Contrary to popular belief, Macs can get viruses – so you should always have an up-to-date antivirus program installed.
While it’s certainly true that viruses and other forms of malware are less common on Macs, they do exist, and are becoming more prolific as Apple gain a larger share of the market. Viruses are designed to infect as many machines as possible, and because most users worldwide use PCs with Windows installed, it makes sense to target this operating system. This is particularly true when it comes to ransomware, which is created and spread in order to make a profit; it makes good business sense to target as many users as possible. Because Apple only accounts for around 9.6-13% of the OS market, it’s logical that cybercriminals will target Windows OS-run machines, which make up 77-87.9% of the market. However, Mac threats are still out there, though - according to a report from Malwarebytes, Mac threats increased by 400% in 2019 alone. For this reason, it’s important to install antivirus software on your Mac. Here are two of the best currently available – Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac, and Intego Mac Internet Security
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac
This Mac antivirus software has consistently got top marks from independent testing labs, and it’s not hard to see why. Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac can also detect Windows viruses, ensuring your machine doesn’t act as a carrier to infect other machines. A quick scan takes around a minute, while a full scan can take upwards of an hour; although subsequent scans will be much quicker, as Bitdefender knows which files have changed. There is also a Safe Files feature, which protects changes on files in certain folders from unauthorised apps. By default, this protects files in the Desktop, Documents, Downloads and Pictures folders, but any folder can be added. This feature is designed to protect your Mac against ransomware attacks by preventing files from being encrypted. The Time Machine Protection feature, as the name suggests, protects your Time Machine backups from being encrypted by ransomware, too. There is also a VPN tool included in the subscription price, but this is a stripped back version of Bitdefender Premium VPN, with a limit of 200MB of data per day, and you can’t choose to connect to a country outside of the UK. A three-device license is currently £19.99 for a year, or £17.99 for one device.
Intego Mac Internet Security X9
Intego’s virus scanner is called VirusBarrier, and is simple and easy to use. It allows you to perform a standard antivirus scan, but also includes a real-time scan feature and the ability to schedule antivirus scans. You can also choose to scan particular folders, such as your Downloads, if you are adding or modifying files in specific locations more than others. There are three levels of coverage – Minimum, Standard, and Maximum. Minimum offers basic protection, and scans emails for potentially dangerous content. The Standard scan offers full antivirus protection for your Mac, and also scans for Windows malware, too. Finally, the Maximum scan offers protection against new threats by performing scans after malware definition updates. The Safe Browsing feature protects you from malicious links on websites and in emails, and you’ll be alerted if you click on one. Intego’s NetBarrier feature is a firewall that beats Mac’s default firewall. You can set it to kick in on all networks, or just select ones, like public Wi-Fi hotspots. The Applications tab lists all software that is connected to the internet, allowing you to spot potentially malicious software that could be stealing your private information. This fantastic Mac antivirus software is currently available for £17.99 a year for one Mac, although the standard price is £49.99.
