Just found out the Mcafee offered here at the Uni is not the full package; so it's not as bloated. My IT guy stopped using it and uses Microsoft Security Essentials now.

 

I suppose it's not news to anyone but as a Mac user, all this stuff is MUCH less prevalent. Few Mac users I know ever use anything for security beyond the default OS settings. No Mac is shipped with bloatware and surprise-ware is very rare, until you encounter Google at least, but even they don't do things without telling you. (Well, sort of, they don't always disclose all the implications.)

Every once in a great while I'll encounter a website that takes over Safari with an endless pop-up stream, requiring it to be restarted. That's about it.

 

I do believe Apple springs some unwelcome suprises of its own on unwary users these days.

 

Certainly true! They tread lightly but it can seem harsh as your equipment ages.

 

Your computer might not be a target, but all the major players ... i.e. your namesake certainly are.

After I install any program, I go to control panel to see what else it might have installed for immediate removal.

They can handle the outside threat easily and have been doing so for longer than PC computers have existed. Every major security failure has been from an insider with some level of granted access. All security depends on trust and the operators of the system. If I sent a email asking you to run a program as 'root/admin' on a system even with security-focused Linux distro would you do it even if means a $100m dollar award from a Nigerian Prince?

I only accept incoming SSH and HTTP to a warning page on the Linux64 firewall. A good system to check for simple exploits is GRG ShieldsUp . (Beware they are selling stuff)
https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

 

All security depends on trust and the operators of the system. If I sent a email asking you to run a program as 'root/admin' on a system even with security-focused Linux distro would you do it even if means a $100m dollar award from a Nigerian Prince?

What I find amusing is the "Thumb Drive in the Parking lot or Office Floor" then Mark it something like the Name of a Supervisor. It's a sure bet they will open every folder or program.

kv

 

What I find amusing is the "Thumb Drive in the Parking lot or Office Floor" then Mark it something like the Name of a Supervisor. It's a sure bet they will open every folder or program.

kv

 

They can handle the outside threat easily and have been doing so for longer than PC computers have existed. Every major security failure has been from an insider with some level of granted access. All security depends on trust and the operators of the system. If I sent a email asking you to run a program as 'root/admin' on a system even with security-focused Linux distro would you do it even if means a $100m dollar award from a Nigerian Prince?

I only accept incoming SSH and HTTP to a warning page on the Linux64 firewall. A good system to check for simple exploits is GRG ShieldsUp . (Beware they are selling stuff)
https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

Sorry nsas but by reading the above, common people cannot deal with all that. And then, greediness... ¡Oh sí!