Security updates to the code of obsolete systems will stop being released at some point, and that may leave them open to other kinds of attack besides malware.ģ. The security of obsolete system versions may eventually be degraded. Software installed from a CD or other media is not checked.Īs new versions of OS X are released, it's not clear whether Apple will indefinitely continue to maintain the XProtect database of older versions such as 10.6. ☞ It only applies to software downloaded from the network. ☞ It can be bypassed by some third-party networking software, such as BitTorrent clients and Java applets. The malware recognition database used by XProtect is automatically updated however, you shouldn't rely on it, because the attackers are always at least a day ahead of the defenders. All versions of OS X since 10.6.7 have been able to detect known Mac malware in downloaded files, and to block insecure web plugins.

OS X now implements three layers of built-in protection specifically against malware, not counting runtime protections such as execute disable, sandboxing, system library randomization, and address space layout randomization that may also guard against other kinds of exploits.Ģ. The key points are in sections 5, 6, and 10. The comment is long because the issue is complex. AV software is not intended to, and does not, defend against such attacks. That threat is in a different category, and there's no easy way to defend against it.

It does not apply to software, such as keystroke loggers, that may be installed deliberately by an intruder who has hands-on access to the computer, or who has been able to take control of it remotely. This is a comment on what you should-and should not-do to protect yourself from malicious software ('malware') that circulates on the Internet and gets onto a computer as an unintended consequence of the user's actions. The usual answer is 'no.' That answer is right, but it may give the wrong impression that there is no threat from what are loosely called 'viruses.' There is a threat, and you need to educate yourself about it.ġ. Mac users often ask whether they should install 'anti-virus' (AV) software.

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