Intego?

[rainbowcat]

I've used the free version of Intego for years. It used to work quickly in the background. Now it takes hours (literally as much as 6 hours!) and makes both my iMac and MBA run like glue while it's scanning. Has something changed with Intego? Any other recommendations for protection? TIA

 

[RadDave]

I've used the free version of Intego for years. It used to work quickly in the background. Now it takes hours (literally as much as 6 hours!) and makes both my iMac and MBA run like glue while it's scanning. Has something changed with Intego? Any other recommendations for protection? TIA

Hi Rainbowcat - first, I'm assuming that you're talking about the 'free' Virus BarrierScanner from Intego? Second, if so I've used the app for years (highly recommended here) - seemed to worked fine and relatively fast on my older Intel Macs except that temps always went way UP! and turned on the fans.

Now own my new M2 Air and M3 iMac - no fans - I've also been frustrated with the 'turtle's pace' of this Intego virus engine in the last several years. This afternoon I ran Virus BarrierScanner on my M2 Air - results below, i.e. scanning minutes vs. files scanned - at 2 1/2 hours only 4000 files were scanned (doing my home directory - Finder states 95,894,210,653 bytes (95.81 GB on disk) for 179,647 items) - well I wasn't going to wait for 100K+ files being scanned - looking forward to comments - don't want to start paying for AV etc software on my Macs but NEED 'something' faster - Dave
.

 

[rainbowcat]

Hi Rainbowcat - first, I'm assuming that you're talking about the 'free' Virus BarrierScanner from Intego? Second, if so I've used the app for years (highly recommended here) - seemed to worked fine and relatively fast on my older Intel Macs except that temps always went way UP! and turned on the fans.

Now own my new M2 Air and M3 iMac - no fans - I've also been frustrated with the 'turtle's pace' of this Intego virus engine in the last several years. This afternoon I ran Virus BarrierScanner on my M2 Air - results below, i.e. scanning minutes vs. files scanned - at 2 1/2 hours only 4000 files were scanned (doing my home directory - Finder states 95,894,210,653 bytes (95.81 GB on disk) for 179,647 items) - well I wasn't going to wait for 100K+ files being scanned - looking forward to comments - don't want to start paying for AV etc software on my Macs but NEED 'something' faster - Dave
.
View attachment 39494

Thanks Dave. Kinda glad it's not just me - thought I screwed something up.

 

[tewatson]

Tried the program for a couple months on my 2023 M2 MacBook. After installing Sonoma, it could not get through a scan without crashing and forced reboot. 100% repeatable. Finally just deleted it - not worth the hassle.

I like the simplicity and interface though. Will revisit when they release a Sonoma-compatible update.

Tom

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Tried the program for a couple months on my 2023 M2 MacBook. After installing Sonoma, it could not get through a scan without crashing and forced reboot.

The full commercial version of VirusBarrier is both Apple Silicon-native, and if you update to version 10.9.77 or later, it is compatible with Sonoma. Here is how to check your version of VirusBarrier and to update it:

https://support.intego.com/hc/en-us/articles/224854468-Checking-For-Updates-To-Intego-Software

VirusBarrier Scanner, as best as I can tell, hasn't been updated in three years. I can't tell if it is Apple Silicon-native or if it is fully compatible with Sonoma.

Some folks have reported that it is running slow for them. However, it still works. The temporary solution seems to be not to have it scan your entire drive every time, but instead just have it scan new software that you have downloaded, and maybe your download folder for your e-mail program, which are the only vectors through which you might become infected.

 

[IWT]

Very useful info, Randy as always.

The OP may wish to read this page from Intego, which was a response to the Question: "Do you have a version of Intego VirusBarrier suitable for Apple OS Sonoma and on an Apple M2 Max?"

https://support.intego.com/hc/en-us/articles/8247585738386-Is-My-Intego-Software-Compatible-With-macOS-Sonoma

Ian

 

[rainbowcat]

The full commercial version of VirusBarrier is both Apple Silicon-native, and if you update to version 10.9.77 or later, it is compatible with Sonoma. Here is how to check your version of VirusBarrier and to update it:

https://support.intego.com/hc/en-us/articles/224854468-Checking-For-Updates-To-Intego-Software

VirusBarrier Scanner, as best as I can tell, hasn't been updated in three years. I can't tell if it is Apple Silicon-native or if it is fully compatible with Sonoma.

Some folks have reported that it is running slow for them. However, it still works. The temporary solution seems to be not to have it scan your entire drive every time, but instead just have it scan new software that you have downloaded, and maybe your download folder for your e-mail program, which are the only vectors through which you might become infected.

Thanks Randy. I'll try the manual scan for just those folders.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Any other recommendations for protection?

Do you need to have something that is as effective as VirusBarrier Scanner (VBS), which is also *free*?

I don't think that there is anything that is both free, as effective as VBS, and which won't cause problems of its own. I also don't know of any such product that is both Apple Silicon and Sonoma native.

I'm still looking around at the options. (Developers are surprisingly reticent to give the specs for their products.)

But at this point, I think that my number one recommendation, if you feel that you *must* have a third party anti-virus product, would be Intego's full commercial version of VirusBarrier at $20/year:

Intego Antivirus Store

sites.fastspring.com

However, I think that if you are using macOS 12 (Monterey) or above, you already have all the malware protection that you need:

Last Week on My Mac: Is your Mac still secure from malware?

If you’re still running macOS Mojave or earlier, now is the time to take action to ensure your Mac maintains protection against malware.

eclecticlight.co

 

[RadDave]

The full commercial version of VirusBarrier is both Apple Silicon-native, and if you update to version 10.9.77 or later, it is compatible with Sonoma. Here is how to check your version of VirusBarrier and to update it:

https://support.intego.com/hc/en-us/articles/224854468-Checking-For-Updates-To-Intego-Software

VirusBarrier Scanner, as best as I can tell, hasn't been updated in three years. I can't tell if it is Apple Silicon-native or if it is fully compatible with Sonoma.

Some folks have reported that it is running slow for them. However, it still works. The temporary solution seems to be not to have it scan your entire drive every time, but instead just have it scan new software that you have downloaded, and maybe your download folder for your e-mail program, which are the only vectors through which you might become infected.

Very useful info, Randy as always.

The OP may wish to read this page from Intego, which was a response to the Question: "Do you have a version of Intego VirusBarrier suitable for Apple OS Sonoma and on an Apple M2 Max?"

https://support.intego.com/hc/en-us/articles/8247585738386-Is-My-Intego-Software-Compatible-With-macOS-Sonoma

Ian

Hello Guys - both links above provide update information but much higher version numbers and the icons don't match what is on my computers for the 'free' app - below is the icon I see which does not appear in the top menu bar when opened; nor does the settings choices in the Intego menu options provide anyway to update (although the definitions are up to date) - plus my version is 1.2 and is 3 years old; also states support for M1 Macs and pre-dates Sonoma (and this is still what the App store is offering).

I'm assuming those links apply to the paid versions of the Intego products - I do not have this app running constantly and use only when 'something' fishy happens on my computers which is rare - so is the 'free' Intego product 'kaput' and is a payment necessary for its use on current Apple hardware/software? Dave
.

 

[RadDave]

Hi All - decided to send Intego a message (w/ my SLOW scan chart in my previous post) - received a quick response from Jessica below - apparently they are working w/ Apple to release an update - when?

She suggested turning off the 'Archives' option - not sure how many of these files are on my laptop - guess I could search Finder? Dave

*******************************************************************************************************************

Jessica (Intego)

Jun 4, 2024, 12:10 CDT

Hello Dave,

Thank you for your request.

We are working with Apple to release and update to VirusBarrier Scanner via the App Store. This update would upgrade the scanning functionality to match what is currently in use for our VirusBarrier X9 software. But we do not have an estimated release for this update.

Something that can be adjusted in the mean time would be to open the scan settings and disable the option to scan archives.

That should help with the scan time and behavior.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions or if I can assist in any way.


Kind Regards,

Jessica
Intego Support Team

 

[rainbowcat]

Hi All - decided to send Intego a message (w/ my SLOW scan chart in my previous post) - received a quick response from Jessica below - apparently they are working w/ Apple to release an update - when?

She suggested turning off the 'Archives' option - not sure how many of these files are on my laptop - guess I could search Finder? Dave

*******************************************************************************************************************

Jessica (Intego)

Jun 4, 2024, 12:10 CDT

Hello Dave,

Thank you for your request.

We are working with Apple to release and update to VirusBarrier Scanner via the App Store. This update would upgrade the scanning functionality to match what is currently in use for our VirusBarrier X9 software. But we do not have an estimated release for this update.

Something that can be adjusted in the mean time would be to open the scan settings and disable the option to scan archives.

That should help with the scan time and behavior.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions or if I can assist in any way.


Kind Regards,

Jessica
Intego Support Team

Thanks for checking. I'll stick with the free version though. Not sure I really need anything, as I'm very careful, but ya never know...

 

[Rod]

For starters I know don't really need it but like others I have noted scanning the Macintosh HD like I used to on my old Intel MBP is pointless. It takes "forever" on a silicon MBP. Scanning just my Home folder is much faster but as stated I don't really need it. There is more than enough protection built in.
I recommend DetectX Swift; DetectX
That's all I use now and infrequently at that.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Hello Guys - both links above provide update information but much higher version numbers and the icons don't match what is on my computers for the 'free' app ...

In my post, above, when I refer to "VirusBarrier Scanner," that's the free version. And I addressed the fact that it hasn't been updated in three years.

I'm assuming those links apply to the paid versions of the Intego products - I

Yes, the links that were given refer to the paid verison of VirusBarrier.

do not have this app running constantly and use only when 'something' fishy happens on my computers which is rare

If you are running a recent version of the Mac OS, you should never have to worry about malware in any case. The OS has built-in anti-malware software that should be at least as good as any commercial software.

- so is the 'free' Intego product 'kaput' and is a payment necessary for its use on current Apple hardware/software?

As I stated in a previous post, the free version is still available, and it still works. It just works slowly. There is no indication if the free version is Apple Silicon-native or if it is 100% compatible with Sonoma, but it does work, if slowly. Until Intego posts something, there is no indication when they might update the free version.

However, if you are running an Apple Silicon-based Mac, YOU DON"T NEED a third party anti-virus program. Even prior to Apple Silicon-based Macs, what Intego's free version of VirusBarrier was really for was 1) people who work somewhere that requires that they have third party anti-virus software installed or 2) for folks who are paranoid and won't accept that the Macintosh isn't Windows. The Mac OS has been protecting you with multiple levels of anti-mailware protection for many years now.

 

[rainbowcat]

In my post, above, when I refer to "VirusBarrier Scanner," that's the free version. And I addressed the fact that it hasn't been updated in three years.



Yes, the links that were given refer to the paid verison of VirusBarrier.



If you are running a recent version of the Mac OS, you should never have to worry about malware in any case. The OS has built-in anti-malware software that should be at least as good as any commercial software.



As I stated in a previous post, the free version is still available, and it still works. It just works slowly. There is no indication if the free version is Apple Silicon-native or if it is 100% compatible with Sonoma, but it does work, if slowly. Until Intego posts something, there is no indication when they might update the free version.

However, if you are running an Apple Silicon-based Mac, YOU DON"T NEED a third party anti-virus program. Even prior to Apple Silicon-based Macs, what Intego's free version of VirusBarrier was really for was 1) people who work somewhere that requires that they have third party anti-virus software installed or 2) for folks who are paranoid and won't accept that the Macintosh isn't Windows. The Mac OS has been protecting you with multiple levels of anti-mailware protection for many years now.

Yeah, I think I'm done with the whole anti-virus thing. Thanks Randy.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

Yeah, I think I'm done with the whole anti-virus thing. Thanks Randy.

I think that the overwhelming number of Macintosh users do totally without any third party anti-virus software.

I can tell you that, because my business requires it (not because I think that it's necessary), I've used the full commercial version of VirusBarrier for over 20 years now. In all that time, it's never "saved me" from anything that I needed saving from. And I surf the Web and download software to try with impunity. It's not that VirusBarrier isn't a good product. VirusBarrier has won all sorts of comparison tests and is widely considered to be the best anti-virus software for the Macintosh. There just hasn't been much in the wild to protect against.

Have a look at:

The Practical Guide To Mac Security: Part 9, Do You Need Anti-Virus Software?

You don't need third-party anti-virus software on your Mac. In fact, your Mac already comes with anti-malware software as part of macOS.

macmost.com

 

[Rod]

This all tallies with my current understandings. No real need for anti virus anymore on a M series MBP but I keep Detect X because it's lightweight and has occasionally given me the option to quarantine some files eg Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) installed accidentally or perhaps maliciously and usually harmless.
I can quarantine and if nothing seems amiss erase or just leave quarantined. As for virus' and malware I have never found any with Detect X or Intego for that matter.

 

[IWT]

+++ exactly my experience as described by Rod.

Ian