Avast Free Mac Security caught 99.9 percent of all malware, packs in a password manager, barely leaves a smudge on system impact and doesn't charge a dime. If only it caught 100 percent of malware. Download the Avast Security for Mac setup file by clicking the button below and save it to a familiar location on your Mac. Download Avast Security for Mac Double-click the downloaded setup file avast_security_online.dmg and select Avast Security.
First things first: yes, your Mac needs virus protection. While malware that targets Macs isn't nearly as common as malware that goes after Windows, it does exist and is a growing problem.
Viruses specifically may not yet be the major concern for the Mac but there are many different kinds of malware to worry about: things like trojans, adware, ransomware, spyware, and lots of other dangerous wares so keeping your computer protected is smart.
Our advice? If you're not using an antimalware program for Mac yet, it's time! Below you'll find the 4 best ones we've found, any of which will keep your Mac safe from these growing threats.
If you're here because your Mac is already infected with some form of malware, try using a friend's Mac to create an emergency Mac OS boot device and then use that to download and install one of these antivirus apps to detect and remove the suspected malware.
Not on a Mac? Check out our updated best free Windows antivirus software and best free Android antivirus apps lists.
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Avast Free Mac Security
What We Like
- Detects several types of malware.
- Blocks your computer from sending and receiving viruses in emails.
- Able to minimize its impact on system resources.
- Includes other security tools.
What We Don't Like
- Some features only work in the pro edition.
- Might take a while to install.
Avast Free Mac Security uses a traditional signature-based method to scan files on your Mac for known malware, Trojans, and viruses. Avast can root out rootkits and other methods that a hacker uses to gain control and is able to pry open compressed files to scan their content.
Beside malware designed for the Mac, Avast also looks for PC malware to help keep cross-platform infections from occurring. You don’t want to be the person sending off infected email attachments to your PC friends.
Avast uses real-time detection that runs in the background. Avast, like other antivirus apps that continually run in the background, can have an impact on your Mac's performance. Avast, however, gives you the option of using its real-time detection, or a scheduling system that can have less impact on your Mac's performance.
- Scheduled scans allow you to set the time for Avast for Mac to run its routine scans for the presence of malware. Moving the scheduled time to when it will least impact your workload is a big plus.
- File shield can check all of the files on your Mac for nefarious content. Files can also be checked by file type or location on your Mac.
- Web shield blocks unsafe websites from loading or downloads from those sites from occurring.
- Mail shield prevents dangerous email attachments from downloading or from being executed.
- Local network scan makes sure your home network and all connected devices are free from vulnerabilities that hackers could make use of to steal personal data.
Avast uses real-time detection that runs in the background. Avast, like other antivirus apps that continually run in the background, can have an impact on your Mac's performance. Avast, however, gives you the option of using its real-time detection, or a scheduling system that can have less impact on your Mac's performance.
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Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac
What We Like
- Easy to set up and forget about.
- Finds malware automatically.
- Includes lots of really great features.
- Has a lightweight footprint.
What We Don't Like
- The free version is limited in several important ways.
Bitdefender offers two security apps for the Mac a free Virus Scanner for Mac and the paid Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac. Both use the same Bitdefender engine for finding and removing malware, but Virus Scanner for Mac uses a manual approach to scanning your Mac, while Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is loaded with features to make the process simple and, if you want to, as automatic as possible to ensure you are never the victim of a malware attack.
In fact, the Autopilot feature works so well that you can just about turn it on and forget about it, knowing that your Mac is protected from current and future threats from malware as well as ransomware, which is on the upswing in the hacking world.
- Time Machine Protection monitors your Time Machine backups and prevents ransomware attacks that may try to encrypt or remove your backups.
- Safe File allows you to specify folders that will be continuously monitored, preventing unauthorized apps from making changes to these folders.
- Adware removal can free your Mac from annoying ads, unwanted browser add-ons, and browser toolbars that may be added without your consent.
- Traffic Light browser extension works with Safari, Chrome, and Firefox to add advance phishing detection to your browser and warn you of dangerous websites.
Bitdefender makes use of traditional signature-based detection system as well as behavioral-pattern recognition. To help keep its database of devious malware types up to date, Bitdefender uses a cloud-based data collection system that stores the most recently detected Mac malware, adware, and ransomware information, allowing all Bitdefender users to have the latest updated detection system.
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Malwarebytes for Mac
What We Like
- It's always active and running to find threats.
- Provides advanced options that can be tweaked to your desires.
- Doesn't use up lots of memory or CPU.
What We Don't Like
- The free version only works in manual mode (i.e., it can't catch malware automatically).
Malwarebytes for Mac has been a top choice for finding and removing Mac-based malware ever since its early appearance as Adware Medic.
Now under the guidance of Malwarebytes, the app retains its free ability to find and remove malware but has also expanded its capabilities to offer a premium paid version that can actively prevent Mac virus, spyware, and malware infections. It can also keep adware and unwanted apps from finding a home on your Mac.
- Detects and removes adware targeting Macs without requiring a separate browser add-on.
- Real-time protection can be disabled, allowing you to scan only when you wish.
- Includes an uninstaller for removing the Malwarebytes app.
- Low system overhead even with background scanning enabled.
Malwarebytes uses a signature-based system to determine the presence of Mac malware. The signature list can be updated as often as once per hour. Malware that is discovered can be automatically quarantined for easy removal at a later date.
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Sophos Home for Mac
What We Like
- Provides real-time threat detection.
- Identifies and removes various types of malware.
- Includes unique features such as remote management.
- Protects against web threats via filtering.
What We Don't Like
- Several features are not included in the free edition.
- You must provide personal details to download the free version.
- It has a relatively large setup file.
Sophos has been a leader in business-grade antivirus and security protection apps for PCs and Macs for years. Sophos brings the same business-grade security system to the personal Mac (there is also a PC version) user for free.
Sophos Home for Mac can protect every Mac in your home from malware, viruses, and ransomware. It also can protect your web browsing from stumbling across inappropriate websites that may contain phishing schemes or malware.
Sophos uses signature-based as well as heuristic-based behavioral detection to monitor the unusual behavior of apps to identify suspicious activity. Like most antivirus apps for the Mac, Sophos can detect Windows-based threats as well, helping to prevent cross-platform contamination.
- Remote management allows you to monitor, configure and control Sophos Home on up to ten Macs or PCs.
- Parental controls can block viewing inappropriate websites while keeping a log of such web visit attempts for later review.
- Background scanning had a low impact on overall performance.
- On-demand scanning allows you to initiate a scan at any time.
Sophos runs primarily in the background scanning your Mac and detecting if malware or related threats are present whenever you download, copy, or open a file or folder. The scanner can also examine compressed files to make sure files contained within are safe.
Avast For Mac Free Download
Hello everyone, how are you all doing today? I am doing alright, not good, not bad. I say that because for the past couple of days, our server where this web site is hosted on has been giving me issues to the point I almost considered moving from a Linux powered server to a OS X server, lol seriously…I was that fed up! But luckily I didn’t give up and I was able to fix the memory leak and as it stands, things are back to normal. Anyway, read on…
Today we will focus on the the best Antivirus protection on Macs. Believe it or not but we have people out there who think iMacs, Macbooks etc are somehow safe from Viruses. I ask you this, HOW? Every system has a way to get cracked, it’s just a philosophical type thing. If you have a door, whether it’s locked or not, it can be broken down, that’s how programming works. Trust me on this.
Do you need an Antivirus Software on OS X?
Yes, yes you do need some sort of antivirus app for your Mac OS X and my reason for saying that is simple. Viruses exist for every known Operating System.It is true that Apple’s Operating system for Macs is safer and more naturally protected against Viruses but the REAL truth is that Mac systems are not as popular as the Windows OS so those that make viruses don’t see a need to program viruses for Macs when most desktop users in the world still operate on a Windows OS. So my point is, it is better to get a good Antivirus for your Mac computer now because sooner or later, as OS X becomes more user friendly, more and more viruses will appear,kind of like how the world is right now, we have more doctors and scientists creating viruses for profit and population control these days than those trying to save patients, you get my point, protect yourself and your OS.
#1. Download Avast Antivirus For Mac
Install Avast Full Version on OS X
Are you really surprised that Avast is number one? You shouldn’t be. I have been a web developer/programmer since I was 7 and I have used just about every operating system out there. Anytime I wanted to install a good antivirus product, I always picked Avast because it has never let me down.
No virus has gotten past it’s detection system on my Windows OS, Linux OS and I have had Avast on my OS X for the past 3 years and it’s simply, perfect. This is my personal review as the webmaster so I highly and I mean highly recommend you try this one out. By the way, it’s also free for those of you on a bit of budget.
“If you’re on a Mac running OS X, it will work. You need 128 MB of RAM and 750MB of disk space. Beyond that, you can be running just about any stable version of OS X (even El Capitan), and it will keep you protected.”
Avast Antivirus Screenshot
#2. Download AVG Antivirus For Mac
AVG AntiVirus for Mac helps keep your Mac free of viruses and running smoothly. Through its intuitive interface, this app lets you manage your security settings and run scans at any time to ensure complete protection.
With AVG AntiVirus for Mac, you can either complete a full scan of your computer, or you can select a file or files to scan independently. This saves you time and lets you avoid repeating scans of the same items over and over again. There are also several options on the Preferences page that allow you to customize your scanning further, including the option to scan for Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) that you may have unintentionally downloaded.
Latest antivirus for Mac news. More than $1.1 million was lost to cybercrime every minute in 2018. That’s the key takeaway of the latest RiskIQ Evil Internet Minute report. Avast for mac review 2018.
Real-time Protection detects and eliminates new threats in real time, so once you’ve cleaned off your machine, you won’t have to worry about new infections taking hold. This feature can be turned on and off as you see fit.
AVG Antivirus Screenshot
#3. Download Bitdefender For Mac
Install Bitdefender Antivirus Full Version For OS X
Bitdefender Virus Scanner finds Mac malware as well as Windows viruses with ease. Virus Scanner will detect any infected files that you downloaded or got in your inbox, so your Mac will be safe and you won’t pass anything bad to your friends’ computer.
Grant Bitdefender Virus Scanner access to the locations on your computer that you want to scan against malware. Choose ‘Deep System Scan’ or ‘Scan Critical Locations’ to scan.
Features:
– Detects both OS X malware and Windows viruses;
– Before a scan, it updates to detect the latest malware;
– Searches for malware even in archives and inside various types of files such as pdf, pkg, zip, rar, etc.;
– Critical locations scan – rapidly scans system areas that are prone to infections.
– Award-winning Bitdefender antivirus engines;
– Detects both OS X malware and Windows viruses;
– Before a scan, it updates to detect the latest malware;
– Searches for malware even in archives and inside various types of files such as pdf, pkg, zip, rar, etc.;
– Critical locations scan – rapidly scans system areas that are prone to infections.
– Award-winning Bitdefender antivirus engines;
Also:
– Quarantines dangerous files;
– Deep system scan for all the locations the user has granted access to;
– Drag-and-drop scan of files or folders;
– Option to exclude files and folders from scan (i.e. Time Machine backups, etc.)
– Easy-to-use interface.
– Quarantines dangerous files;
– Deep system scan for all the locations the user has granted access to;
– Drag-and-drop scan of files or folders;
– Option to exclude files and folders from scan (i.e. Time Machine backups, etc.)
– Easy-to-use interface.
Bitdefender Virus Scanner Screenshot
#4. Download Sophos Antivirus For Mac
Install Sophos Antivirus Full Version on OS X
Sophos Antivirus offers full Mac protection from viruses, Trojans and worms, stops all threats, even those designed for Windows. Not only is your computer safe—the people running PCs you send files to are safe from threats too.
- Secure web browsing:
Be safer online. Sophos Antivirus scans websites for malicious codes. It also blocks web-based malware before it can infect your Mac, protecting you from Internet threats. - Stops all threats, familiar and unfamiliar:
Our antivirus technology stops all threats, even if it’s something new. Thanks to Live Antivirus, you have a direct line to SophosLabs for the latest threat intelligence. - Quarantines and removes the threats it finds:
You might not want to immediately delete bad files our scans find. No problem. You can quarantine questionable files and check them again later, or you can have them immediately removed from your computer. The choice is yours. - Business-quality antivirus, backed by SophosLabs:
We’ve put the entire force of our business-strength threat expertise behind Sophos Antivirus for Mac. That means you’re using the same product that protects all of our customer organizations, large, small and in-between. - Easy installation and painless maintenance:
We keep our antivirus light and easy. Once installed, it’ll work quietly in the background with your choice of scanning on-access, on-demand or on a schedule. And of course, it will alert you when it finds something nasty.
Download Avast Free For Mac
Sophos Antivirus Screenshot
#5. Download ClamXav For Mac
Install ClamXav Full Version For Mac
ClamXav for Mac scans your computer or selected files and folders for viruses to help keep it running smoothly. With clear controls and instructions, this program makes it easy to keep your data safe.
Straightforward interface: The main interface is split into three sections: a list of your favorite items to scan on the left, scan results on the top right, and status on the bottom right. Buttons in the app’s main toolbar allow you to quickly perform primary functions.
Result options: Once you have your scan results, you have several options for dealing with potential issues. For instance, you can choose to show the path to the file, view it in the finder, quarantine it, or just delete it, depending on what it is and why it was flagged.
ClamXav would been placed much higher on this list but they switched from a free product to a paid product after being a free product from birth, I don’t blame them at all though, someone has to pay the bills.
ClamXav Screenshots
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