I've been thinking about putting some anti-virus software on the iBook, and a free program called ClamXav seems to have quite good reviews. Anyone know anything pro or con?
Indeed. I'm guessing from the name that it's based on ClamAV - an open source anti-virus system. We use that at work both on our mail server, our proxy server and our main data servers, where it's proven quite efficacious at stopping viruses.
But installing it on a Mac would be a waste of time unless you're using that Mac to pass on downloaded files/mail to Windows users and don't want to pass on any virused files by mistake. For protecting the Mac itself it probably won't do anything but point out the number of PC based viruses in your mail!
One day there probably will be a Mac virus, and a lot of people will get seriously caught out by this, but so far - as far as I know - there's not been any for OS/X.
There are no viruses in the wild for OS/X. Probably won't be for a long time, either.
If you're worried about security, a much more serious threat is the traditional UNIX root kit. To which end I strongly recommend switching on the built-in firewall (under System Preferences->Sharing) or, for the really paranoid, googling on BrickHouse (a custom OS/X firewall).
If you use Apple Mail rather than Outlook you should be fine.
Brickhouse is a good way to experiment with the OS X firewall - it provides a GUI for the *nix-challenged folks like me trying to wean themselves off MS Windows.
The only reason to have AV software on a Mac for now is if you use MS Office and want to cleam up all the viruses on the files your Windows-owning cow-orkers send you before passing them on again.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2005-04-26 07:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-26 09:09 am (UTC)But installing it on a Mac would be a waste of time unless you're using that Mac to pass on downloaded files/mail to Windows users and don't want to pass on any virused files by mistake. For protecting the Mac itself it probably won't do anything but point out the number of PC based viruses in your mail!
One day there probably will be a Mac virus, and a lot of people will get seriously caught out by this, but so far - as far as I know - there's not been any for OS/X.
no subject
Date: 2005-04-26 09:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-26 10:59 am (UTC)If you're worried about security, a much more serious threat is the traditional UNIX root kit. To which end I strongly recommend switching on the built-in firewall (under System Preferences->Sharing) or, for the really paranoid, googling on BrickHouse (a custom OS/X firewall).
If you use Apple Mail rather than Outlook you should be fine.
no subject
Date: 2005-04-28 07:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-29 02:46 pm (UTC)The only reason to have AV software on a Mac for now is if you use MS Office and want to cleam up all the viruses on the files your Windows-owning cow-orkers send you before passing them on again.