I used to plug in all sorts of USB drives from friends on my Macbook, confident that I won’t have to worry about any virus attacks or other security problems. But it looks like those days are now over. Apple posted a note on their support site late November “encouraging” users to use anti-virus programs to stay safe online. Apparently, there’s a new trend among cyber-criminals who are targeting Mac users. Instead of spreading viruses via email, they now booby-trap websites so they can steal login names, passwords, or game accounts of Mac users.
However, Apple’s new warning is actually old news. There hasn’t been a breach in security or anything like that – they’re simply recommending the use of anti-virus software on your Mac the same way a doctor would recommend that you use condoms during sex. Here are some good Mac anti-virus softwares you can use to stay protected in the orgy that is the Intarwebs:
Norton Anti-virus 11 – automatically detects and removes viruses, scans e-mail attachments and all downloaded files, and protects against software vulnerabilities
McAfee Virex – guards your Mac against all types of virus, malicious code, and new unknown threats
Intego Virus Barrier – an efficient, non-intrusive anti-virus software that’s easy to use and install
iAntiVirus – a free Mac anti-virus that detects worms, viruses, and other Mac-specific threats
avast! – offers quality protection against viruses, spyware, trojan horses, and other malware threats