Do I need a security programme = Nortons etc for my imac and iphone? Lots of talk about this on radio with experts and they all say yes - what does Apple say?
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
Original Title: apple security
iPhone 17, iOS 26
Petra01 wrote:
Do I need a security programme = Nortons etc for my imac and iphone? Lots of talk about this on radio with experts and they all say yes - what does Apple say?
No one here can represent Apple.
Apple includes built-in security and anti-malware software. Details: Apple Platform Security - Apple Support
Squint, and more than a little of the add-on anti-malware looks and works like malware too, but with an end-user license agreement and an installer.
Some of the better-known Mac anti-malware was caught and fined for collecting and reselling personally-identified metadata including online purchases. Not fined because they collected and sold that metadata, but fined because they didn’t disclose that activity in the end-user license agreement. And we all carefully read those agreements.
Some of the other better-known add-on anti-malware for macOS was showing a false positive for months, for a component of macOS.
None of the add-on anti-malware can scan the contents of your iPhone, as the built-in anti-malware blocks that. The add-on anti-malware can scan your network traffic and collect your metadata.
And the ever-popular add-on “coffee shop” VPNs, which badly solve a problem that hasn’t existed for a decade or so, but do so in a way perfect for collecting personally-identified metadata.
Or shorter: No. Not outside of environments end-point security, and those are administered by an IT group.
Petra01 wrote:
Do I need a security programme = Nortons etc for my imac and iphone? Lots of talk about this on radio with experts and they all say yes - what does Apple say?
No one here can represent Apple.
Apple includes built-in security and anti-malware software. Details: Apple Platform Security - Apple Support
Squint, and more than a little of the add-on anti-malware looks and works like malware too, but with an end-user license agreement and an installer.
Some of the better-known Mac anti-malware was caught and fined for collecting and reselling personally-identified metadata including online purchases. Not fined because they collected and sold that metadata, but fined because they didn’t disclose that activity in the end-user license agreement. And we all carefully read those agreements.
Some of the other better-known add-on anti-malware for macOS was showing a false positive for months, for a component of macOS.
None of the add-on anti-malware can scan the contents of your iPhone, as the built-in anti-malware blocks that. The add-on anti-malware can scan your network traffic and collect your metadata.
And the ever-popular add-on “coffee shop” VPNs, which badly solve a problem that hasn’t existed for a decade or so, but do so in a way perfect for collecting personally-identified metadata.
Or shorter: No. Not outside of environments end-point security, and those are administered by an IT group.
Absolutely not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Installing any third party:
apps will only make your computer unstable, slow and do NOTHING that Mac OS does not already do.
All you need to do to keep your Mac fast, secure and stable is to keep Mac OS up-to-date and restart the computer about 1x per week. PLEASE, just Mac OS alone.
Also, this is a user to user forum meaning that Apple does not read or participate in these forums. You will not get a reply from Apple, they are only the hosts for these forums.
Like the others have already mentioned....macOS has great built-in security as long as the user does their part & practice safe computing habits as outlined in the following article:
Effective defenses against malware and other threats - Apple Community
No, you don't.
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Apple's stance on security software for iMac and iPhone
