Do Apple devices need anti-virus software?

“Apple’s devices are far better defended against malware and viruses than other platforms, but does this mean they don’t need anti-virus software?” Jonny Evans writes for Computerworld.
“I’ve lost track of the number of times Mac users have told me Macs don’t need virus protection because they are inherently more robust against such attacks. I’ve also lost count of how many security researchers have said that Apple devices are becoming more liable to being attacked as their market share grows,” Evans writes. “Both are right. Both are wrong.”
“I think its common sense to use malware and anti-virus protection as part of a package of security deterrents,” Evans writes. “I’m not convinced such protections need to be ‘always-on’ when using Apple’s systems, in part because the attacks most likely to subvert those systems tend to be undefined, but also because the checkers tend to slow our systems down. However, as the nature of cyber-attack continues to change, I think it’s important that every user does what they can to protect themselves – and others.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: The answer to the headline is: No.
It’s built-in, but Mac users can be phished, too, so businesses (and users) are smart to scan regularly to make sure nothing dangerous to others — usually on the lesser platform (Windows) – gets passed on.
MacMost’s Gary Rosenzweig covered this recently:

 
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