Tidbits: Should Mac Users Run Antivirus Software?
Tidbits: Should Mac Users Run Antivirus Software? “I do not recommend desktop antivirus software for the average Mac user, but you need to take other precautions.”
I don't run antivirus software on any of my Mac OS X machines. In reading through the other things he says, I think that this article is something that Mac OS X users of all levels need to read. Most of this stuff is common sense to me, but it may not be common sense to you. The single most important thing to keep in mind, which he does not come out and explicitly say, is that you should not immediately trust anything online. That email that seems to be from your bank, or ebay or paypal probably is not. Look carefully at links before following them, and don't trust any source of information or software without first verifying that they are legitimate.
This can sometimes be very hard for a non-technical user to figure out, but I recommend that you err on the side of caution.