Clamxav free for mac for mac os#
Clamxav free for mac mac#

Perhaps users should exercise even more caution in using the latest version of ClamXav, since it is a beta release. Please consider it.” He also urges those who plan on using ClamXav to back up any important data before running the software, since ClamXav has the ability to move files on a computer. All donations (no matter how small) are gratefully received and would be a huge incentive to help me work on future versions of ClamXav, but more importantly I rely on donations to pay for my bandwidth costs. On his website, he asks users to note that, “although I'm providing ClamXav for free, I am increasingly spending more and more time developing it and would really appreciate if you would consider making a donation please. “I hope you like and use ClamXav a lot and that it helps keep you and your friends/colleagues virus-free,” Mark adds.

Clamxav free for mac mac#

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,” the developer explains. “Today, the number of viruses actively 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. “Back in the days before OS X, the number of viruses which attacked Macintosh users totaled somewhere between about 60 and 80,” Mark Allan () says. There’s malware targeting Macs as well, and ClamXav will find those too, just as efficiently, according to Mark Allan, the developer of ClamXav.

Clamxav free for mac for mac os#

Coupled with Kasperski’s recent release of its Anti-Virus solution for Mac OS X, and now an updated ClamXav virus checker on the loose, we’d say there is little time left before Apple can no longer rub security in Microsoft’s face.Ī free virus checker for users of an Apple Macintosh, ClamXav aims not to secure Macs, but to keep them from becoming carriers of a virus that might eventually end up on a Windows machine. You can protect yourself slightly by not using VPC's 'shared folders', but that's a useful feature which you shouldn't have to be without.There has been an awful lot of security talk lately, concerning both the iPhone and the Mac. VPC will run any application you tell it to, virus or no virus, it doesn't know the difference. This gives you the opportunity to avoid the file altogether or at least copy and paste any vital information into a new document and send that instead.ĭon't forget, if you run VirtualPC you can still become infected and lose valuable data on your Mac even though technically you're running Windows inside a sandbox. If you then forward that document to a less wise person who has not turned off the macro support, then you have most likely just sent him a shiny new Pandora's Box with a sign saying 'Open this end'!įlippancy aside, I'm sure you get the idea: check the file before opening and/or sending it on to someone else. However, this doesn't mean we should get complacent about checking incoming email attachments or web downloads, for two reasons.įirstly, 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.įor example, if you're a wise person and you've turned MS Office's macro support off then you're not going to notice that virus which is hiding inside this month's edition of Extreme Ironing.doc which your friend sent you.

ClamXav uses as a back-end a slightly modified version of the tried, tested, and very popular ClamAv open source antivirus engine.īack in the days before OS X, the number of viruses which attacked Macintosh users totalled somewhere between about 60 and 80.