Re: Anti-virus software
- From: William Smith <mecklists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2007 00:00:07 -0600
In article <C208AA81.856%MarkC@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Mark Christol <MarkC@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I wouldn't bother.
Knock on wood.......
On 2/26/07 4:53 AM, in article eK6tHwYWHHA.4844@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
"2Tian" <cmchong20@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Is it advisable to install anti-virus software onto Macintosh OS X machines?
I found some articles on the internet report that not to install anti-virus
s/w. It will caused significant problem, like hang, Spinning Pizza-Wheel of
Death etc.
Do you pay for car and health insurance or do you knock on wood? ;-)
A computer virus is just like a human virus. It infects then it spreads.
Some computers are immune while others are not. To prevent the spread of
viruses everyone must be protected.
Below is some information followed by my advice that I gave to someone a
few months ago when asking whether or not to install antivirus on his
Intel Mac running Windows. I'm lumping viruses and malware together by
using the term "virus", which is technically incorrect, but for the sake
of this message it's easier. It's the best information I can give for
protecting yourself from a virus and, yes, I advise using antivirus
software for both Mac and Windows.
1. Viruses affect software and not hardware
Keep in mind that viruses don't affect hardware such as motherboard,
processor and memory. They affect software such as the operating system,
applications and your personal files.
2. Viruses have an agenda
Viruses, trojans, malware, etc., have an agenda. That agenda will be at
least one of two things: havoc or control. Havoc will generally destroy
files or try to make your computer unusable. But more often the agenda
is control to carry out something useful for the developer of that
virus such as visiting his website, allowing him to control your
computer or getting your personal information.
3. Viruses must execute to carry out their agenda
The virus code must run or "execute" to carry out the developer's
agenda. Without executing a virus is benign, just like a human virus.
But, like humans, it's still there and just waiting for execution. It's
still potentially dangerous.
4. Viruses infect specific hosts
Viruses infect a host and a virus can only be executed in a host for
which it was constructed. For humans this may be the difference between
bird flu infecting birds but not humans. For computers this is the
difference between a Windows virus infecting a Windows system but not a
Mac OS X system.
5. Viruses can exist for any host (Mac or Windows)
Most viruses in existence today are intended to run on Windows hosts.
But that's not to say that someone won't eventually be able to run a
virus on a Mac OS X host. Mac OS 9 users were complacent until the
attack of the Hong Kong AutoStart worm in the late 1990s where graphics
files were the target and sluggish performance was a symptom. (Go look
it up.)
6. Viruses for Windows can use Mac hosts as carriers
A classic example is a Word macro virus of which thousands exist. A
Windows user can unwittingly email an infected document to a Mac user
but the Mac is immune to this virus. It can't execute the code. However,
the Mac user can edit the document and email it to an uninfected, but
unprotected, Windows user who will be infected. Most antivirus software
for Macs will detect and remove Windows-only viruses before allowing the
Mac user to spread them.
7. Viruses can only infect what they can change
A virus can only infect parts of your operating system that you yourself
can modify with your user permissions. If you log in to your computer
all the time as an administrator then a virus can also execute its
agenda as an administrator. Your entire computer can be infected.
However, if you log in as a Limited or Standard user all the time then a
virus can only execute its agenda as you. It can not infect your entire
computer and it can not cause harm to other users of your computer. In a
sense it will be quarantined.
8. Viruses can not infected immune systems
Most viruses are old and the host computers they infect have software
patches or updates available for download to prevent infection. Keeping
your Mac OS X and Windows systems fully patched as well as keeping your
antivirus and spyware updated will prevent the majority of infections.
9a. Viruses allowing control can affect only their host system
Those viruses with an agenda to control can only control within their
host. Therefore, a virus for Windows systems will only affect Windows
systems, applications and information you've created or stored within
your Windows environment.
9b. Viruses causing havoc can affect all host systems
Those viruses with an agenda to wreak havoc can only run within their
host but if their agenda is to destroy everything they see without
regard then they could potentially destroy part of your Mac OS X system
as well.
What you should do on a Mac OS X system running Windows:
-- Install antivirus software on both your Mac OS X and Windows
operating systems.
-- Install anti-spyware on your Windows operating system.
To date, I know of no spyware or malware that executes on Mac OS X and I
know of no anti-spyware or anti-malware for Mac OS X. But that's not to
say they won't some day exist.
-- Make yourself a Limited or Standard user on both your Windows and Mac
OS X systems to prevent viruses from spreading.
-- Activate automatic updates for both your Mac OS X and Windows system
to keep them fully patched (immune).
-- Activate automatic updates for your antivirus and spyware software to
keep them fully up-to-date.
Hope this helps! bill
--
William M. Smith
(Microsoft Interop MVP - Mac/Windows)
.
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