14 DAY TRIAL // Famous security researcher and long-time Mac and iOS hacker, Charlie Miller has offered his opinion on the MAC Defender craze in a recent interview where he noted that it’s really not something to get all hyped-up about.
In an interview with the folks at Wired, Miller mentioned Microsoft - who recently said that 1 in 14 downloads on Windows are malicious - to outline that, with just one piece of Mac malware being widely discussed, this type of thing is still extremely rare on Apple’s computers.
Just like Apple, Miller agreed that Mac antivirus software can "help protect your system from being infected," but cautioned that "it's expensive, uses system memory and reduces battery life.”
"At some point soon, the scales will tip to installing antivirus, but at this point, I don't think it's worth it yet for most people," he ultimately told the interviewers, according to AppleInsider.
Apple itself suggests installing antivirus software for more peace of mind, but maintains that OS X is far more secure than Windows.
The reality is that OS X is just as hackable. The scales are tipped in Apple’s favor solely because its market-share is still much lower than Microsoft’s, when it comes to desktop computing.
Admittedly, though, Mac users are far less prone to get infected with malware at the moment.
For those looking to install an app that prevents MAC Defender from reaching their Mac, Intego’s VirusBarrier X6 can detect it with its malware definitions dated May 2, 2011 or later.
The program’s real-time scanner will allegedly detect the file when it is downloaded, while its Web Threats protection blocks web pages containing the malicious code, according to the Austin, Texas-based software vendor.
However, customers needn’t buy the full antivirus software if they’re looking to steer clear of this particular piece of malware only.
For that, there’s VirusBarrier Express. Available exclusively from the Mac App Store, the free antivirus can also detect this malware.
However, Intego warns that due to limitations imposed by the Mac App Store, the free app does not have a real-time scanner.
While Apple has malware checking enabled in OS X, a security update will be necessary to have the OS recognize and fend off MAC Defender.