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ClamXav seems to me to check Mac systems for Windows malware. The ClamXav site I found indicates that they know of no viruses for Macs. The reason for running ClamXav is to keep from passing Windows viruses on to your friends and coworkers.

Not the greatest example as this specific trojan is detected by the OS in 10.6. While the known genuine threats can still be counted on the fingers of one hand, it's easy for Apple to keep up.

Not against the idea of AV, but running an on-access AV scanner with no actual definitions for active OSX malware is a bit stupid (despite what AV vendors would have you believe).

The time for something more than http://www.clamxav.com/ may be coming, but it's not here yet. Retailers pushing AV solutions should be avoided.

I recommend ClamXav.

From what I read on that Apple post, it sounds like Apple is encouraging you to install multiple AV software. And OS X already runs ClamAV doesn't it? Although I have yet to see such a thing get pushed out, I assume Clam can get updates via SoftwareUpdate?

I don't think they're suggesting that each machine run multiple AV systems, just that there are multiple AV systems in use among all machines, thus decreasing the chances that a virus can exploit a weakness in a particular scanner and remain undetected.

Also, OS X Server comes with ClamAV, but standard OS X does not. However, ClamXAV is available (completely free of course) for OS X and provides a simple way to install ClamAV and a GUI for management. I'm a bit surprised Apple doesn't list it on the recommendation page.

Can anyone offer feedback on the relative quality of the 3 AV products in TFA and also ClamXav (which is free)

I run a manual scan with ClamXav about once a decade. So far it hasn't ever found anything. Seems like a good product, but I don't really know.

ClamXav is for OSX.

It has a 'helper' called "Folder Sentry." Basically, it watches certain directories for new files to appear. It will then proceed to scan each file. Check out it's documentation here.

This is precisely the reason I (the original parent poster -- which was modded 'Offtopic') brought this up. See my other comment here.

ClamXav is for OSX.

It has a 'helper' called "Folder Sentry." Basically, it watches certain directories for new files to appear. It will then proceed to scan each file. Check out it's documentation here.

This is precisely the reason I (the original parent poster -- which was modded 'Offtopic') brought this up. See my other comment here.

I've been running ClamXav, http://www.clamxav.com/ , for a long time. I normally don't run full scans, but I do use the Sentry ability on any download directories. So anything I download is scanned. Nothing so far :)

No anti-virus software whatsoever? Are you're talking about simple-minded myths?

http://www.symantec.com/nav/nav_mac/
http://www.mcafee.com/us/enterprise/products/anti_virus/file_servers_desktops/virex.html
http://www.clamxav.com/

That's off the top of my head - there may be more, but that's the big three...

I use ClamXAV on OS X, which is based on the GPLed clamAV anti-virus engine. I have also used clamAV embedded in the PostFix mail server on Linux to scan incoming email for sites I maintained. It gets decent reviews against other packages and I have been happy with it. I use a Windows variant when I am forced to deal with XP as well. Anyway, it is completely open source and all above-board. I would not touch Symantec software with 3.048 m pole these days.

The reason I use AV software on OS X is not just masochism. For one, I have a rarely used XP/bootcamp install and it is safer to scan it from OS X which a Windows virus cannot easily affect. For another, I avoid unwittingly passing virii from one Windows user to another. Lastly, I am paranoid and want to stay in good habits. It is quite likely that viruses will eventually appear on OS X as it grows in popularity, even though it is not as good a host. The practice costs me nothing and may save me something in the end.

No one seems to have mentioned that ClamAV has been ported to OS X. Not terribly user-friendly, but being free can encourage people to put up with jumping through some extra hoops...

http://www.clamxav.com/

I personally use this with the Folder Sentry to scan all incoming files and mounted disks. Is it because I'm afraid of a 0day OSX uber exploit? No, it's because I also have windows machines on the network sharing files and would rather not help spread the joy in case something did manage to get through. So, thank you Symantec for showing a proof of concept to us all. Release it out to the community and I'll be just fine with ClamAV. But even if you don't, I'm not losing sleep.

And I'm sick and tired of hearing this myth put out. Of course there are viruses for Mac OS X out there. All it takes is a few minutes on Google to confirm this. For instance OSX/Leap-A, Inqtana, Exploit.OSX.Safari, Exploit.OSX.ScriptEx, etc.

Here is a question. If it were not possible to write viruses for Mac OS X, why is there anti-virus software out there for it?

Peddling this "OS X is virus-free" myth is not only wrong, it is dangerous. How many people out there fail to set up their Mac with sufficient security because they have been hearing nothing but "only Windows has viruses"? Once someone does come around with a serious virus for OS X, how many people will be unguarded because they heard this line from people like you?

Are you worried? I mean, really, really worried?

If so, go here: http://www.clamxav.com/

ClamAV is a well-known opensource antivirus project. At the moment, all it will really do for you is wipe out Windows viruses that somehow end up in your inbox, or on your SMB shares, or on removable media. But if an OS X virus/worm comes out, ClamAV will add it to its signatures.

How many Mac users today run anti-virus software?

I installed ClamXav, since it was required that an anti-virus program was installed on my laptop, befor I could plug it into the company net.

The Opensource virus scanner ClamXav (based on ClamAV) already scans for this. I simply set it to watch my desktop and mail downloads folders. I even tested it by downloading the sample file and sure enough, it warns me both in Safari and in Mail.app

Thanks to Mark Allan and various other people Clam database now has information about this "whatever you call it" crap.

ClamXAv , a Cocoa GUI for opensource Clam engine which makes it accessible to majority of OS X users can detect it:
http://www.clamxav.com/

It is free (donation) ware.

I think it also means that the users of ISPs/Corparate Networks using Clam engine to detect viruses won't get it via mail attachment too.

From the ClamXAV website - a free virus checker for Mac OS X: "Back in the days before OS X, the number of viruses which attacked Macintosh users totalled somewhere between about 60 and 80. Today, the number of viruses attacking OS X users is...NONE! However, this doesn't mean we should get complacent about checking incoming email attachments or web downloads, for two reasons. Firstly, there's no guarantee that we Mac users will continue to enjoy the status quo, but more importantly, the majority of the computing world use machines running MS Windows, for which an enormous quantity of viruses exist, so we must be vigilant in checking the files we pass on to our friends and colleagues etc."

There you have it, from someone whom I'd give far more credibility because first, they're making security software and second, they aren't trying to sell it.

The popular ClamAV for Mac OS X. http://www.clamxav.com/. Free!

So far there are still no in the wild viruses.

If you're worried try clamxav http://www.clamxav.com/ free antivirus software.

I'm starting to ask people for permission to set up their boxes to dual-boot to Linux. Linux is so usable now that, unless there's a specific application that they can't get an equivalent on Linux. I really don't see much need for most home users to stay with MS Windows.