10 Hot Security Products For Apple's Mac OS X

Mac OS X: Moment's Over

Gone are the days when Apple could revel in its status as the ’malware free’ platform. The company received a harsh wake-up call last month when thousands of users were pummeled with a fake antivirus phishing attack that offered the bogus ’Mac Defender’ software in exchange for users’ credit card information.

Now, with the rise of Mac Defender, Mac Guard and other malware, the Mac OS X has emerged as a prime target for hackers hoping to capitalize on its growing popularity and market share.

Perhaps one of the biggest changes for Mac users is that they no longer have the luxury of becoming complacent about protecting their computers. But here are a few ways you can be secure.

AVAST Free Antivirus for Mac

AVAST Software has released a beta version of its avast! free antivirus for Mac. The new app is available for downloading and testing at the avast! user forum. avast! Mac beta is a new model, not a facelift of the current product. It comes with three separate shields -- Web, Mail, and File system -- and an on-demand scanner. The Web Shield is a completely new build, monitoring and filtering all HTTP traffic from the Internet before sending it on to the browser.

The new Mac antivirus will eventually replace the current avast! for Mac Edition. The new product is designed for computers with Intel chips running the 10.5 and newer OS. A launch date and a final product name will be announced shortly by AVAST Software.

F-Secure Anti-Virus for Mac

The launch of F-Secure Anti-Virus for Mac is a timely response to the increasing demand for Mac protection. The product has been designed with performance in mind, making it easy and fast to use. It provides real-time protection against all Mac-based threats, automatically detecting and removing any malware. Meanwhile, F-Secure’s automatic updates ensure the best possible protection for Macs in today’s rapidly changing threat landscape.

Key features of F-Secure Anti-Virus for Mac include ease of use, designed with performance in mind; real-time antivirus protection with automated updates; a firewall control that turns on the system firewall to improve security; and a panic button instantly blocks all online traffic (except update servers in case of emergency). F-Secure Anti-Virus for Mac is available for consumers from selected operators, through its global eStore and from selected retailers.

Intego Backup Express

Not all Mac products are dedicated solely to security. Mac security vendor Intego recently launched Backup Express, a powerful backup and synchronization tool available exclusively from the Mac App Store. Intego uses its expertise as the Mac security specialist to offer a simple yet powerful tool that backs up important files to every type of media, and that synchronizes selected folders or volumes across Macs.

Intego Backup Express goes beyond Mac OS X’s built-in backup capability, allowing users to back up their valuable files to external hard drives, DVDs, network volumes and more.

Intego Backup Express allows users to back up any or all of the files in their home folder, or on disks or volumes for which they have permissions, whenever they want. Users can create backup scripts and set schedules so backups run automatically, even in the background, or run their scripts with a single click.

Intego VirusBarrier X6

Intego touts VirusBarrier X6 as one of the only antivirus programs for Mac that includes full anti-malware protection together with firewall, network protection, anti-phishing, anti-spyware features and more.

VirusBarrier X6, the latest version of Intego's network and malware security program, includes more than 100 new features. With multiple threat-detection techniques, improved methods of detection, combined detection protocols, proactive behavioral analysis, and a full range of defensive functions, VirusBarrier X6 protects Macs from all known network-based threats, as well as all known malware.

The enhanced features include a powerful two-way firewall, which extend the program’s protection beyond detecting and eradicating malware; protection from intrusions, attacks and booby-trapped Web pages; detection capabilities for suspicious activities by applications that may be malicious; and protection against phishing Web sites that try to trick users into entering personal information.

Kaspersky Lab Open Space Security

Kaspersky Lab has sold consumer Mac security software for years, and also includes Mac security in its business security offerings. As part of the company’s Kaspersky Open Space Security package, administrators can centrally manage Macs in the same console as the rest of their network. Remote deployment, backup and updating are among the other features that can be controlled by the Kaspersky Administration Kit.

McAfee Endpoint Protection for Mac

McAfee Endpoint Protection for Mac is an essential security solution for protecting the data on Mac endpoints. Altogether, McAfee Endpoint Protection stops malware and other security threats targeting the Mac, incorporating an array of protection technologies, including anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall, and application protection, along with centralized management with the McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator (ePO) platform, allowing businesses to secure Mac endpoints and ensure compliance with security policies.

PC Tools iAntiVirus

With PC Tools iAntiVirus, users are protected against some of the most nefarious cyber-threats attempting to gain access to their Macs and personal information.

PC Tools iAntiVirus provides real-time protection and comprehensive system scanning. It also features protection against Mac-specific threats, which enables a high level of protection while keeping a lightweight memory footprint and resource usage that doesn't clutter the database with signatures for Windows-specific threats. The tool works silently in the background, blocking and removing threats without any system impact

The iAntiVirus interface is designed with ease of use, touting simplicity in scanning, removing and managing infections. iAntiVirus also quarantines all detected infections, allowing users to easily view and restore items in the case of a false positives.

Sophos Anti-Virus Protection for Mac

Sophos Anti-Virus Protection for Mac is part of the Sophos Endpoint Security and Data Protection product line.

The free solution provides business grade protection from viruses, Trojans and worms, stopping all familiar and unfamiliar threats with threat quarantining and cleaning. Altogether, the solution features business-quality anti-virus, backed and updated automatically by SophosLabs. It also offers the ability to see and fix problems, set alerts and updates and make policies through one easy interface that installs on all Macs, as well as Windows, Linux and UNIX environments.

In addition, users can choose when and how to scan, for a lower impact on their system.

Symantec Norton Antivirus 11 for Mac

Norton AntiVirus 11 for Mac offers automatic protection against the latest threats with set-and-forget convenience. In addition to comprehensive antivirus protection, Norton AntiVirus for Mac also features vulnerability protection, addressing the avenue where many of today's attacks occur -- through applications connected to the Internet. This technology helps prevent threats from infecting systems and deletes and blocks malware and viruses from installing.

Trend Micro Smart Surfing for Mac

Mac lovers are now protected with Trend Micro Smart Surfing for Mac, which gives users the freedom to shop, bank and surf online while staying safe from attacks on their identity and confidential information. Users can also protect their children from inappropriate Web sites. Some of the key features include protection from viruses, spyware and other malware; antiphishing; and parental controls. The solution also blocks access to unsafe Web pages, and prevents Web sites from installing dangerous software.