If you're happy with 90%, that's fine. I prefer being 100% certain that my Mac is not infected with any OS X malware, because I know that none of the vectors through which infection can occur are present on my system. Because I practice safe computing, not one instance of existing OS X malware in the wild can be introduced to my system, including ones that antivirus apps can detect and including ones that they can't.
Time for me to unsubscribe from this topic
100% of that malware can be avoided by practicing safe computing, without using 3rd party antivirus apps. The report is by a company that is motivated to entice people to use their antivirus product. Completely biased and designed to spread FUD.
Nonsense again. You can do all of those things and still practice safe computing and be malware-free without using 3rd party antivirus apps. How do I know? Because countless millions of Mac users have been doing it for years. Otherwise, you'd hear of rampant exposure and spreading of OS X malware, which isn't the case.
You keep saying this, but no one I know has ever said that. It's not just having a Mac computer. It's running OS X and using your head about the way you use it.
Trojan infection is proof that someone did not practice safe computing, as Trojans can be completely avoided by doing so.
Again, completely false. You don't need antivirus software to know if your OS X system is malware-free, as long as you haven't done anything to allow malware onto your system. All.... repeat: ALL OS X malware currently in the wild can be 100% avoided by practicing safe computing alone, and you can still connect to networks, you can still use email attachments, you can still install apps and plugins and you can still browse the web. 3rd party antivirus apps are not entirely accurate or trustworthy, but for as long as OS X has been in existence, practicing safe computing has a flawless track record. No antivirus app can match that.
I agree that users should be willing and able to adapt to the malware environment. That's why I've said repeatedly that Macs are not immune to malware and that a true OS X virus in the wild is theoretically possible. However, the OS X malware environment has not changed in the past 13 years in the respect that all such malware in the wild can still be successfully, and completely, avoided by prudent user decisions without using 3rd party antivirus software. If a true OS X virus were introduced into the wild, that would change the environment and antivirus software would be a requirement for protection. That has not happened and until it does, the claim that antivirus software is a requirement to be malware-free is absolutely false.
You can't infect OS X simply by downloading or sharing data or by connecting to a network. For infection to occur, you have to install something, which can be avoided by practicing safe computing. No assumption is necessary.
As I already stated, "If you want to run antivirus on OS X because you continually share files with Windows users and want to make sure you don't pass anything on, by all means, do so." There are two separate issues here: protecting an OS X machine from infection, and protecting other machines. You do NOT need antivirus software to protect an OS X computer from malware infection. You MAY choose to run antivirus to make sure you don't pass anything to another computer, but that is inferior to those computers having their own protection from malware, no matter what the source may be.
Taking blood pressure medicine is not 100% guaranteed to prevent me from having a stroke/heart attack but I take it anyway. If it cuts my risk 50% I would be thrilled.
And exactly how do you propose someone could do that if you're practicing safe computing?
I have high blood pressure. I have had it my whole life. So I take blood pressure medicine. Taking blood pressure medicine statistically reduces my chances of having a stroke or heart attack. I have not had cancer, but if I had, I would take whatever measures I could to statistically reduce the odds of me getting it again. If you were at risk of getting skin cancer you wouldn't take the simple precaution of wearing sunscreen? I would.
You're misinformed. There is no such capability in the wild.
Vulnerabilities does not mean exploits exist in the wild. Every OS has vulnerabilities, most of which are patched long before they are ever exploited.
