Unless you have a Mac computer, the answer to that question is always yes. As technologies advance and Apple computers become more popular, then the answer to that question will become yes, regardless of what operating system you may have.
In the past, hackers didn’t focus their attention on hacking Apple’s operating system because the computers were less prevalent and people couldn’t afford them.
However, Apple computers are now more popular and people are willing to pay a higher price tag for a more reliable system. Therefore, 2013 was the year when Apple made their software more secure because hackers were turning towards them and focusing their attention on breaching their systems.
Now, you will see that you get a firewall built into the OS X software and more App companies are offering security systems for the OS X. Some companies are even offering security software for the earlier versions of Apple operating systems. That is how much more dangerous the computing world has become.
Is virus software a must?
Some software companies offer their virus programs for a very high price because they know that users will have no choice. But, they now offer versions of their software for free.
If you have just bought a new computer and you don’t think you need to bother with virus software, then you are being a bit naïve about how dangerous virus’ can be.
If a virus gets into your computer, it can:
- Shut down the software completely until you pay a fee
- Record whatever you are typing on your computer, including bank details
- Just sit in the background and record everything that you do and then wait to strike later
- Tell you that you have a virus and when you click the link for the fix, you are actually infecting the computer yourself
- Steal your identity, especially if you use the computer for shopping and booking on flights
Virus’ are not just passive things that will go away eventually. They can wreck your life, so they are taken seriously. You shouldn’t have the attitude that you don’t want anti-virus software because it will never happen to you.
If you leave your computer vulnerable, it will happen to you and it will happen to you a lot, until you protect yourself. You should think of getting anti-virus software as the same as getting a vaccination against a disease.You can of getting the disease, you wouldn’t skip getting vaccinated, would you?
Price
The main thing that might put new users off anti-virus software is the price. Some companies offer software at too higher price and new users are more likely to think that they will save their money and just hope their firewall does not get breached.
A firewall is like a built-in blocking system that does not let hackers into your computer through the ports that you have opened to access the Internet. They are good as a first line of defence, but you must have another piece of software as a backup.
There are sellers out there, on the internet, that offer virus software at a reduced price. Sometimes they have just made a deal with the manufacturer for bulk orders, and other times they are able to offer coupons for deals on the price for the customers. This makes the software very affordable.