#Do We Need Antivirus Mac OS X Protects#

Do We Need Antivirus Mac OS X Protects

However, if you cast an eye across the modern threat landscape, itвЂ™s clear enough that Mac malware is not a danger you should take lightly - and antivirus software is clearly a good start to stay safe.Despite constant claims that the Mac is immune to computer cooties, some folks remain unconvinced. However, recent findings suggest that Mac is not immune to viruses, trojans, backdoors, adware, spyware, and other nefarious applications.Mac antivirus apps have been regarded as rather superfluous in the past вЂ“ at least by some folks - and there are probably those who believe that this remains the case even today. We all must have heard most of the Mac users say that 'Mac doesn't need antivirus software' and believe that Mac OS X protects you against all threats already.

Furthermore, this suiteвЂ™s interface is user-friendly on an overall level. As well as picking up on Mac-based malware, Internet Security X9 will detect Windows threats too, because while these may not affect your own machine, you could pass them on to friends running MicrosoftвЂ™s operating system.Note that those who are actually running Windows systems as well as Macs can benefit from a dual protection option, whereby they get Mac Internet Security X9, plus protection from Panda for a single Windows-based computer (for only a small extra fee).The NetBarrier X9 firewall is easy-to-use on a basic level, yet highly configurable, providing an impressive level of depth with its protection. Going by recent reports from the independent testing labs, this package is right up there with the likes of Bitdefender, Kaspersky, and the other big-name antivirus vendors that are consistently present at the top of the rankings.You get real-time antivirus protection, automated scans, and the app ensures that it stays fully up-to-date with the latest definitions. Best Mac antivirus: the top 5 you can get todayInternet Security X9 consists of two central pillars: VirusBarrier X9, which defends your machine against malware, and NetBarrier X9, a firewall which provides network protection against intruders and other threats.As far as the core Mac antivirus protection goes, IntegoвЂ™s defenses are highly rated. Read on to find out our top picks for the best Mac antivirus.

That said, youвЂ™re still getting plenty of functionality on the Mac, for sure.You can grab Bitdefender Total Security now from the provider's website.Kaspersky Total Security is the flagship antivirus product from the security firm in much the same vein as BitdefenderвЂ™s offering above вЂ“ and the similarity continues in terms of the excellent anti-malware protection you get, with Kaspersky also achieving top marks from the independent testing labs for the quality of its antivirus engine.Again, you can protect up to 10 devices with this suite, and they can be Macs, Windows PCs, iOS or Android phones, so itвЂ™s a great choice for families, or those who have a lot of hardware across various platforms.You get a decent helping of features with Kaspersky Total Security, including parental controls, and a robust integrated password manager, which allows you to sync passwords over not just Macs, but all your devices (and has form auto-filling plus other benefits). The main downside is that there are some Windows-only features which arenвЂ™t available to Mac users, including Total SecurityвЂ™s firewall, anti-spam and extras like the Wi-Fi security advisor. ThatвЂ™s really only going to help in a pinch here and there, but still, itвЂ™s better than nothing.Overall, then, this is a very tempting offering, particularly for those who own not just a Mac, but lots of other devices. Indeed, its Mac antivirus capabilities (and BitdefenderвЂ™s defenses across other platforms) are top-notch according to the ratings from both major independent testing labs.The Mac protection delivered includes not just anti-malware capabilities, but adware defeating measures, and excellent anti-phishing protection to keep you safer when on the web (parental controls are also provided to help make sure that your kids stay safe online, too).Another interesting bonus is Time Machine protection which ensures that your backups wonвЂ™t be nuked by ransomware (should you be unfortunate enough to suffer such an attack).As a further feature, you also get BitdefenderвЂ™s VPN integrated with this package, giving you added security and privacy when online вЂ“ although the catch is, itвЂ™s a very limited version which only allows for 200MB daily usage. Overall, Intego gives you great all-round protection and an app which is designed for the Mac from the ground-up, with some truly capable features including that intelligent firewall.Total Security is, as you might guess from the name, BitdefenderвЂ™s top-end security package, and part of the strength here is that youвЂ™re buying a suite that covers not just Macs, but also Windows PCs, and Android along with iOS mobile phones.If you have a lot of hardware, Bitdefender Total Security is a great choice because it allows for the protection of up to 10 devices, offering good value for the level of coverage given.Of course, no matter how big the umbrella, if the canopy is leaky, itвЂ™s not much use вЂ“ but fortunately BitdefenderвЂ™s security doesnвЂ™t have any holes.

But you still get a good number of features, although you do pay for the privilege.In fact, just the basic coverage for 3 devices with Trend Micro Maximum Security looks a somewhat expensive option compared to some of the other suites weвЂ™ve highlighted here, and if you want a subscription for the maximum amount of devices (10), things get really pricey. A competent password manager is a nice bonus, too.On the downside, as weвЂ™ve seen with a lot of these cross-platform products, some of the Windows features arenвЂ™t ported to the Mac вЂ“ like online banking protection in Trend MicroвЂ™s case. That includes parental controls, a second layer of defense against ransomware called Folder Shield, and a privacy scanner that helps to check your social media account settings to ensure that theyвЂ™re okay (this can often be a confusing area). Indeed, in terms of Mac antivirus apps this product is rated alongside the best going by the latest reports from both AV-Test and AV-Comparatives.Trend Micro also scores highly for being easy-to-use, and the Mac version provides a host of features aside from basic antivirus protection. So, for example, parental controls, or Norton Cloud Backup вЂ“ which offers 50GB of online storage вЂ“ are only available for Windows users.Still, itвЂ™s not uncommon for these cross-platform suites to miss out some features for Mac, and you get plenty for your money here in a lightweight app that wonвЂ™t weigh your system down.Not cheap, particularly for a lot of devicesTrend Micro Maximum Security is another cross-platform offering that covers not just Macs, but Windows PCs, plus Android and iOS mobiles, and it scores extremely well for antivirus protection with the independent testing labs.

Do We Need Antivirus For Mac