Is AntiVirus still not recommended in 2024?

By far the easiest way to cause poor performance, instability, overheating and crashing is to install ANY third-party speeder-uppers, Cleaners, Optimizers, or Virus scanners. or a VPN that you installed yourself. The main reason is that they are relentless in scanning your files, non-stop, looking for virus-like patterns in Everything. When completed, they do it all again.

The idea that a third party, with no special knowledge of the inner workings of MacOS, can somehow find a simple way to protect your computer — that is not already being done by MacOS itself — suggests that the MacOS developers are somehow "holding out on you". That is absurd.

You should remove any and all (other than Apple built-in) virus scanners, speeder uppers, optimizers, cleaners, App deleters or VPN packages you installed yourself, or anything of that ilk.

Third-party file Sync-ers such as DropBox, BackBlaze, OneDrive, or GoogleDrive can ruin performance, but are not inherently dangerous.

Effective defenses against malware and ot… - Apple Community

Effective defenses against malware and ot… - Apple Community

MacOS shares a lot of the lock-down mechanisms developed for the iPhone. Applications are all sand-boxed with a list of the resources they require, and they cannot ask for anything outside their sandbox without crashing. Signed Applications are checked that they are from legitimate Developers, and Notarized Applications are delivered with the assurance that they have NOT been modified since their release by the Developer.

Recent versions of MacOS completely changed how you should think about malware.

From MacOS 11 Catalina onward, the system is on a Separate, crypto-locked System Volume, which is not writeable using ordinary means. Any unauthorized differences that appear to the crypto-locked volume are quickly detected and you are alerted.

So you could store just about every malware known to mankind on your Mac, and your Mac would not get infected spontaneously. Scanning for virus-like patterns might make you feel a little better now, but it is outdated nonsense.

You're right, there is some debate about whether Macs need antivirus software. Here's a breakdown of the current thinking:

• Malware threats are still a concern: However, Macs are not immune to malware. There are threats like phishing scams, ransomware, and adware that can target Macs.
• Built-in security helps: macOS includes security features like XProtect that can help identify and block malware.
• Antivirus software can offer additional protection: Antivirus software can provide real-time protection, schedule scans, and offer additional features like web filtering or identity theft protection.

So, do you need antivirus?

It depends on your risk profile. Here's a way to think about it:

• Low risk: If you browse reputable websites, avoid suspicious downloads, and keep your software updated, you might be okay with just the built-in security features.
• High risk: If you frequently download files, visit unfamiliar websites, or use online banking, then antivirus software might be a good idea for added protection.

Here are some popular antivirus options for Mac:

• Free: Avast Free Antivirus, Malwarebytes Free
• Paid: Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac, Norton 360 Deluxe

Ultimately, the decision is yours. Consider your online habits and weigh the pros and cons before deciding.

Personally I rely on built-in malware software and occasionally run a one-off scan with something like MalwareBytes just in case.

99SCrow wrote:

Thanks, this was helpful. I think I am high risk, so I'll get some anti-virus protection.

Not recommended. Before you even consider any of the suggested Anti-Virus, do a simple search by clicking the Search button on the top of this page and enter the names of the previously recommended apps:

• Avast
• BitDefender
• Norton

You will see the many problems you will then be encountering. Once those are installed, they will make it difficult for you to remove them completely. The only thing you need to do is protect your Apple ID/Password and financial information yourself by not giving it out. This usually happens through phishing attempts and can be identified using the following Support Article. You do not need to worry about any virus harvesting information off of your computer.

Recognize and avoid phishing messages, phony support calls, and other scams - Apple Support

99SCrow wrote:

I wanted to check that adding antivirus software to your Macbook pro is still not necessary. There seems to be unclear, conflicting advice out there! What are the latest thoughts on this, please?

Most of the "conflicting advice" comes either from people who are selling third-party AV apps or who come from the PC world and don't entirely understand how Macs work. No matter how nicely the advice is formatted, adding third-party AV software is not necessary or useful.

99SCrow wrote:

Thanks, this was helpful. I think I am high risk, so I'll get some anti-virus protection.

By the way, the definition of "high risk" given above is not "high risk". It's what people normally do on a computer.

I suggest you give this document a close reading:

Effective defenses against malware and ot… - Apple Community