Best Antivirus for Mac: Our User Guide

Moreover, you must keep in mind that Windows and even Linux malware can pose threats to your Mac too. Even if malware is not able to run on Mac, it takes space and uses your computer as spread vector.

To fight any skepticism AV-Test Institute and AV-Comparatives, two independent labs, have confirmed Mac antivirus software actually works to remove malware and web threats.

To be called “virus” a computer program has to obey to two rules: it has to execute itself, and it has to replicate itself in some way. Lately, it has also been called “malware,” a contraction of “malicious software,” to indicate any files or software that intend to harm your data or your PC. If the virus doesn’t need a host file to propagate itself, it is called worm. Depending on its purpose, a malware can be called in many ways.

If it disguises itself as a harmless file or attachment, it’s a trojan virus. Spyware is a particular kind of virus that spy on your computer activities, often using a keylogger to record the exact combination of keys you type to steal sensible data like credit card information or other personal data. When a virus injects unwanted ads in your browser or any other part of your system, you got an adware. A rootkit, instead, is a virus that will grant access to other software to areas of your hard disk that would otherwise be restricted. Ransomware is a tricky kind of virus that lock you out of your data or account and force you to pay a ransom to regain control.

Depending on your situation and the gravity of your infection, there are many things you can do to resolve your problem – or prevent it. If you’re a consumer or a freelance, you’d probably be safe enough with the consumer versions of any antivirus we tried, provided that you keep it updated, and you keep your Mac away from clear menaces. You can find specific software for specific dangers, letting you clean your Mac from threats and prevent attacks.

The first line of defense is, of course, your Mac’s firewall, which you should always activate. Many software houses also make firewall application, often included in their security suites. So you can choose the best internet security suite according to your needs – or your problems. Most of them provide you with a full scan of your system, eradicating malware, adware or spyware from your Mac. This security application verifies every site that you go to and warn you if there’s something suspicious going on; they can do the same check on links found on your social network feeds.

Some security suites, almost always the most expensive ones, add some parental control features to the mix, letting you block access to inappropriate content to other users of your Mac. Anti-phishing means are deployed to every message you receive (and then click through), to verify they aren’t scam baits that trick you into put personal information such as credit card passcodes or private password into fake sites.

If you run a business environment, your IT department probably has already set up many resources to protect the company digital safety, which typically means end-to-end encryption, file server scanning, email server protection, and a much more robust firewall. Enterprise versions usually give IT administrators granular control over company machines, and at the same time, they can apply different security policies to different users or group of employees. As per the consumer edition, it’s vital that an antivirus can successfully block a zero-day exploit, which means that the antivirus engine is finely tuned to recognize and neutralize malware that is still not yet labeled as a known threat.

The most robust internet security policy is very simple: be careful on every site you browse, don’t download anything (especially from a site you don’t trust), don’t click on attachments from email coming from somebody that’s not already among your contacts. Remember: the weak link, in this case, isn’t the virus, isn’t the computer: it is the user. You.