

mouniernetwork

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Re: Avast on Mac
« Reply #44 on: March 31, 2007, 01:50:29 PM »
March 31, where is Avast for Mac ??

Al968