# Help with Mac virus and recommendations for virus protection

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mac-virus-and-recommendations-for-virus-protection/847652>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 8, 2020, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mac-virus-and-recommendations-for-virus-protection/847652 "2020-02-08T23:55:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 13\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2020, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mac-virus-and-recommendations-for-virus-protection/847652/1 "2020-02-08T23:55:21Z")

</div>

I have a relatively new iMac and somehow ended up with the SearchPulse virus. There are several how-to guides online on how to remove it including offers of free virus protection downloads.

Not being very computer savvy I’m afraid I’m just going to make things worse. Can someone recommend a virus protection program for Mac that works and how to use it (yes, I’ve never had virus or pop-up protection on my computers)? Thank you.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mac-virus-and-recommendations-for-virus-protection/847652/2 "2020-02-09T00:07:40Z")

</div>

SearchPulse isn’t a Virus. It’s just an annoying browser extension.  
Removing it is simple. Here’s a summary: [https://macpaw.com/how-to/remove-searchpulse-mac](https://macpaw.com/how-to/remove-searchpulse-mac)  
Basically, just disable it from your Browser’s extensions.

As for A/V on there Mac - I think it’s a waste of time. Just don’t click on dodgy links and don’t install software that you are unfamiliar with. If you can’t do that, MalwareBytes is OK.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mac-virus-and-recommendations-for-virus-protection/847652/3 "2020-02-09T00:11:17Z")

</div>

Thank you for you feedback.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GMANCANADA](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gmancanada/32/2837_2.png) [@GMANCANADA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GMANCANADA)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mac-virus-and-recommendations-for-virus-protection/847652/4 "2020-02-09T01:33:16Z")

</div>

I can’t talk specifically to Searchpulse effectiveness, but for my MacBook Pro I use **Trend Micro Anti Virus**. My college’s IT department has them as their vendor of choice and we get a license for work & any personal computers. So far it’s worked great.

I was also in touch with Apple support a couple years ago about an email issue and as I was rebooting I was chatting with the tech and asked if they had a recommended anti-virus, he also said they used Trend Micro (at that time anyway).

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mac-virus-and-recommendations-for-virus-protection/847652/5 "2020-02-09T02:16:11Z")

</div>

There _have ever been_ MacOS viruses. But not recently, and not often. Mac antivirus software stops _Windows viruses_ from being passed on via email. It doesn’t protect you from _Mac_ viruses. There are no Mac virus _definitions_. You can’t define in advance what only exists theoretically. The old stuff can’t infect current operating system environments.

I don’t think there’s anything intrinsically virus-proof about MacOS but for all intents and purposes there are no Mac viruses. You won’t get one. Every couple years there’s news about a proof of concept exploit, but so far nothing out there “in the wild”, aside from misleading download links to some kind of crapware like MacKeeper that’s annoyingly difficult to delete, but which only spreads by conning you into installing it. Searchpulse probably falls into that category.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\
**Post date:** [February 9, 2020, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mac-virus-and-recommendations-for-virus-protection/847652/6 "2020-02-09T04:29:11Z")

</div>

Anti-virus software encompasses a lot more than viruses at this point, and there are certainly threats that target Mac. Getting a good threat protection suite is a good idea. You should look for ransomware and phishing protection, and VPN, among other things.

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is a good choice.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\
**Post date:** [February 10, 2020, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mac-virus-and-recommendations-for-virus-protection/847652/7 "2020-02-10T22:05:11Z")

</div>

Thank you.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mac-virus-and-recommendations-for-virus-protection/847652/8 "2020-02-11T15:43:02Z")

</div>

> [@AHunter3](#):
>
> There _have ever been_ MacOS viruses. But not recently, and not often. Mac antivirus software stops _Windows viruses_ from being passed on via email. It doesn’t protect you from _Mac_ viruses. There are no Mac virus _definitions_. You can’t define in advance what only exists theoretically. The old stuff can’t infect current operating system environments.
> 
> I don’t think there’s anything intrinsically virus-proof about MacOS but for all intents and purposes there are no Mac viruses. You won’t get one. Every couple years there’s news about a proof of concept exploit, but so far nothing out there “in the wild”, aside from misleading download links to some kind of crapware like MacKeeper that’s annoyingly difficult to delete, but which only spreads by conning you into installing it. Searchpulse probably falls into that category.

Potato, potahto. Apples definitely get malware and Shlayer is killing it right now. People cannot resist the urge to upgrade Flash Player while trying to illegally download TV shows.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mac-virus-and-recommendations-for-virus-protection/847652/9 "2020-02-11T16:13:42Z")

</div>

download the free version of Malwarebytes for Mac.

No need to buy the full version.

{edit: see someone else mentioned it. Ooops}

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mac-virus-and-recommendations-for-virus-protection/847652/10 "2020-02-11T22:04:19Z")

</div>

I gave up on Mac anti virus software in 1995. nVir and Scores were dead, nothing new was coming out. Now days, the new stuff either gets fixed via Apple patches or is fairly easy to remove manually. IIRC, BitDefender tried to install itself on me once last year, but a bit of work with “Find Any File” let me delete every last bit of it. Some folk look on that type of software as helpful. I see it as intrusive malware. I just hide behind my VPN, and am careful what I click on.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mac-virus-and-recommendations-for-virus-protection/847652/11 "2020-02-12T13:09:43Z")

</div>

See if your router or ISP has a deal on any of these that people are suggesting.

On the nonexistent chance that you have an Eero mesh network, their Eero Plus service (\<10/mo) provides several cool features such as adblocking and malware blocking at the router (like a “pi hole”), as well as advanced filtering at the router. More relevant here…they have bundled in licenses for 1Password, Malwarebytes, and a VPN service with their plan.

I didn’t know that for several months, and then when I started looking into malware protection, I found out that I was already covered by my Eero Plus subscription.  
Same for 1Password–when I started grumbling because they were forcing their subscription model, I looked into it and saw that I already was covered for up to 3 family members.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mac-virus-and-recommendations-for-virus-protection/847652/12 "2020-02-12T14:12:56Z")

</div>

[9.9.9.9](https://www.quad9.net)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2020, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-mac-virus-and-recommendations-for-virus-protection/847652/13 "2020-02-12T14:20:30Z")

</div>

[**Freshmac Removal Tool**](https://macsecurity.net/view/273-search-pulse-home-searchpulse-net)

This site has manual directions for removing it yourself, or you can download the Freshmac Removal Tool and let it do it for you. Just follow the prompts shown on the site page.