Anti Virus For Mac

[Eugene]

One of the most amazing benefits of being a Mac user is that you simply aren’t as prone to malicious virtual attackers. The primary reason for this is that the core architecture of OS X is designed to be secure right out of the box.
So why is this architecture so secure? One of many answers is that OS X heavily restricts global actions that can be performed by third party applications and utilities. What this means on a practical level is that if you hypothetically downloaded something that was tainted, it shouldn’t be able to get at your important system files.
This technique, known as “Sandboxing,” essentially blocks those silly people who sit around and create viruses (seriously, get a life man!) from doing too much damage.

Norton AntiVirus
That’s right, the same people that keep all those PC users safe from the never-ending sea of Windows attacks also offer protection to Mac users.

Features:

• Antivirus
  
• Internet Worm Protection
  
• Automatically detects and removes viruses
  
• Scans and cleans downloaded files and email attachments
  
• Protects against attacks that target software vulnerabilities
  
• Delivers industry-leading protection in the background, so you can work and play without any noticeable impact on performance
  

McAfee VirusScan
McAfee is another big name in virus protection. VirusScan promises to protect you against “all types of viruses and malicious code, even new unknown threats.”

Features:

• Continuous policy enforcement for multiple files, directories, or volumes, including volumes on remote computers connected through the network.
  
• Protects your Macintosh systems against all types of viruses and other threats, including emerging malware.
  
• Uses the Mac OS X interface, you can initiate on-demand scanning using file drag and drop
  
• Scans files as they are accessed to determine if they are infected with malware
  

ProtectMac
For what it’s worth, ProtectMac is definitely one of the more attractive options on the market. I’m much more prone to trust someone with the protection of my Mac if they prove they really understand OS X by actually developing an application that looks and feels right at home on Snow Leopard.

Features:

• Designed by security experts to keep you protected from today’s computer threats.
  
• Real-time file-access scans, scheduled background scans, user scans,
• Finder scans and automatic scans of volumes.
  
• Learns which files and applications are important to you, ensuring that access to these ‘hot’ files is as quick as possible without compromising computer security

iAntiVirus
iAntiVirus is attractive, extremely easy to use and claims to be “designed from the ground up to detect and remove Mac specific threats.”

Features:

• Perform a variety of scan types
  
• Protects your Mac against infections in real time
  
• Quarantines all detected infections, allowing you to easily view and restore items in the case of a false positive
  
• Designed to work silently in the background, threats are blocked and removed without any system impact

VirusBarrier X6
VirusBarrier X6 definitely has an interface that’s all its own and claims to be the “only antivirus program for Mac that includes full anti-malware protection together with firewall, network protection, anti-phishing, anti-spyware features and more.”

Features:

• Includes a powerful two-way firewall, extending the program’s protection beyond detecting and eradicating malware
  
• Protects users from intrusions, attacks and booby-trapped web pages
  
• Detects suspicious actions carried out by applications that may be malicious
  
• Protects users from phishing web sites that try to trick them into entering personal information
  
• Users can choose a level of CPU time to be allocated to background scans

Source
Enjoy!

[Fragma]

You explained why Apple Macs don't require Anti-Virus software and then posted various versions of Anti-Virus software which can protect your Mac.

I think it's a fantastic guide but to make it even better, you should explain how, although Apple Macs may seem like they are indestructible when it comes to malicious software, that in fact it is not impossible to become infected. Hence the reason that there are Anti-Virus packages available for Mac users.

Thanks.

[Sharkey]

Why would you need this for Mac? I thought they don't get viruses.

[Eugene]

Well if you would have read the beginning text it say's that "you simply aren’t as prone to malicious virtual attackers"
That mean it's pretty safe but there are viruses out there for any system.

[Slug]

Yeah I just learned that, I thought Mac's have like a 0.01% of getting viruses, good post if I ever Mac i'll look at this as the only reason I want one is because it gets less viruses.

[xTiNgUiSh]

Thanks for posting this. It is a great reference. I personally don't use an AV.

[KissXsis]

I personally use iAntivirus. But then again, Mac is just that awesome and isn't prone to viruses like a PC.

[Shirosaki.]

Mac antiviruses or useless no ?

[Zankza]

I never knew there was acutal serious AV companys(product for MAC) till now, But i still wont be needing those even if i had an Mac anyway.

[ariton]

My friend uses VirusBarrier X6. It's the best in his opinion.