![clamxav for mac clamxav for mac](https://www.macgasm.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/clamxav-1.jpg)
The main differences are that the Mac App Store version does not allow for user virus engines, but more importantly it does not come bundled with Sentry.
![clamxav for mac clamxav for mac](https://static.filehorse.com/screenshots-mac/antivirus-and-spyware/clamxav-screenshot-04.png)
First, the version in the Mac App Store is different from that being offered on ClamXav’s website.
#Clamxav for mac for mac#
While this means that ClamXav takes longer to scan your hard drive than if it only searched for Mac malware, I think it’s a worthy trade.Īll this being said, there are a couple of things to note. And if you have friends and family that use Windows…i think you get the idea. However, the virus could be transferred accidentally from Mac to a Windows computer via an email, a bad link, a flash drive, etc. If a Mac gets a Windows virus, the virus can’t do anything because neither the Mac nor Windows understands what the other is (it’s like two people having a conversation in two different languages, or trying to build something when you can’t read the instructions). The main reason having an antivirus that scans for Mac and Windows malware on the Mac is to prevent what is called the “downstream effect”.
![clamxav for mac clamxav for mac](https://i.pcmag.com/imagery/reviews/04xeIZfjGmXs45je2WTLVmn-12.1569481098.fit_scale.size_760x427.jpg)
You might wonder why this a big deal Windows code won’t run on Mac, so Windows viruses won’t affect that Mac OS. One of the big things I like about ClamXav is the fact that it can not only detect Mac malware, but also Windows malware.
![clamxav for mac clamxav for mac](https://holyfile.com/upload/program5488-1.jpg)
One confusing thing about the scan is that it tells you how many types of viruses the app can detect, but at first glance this almost looks like how many viruses you have on the system, which is simply not true. Performing a scan tells you in real-time any malware it finds, gives them to you in a list, and can be immediately moved to quarantine for review or deleted.
#Clamxav for mac install#
The app also allows more advanced users to perform tasks like running other command line utilities, install their own antivirus engine, etc. The preferences are also fairly easy to go through and set up, setting up simple tasks like what to do if the app detects a virus, email alerts, scheduling scans, etc. There’s also a list of quick folders to scan, though you can always set up other scans, even your whole hard drive. Really simple, with big buttons labeled for starting and stopping scans, updating the definitions, and preferences. ClamXav not only adds an easy user interface, but also has a sentry feature that actively watches your files for any suspicious activity. But Clamav has traditionally been run as a command line program, simply meaning there’s no easy buttons to push. ClamXav takes that engine and lets it run on OSX (hence the X in ClamXav). ClamXav is based on the popular Clamav, a commonly used, open source antivirus on Linux, as well as Windows. I see all of these things and plenty of security in ClamXav.ĬlamXav is an open source antivirus for Mac. And open-source also tends to lead to innovation.
#Clamxav for mac software#
It also means anyone who knows any code can generally take open source software and change it to their needs, so long as they give at least some reference to the original code. Open-source is almost inherently a community activity. Part of it is certainly that open-source stuff tends to be free (LibreOffice, Firefox, just to name a couple), but it also helps bring people together. I am a fan of open-source, no doubt about it.