The most important thing is to keep up with system updates.

Go to system preferences>Security & Privacy and set "Allow apps downloaded from" to either App Store or App Store and identified Developers.

In Safari>Preferences> General, make sure that "Open 'safe' files after downloading" is turned off.

ETA Under normal circumstances, actual anti-virus software tends to cause more problems than it solves on macs, but if it makes you more comfortable, by all means try it.

There are things that are not actually virus software that you can use that are probably more useful, like Little Snitch, which makes every connection visible so you can see if anything is phoning home.

Never downloand anything from macupdate. Not viruses exactly, but they pack all kinds of other crud into their installers.

Do NOT install mac keeper, ever.

Oh my goodness....that article made my head spin Pudgeder! I don't have anything installed currently and I don't know what to pick now. :)

Hijacking thread a little...

Should I be using Safari instead of Chrome?

Should I not have flash? I'm confused about plug ins. I had to install it about a month ago for something so now I have it on both browsers but have it set up to ask first.

It's a very good article. Go back and read it again, shee. Essentially, Apple finds out about these things just about as soon as the AV companies most of the time. Yes, there is Mac malware, but the great majority of it works by fooling you into installing it. Never click a link in an email, unless it's something you started, like if you requested a password reset. Otherwise, if you get an email that seems to come from, say, your bank, go to their site and use the contact options there instead of the link in the email.

Yes, flash is bad news. It's no longer included in the OS, and in these days when most people get to the web via their phones (no flash there), it's not so necessary, either, although there are apps which require it, like Adobe products. But if you have flash, you will always get the flash version instead of the html5 version of videos, etc

Flash is baked into chrome. If you use chrome, you are going to have flash as part of it, in addition to everything you do in your browser being sent to google.

Thank you all for posting! I will read it all later this evening-so glad to get your information.

I don't use any virus protection on my macs -- just make sure the software updates are updated.

We have become a mac only family after years of resisting and don't use any virus software. As the first response said, keep up with updates and remember that not much in life is free so don't download plug-ins and freebies without researching it first.

I always tell people that the $150 a year I save in virus software over 4 years more than equalizes the prices between Macs and PCs. Plus we have macs still going strong after 6 years and I never got more than 2-3 out of a PC.

I've been a Mac user since 2007. Recently had to buy a new MacBook Pro, because I could no longer update software. Have never had virus protection.

I've had apple computers for more than 18 years and never had a problem. Right now we have a huge desk model, two computers, two Ipads and a mini Ipad and only do the software updates. My daughter is a regional manager at Apple and told me I never need any virus control, just do the updates.

Ditto keeping up with the updates. Also, I use a free Ad Block software app to keep the pesky ads from popping up. And like others said, be diligent of not opening any emails or attachments you do not trust or even question.

I have Avira Antivirus on my iMac. Always had Macs & never had a virus - ever - but there are such things as viruses developed for Macs, so it's better safe than sorry for me.

DH was negligent in having antivirus on his Mac and he did get infected. I installed Avira for him and that took care of the problem and seems to have prevented further problems.

Where I am employed our computers are all iMac & Mac books.

ALL are automatically updated and ALL of them have an antivirus program installed.