Mag antivirus

The company recently released more robust Windows malware detection for Macs, as well as a dedicated antivirus for Windows PCs. Bullguard for Mac is unbelievably simple virus protection—perhaps too simple. If you already own a Windows license your Mac is a secondary machine, it might be worth it to add Bullguard to your Mac.

By our reckoning, antivirus software should be able to neutralize a threat before it can begin wreaking havoc. That means preventing the download, installation, or execution of malicious software. Since you can encounter threats by visiting compromised or malicious websites, receiving virus-laden attachments, or accessing USB drives with malware, good AV software should scan on a continuous basis unless you configure it otherwise. And ideally, files identified as malicious should be quarantined into a special storage area managed by the AV software, with the option to automatically delete files known to be malware or repair normal documents that also carry devious payloads.

Great AV suites also will monitor the filesystem for certain kinds of changes. Ransomware—which is malware that will rapidly encrypt user files like documents and mailboxes and then delete the originals—has become a huge moneymaker on other platforms. Detecting this pattern and halting it before any files are unavailable should be possible without an anti-malware system knowing the specific innards of a ransomware virus.

Sophos, our top pick, includes this feature in the Home Premium version of its update. Other vendors, like Avast and Trend Micro Antivirus, offer an alternative feature that allows you to whitelist programs allowed to manipulate files in specific directories. Good antivirus software should also use minimal computational resources. Beyond these primary features, an easy-to-navigate interface and extra features are worth factoring into your decision.

Some AV software are full-fledged suites that offer additional options like backup service for essential files, a password manager, parental controls, anti-tracking and privacy modes or options, a more advanced firewall, and the blocking of Potentially Unwanted Applications PUAs.

Each software package is evaluated creating a clean installation of macOS Mojave, cloning it for each AV product, and then booting separately into each one to install a different package.

In addition to visiting malicious websites, downloading known malicious software, and even running said malware, we also reference the most recent reports from two labs that regularly cover macOS malware: AV Comparatives and AV-TEST. These laboratories test AV software against sets of known malware as well as products that are grouped as potentially unwanted applications like adware. Because the testing effectively looks at a combination of virus databases and behavior, they remain good gauges even after many months.

When an antivirus software package lacks a rating from a known security research lab, we do more extensive testing with real malware. Finally, while we gave props for a lot of different features and behaviors, we marked products down if they lacked any or all of the following:.

First, an antivirus product may upload the complete text of files flagged to the cloud, where it can be analyzed by separate tools hosted there. Unfortunately, Apple's built-in antivirus protections, Gatekeeper and XProtect, don't always work so well because they use out-of-date methods of stopping infections.

The best Mac antivirus programs do a better job, quickly spotting brand-new malware and double-checking dodgy files "signed" with an Apple developer ID. Many Mac antivirus programs also check for Windows malware, which can use Macs as hidden bases from which to infect PCs on the same local network. Some Mac antivirus programs also come with useful extra features such as password managers, system optimizers or VPN services.

Bitdefender has the best antivirus for Macs Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac combines great malware protection with a barely noticeable system-performance impact. Norton has the best feature set Norton Standard includes a password manager, unlimited VPN data, a firewall and Dark Web monitoring, features you don't often see with Mac antivirus software. Avast offers the best free Mac antivirus Avast Security for Mac may cost nothing, but it doesn't cut corners.

Its malware protection is top-notch, its system impact is minimal and it has dialed back the annoying ads upselling you to a paid version. We think Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is the best Mac antivirus program you can buy.

It had nearly zero impact on system performance in our own tests, caught all Mac and Windows malware in lab tests, rolls back files encrypted by ransomware and hardens your web browser against online attacks. Close behind is Norton Standard, which has even better malware detection plus an unlimited VPN and a password manager. Norton catches all Mac and Windows malware, has a very small system-performance impact and includes LifeLock dark-web monitoring. Our favorite free option is Avast Security for Mac, with nearly perfect malware protection and an easy-to-use interface.

Its system-performance impact is less than it once was, and it no longer nags you to upgrade to paid Avast products. Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac has perfect malware-detection scores, webcam protection and a hardened web browser. It offers MB of daily VPN usage, but its password manager and parental controls are also limited unless you pay more. There's not much wrong with Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac, except for a rather heavy system-performance impact during full scans.

It shields files from ransomware, protects your webcam and very good malware protection. Yet it doesn't do much to stand out from the crowd. Intego Mac Internet Security X9 comes from the granddaddy of all Mac antivirus companies, and its detection and protection skills are very good. But it's got a relatively sparse set of tools and features that resemble those of free antivirus apps.

Sophos Home Premium is a hidden gem. It has few extra features, but protects your Mac's webcam and has web filters for children and dedicated protection against ransomware.

You can protect up to 10 Mac or PCs for a bargain price. But it's got few extra features for Mac and its scans can create large system slowdowns.

Its Mac malware protection performs a notch below those of Bitdefender and Sophos. Malwarebytes for Mac Premium has never had malware-detection lab tests, but Malwarebytes' Windows consumer antivirus software does not do well. However, we can recommend the free Malwarebytes for Mac, an excellent cleanup tool that's the perfect complement to good Mac antivirus software.

Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac has an easy-to-use interface, affordable pricing, nearly flawless malware detection and a very light system-performance impact.

For those reasons, it's once again our Editor's Choice for best Mac antivirus software. Unusually for a Mac antivirus program, Bitdefender can roll back ransomware encryption, including on Time Machine backups. It also offers extensions to harden your web browser and blocks online trackers to protect your privacy. The Autopilot and Bitdefender Shield features keep the software running without much human intervention.

The only downsides are the absence of the password manager that comes with the Windows version of Bitdefender Antivirus, and that the Bitdefender VPN service is limited to MB per day unless you pay more. Other than that, it's a nearly perfect Mac antivirus program. Read our full Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac review. Norton Standard has a ton of useful extras, including unlimited VPN service and an unlimited password manager, two features for which its rivals make you pay extra.

It's also got a two-way firewall, a system optimizer and dark-web monitoring of your personal data. More importantly, Norton Standard has a very small impact on system performance, always-available tech support and, last but not least, flawless detection of Mac malware. You'll pay a lot for these luxuries, however, although you'll be saving money on the cost of a stand-alone VPN or password manager. We hope that Mac users will soon get the parental controls, webcam protections and backup software that Windows users of Norton Standard already have.

Read our full Norton Standard review. The malware-detection rate is now nearly perfect, the system-performance impact is much less and the annoying ads that tried to upsell you to Avast paid programs have been drastically dialed back.

Avast also screens websites for phishing scams and other common threats and scans your Wi-Fi network for outdated devices and unwelcome guests. Its interface is attractive and easy to navigate, but be aware that some of the features, including ransomware rollbacks, are available only to paying customers. The password manager and the email-attachment screener have disappeared, however, and the tech support is limited to online documents. Still, if you want a solid, dependable Mac antivirus program for nothing, this is the one to get.

Read our full Avast Security for Mac review. Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac has perfect malware-detection rates, a light system impact during scans and an intuitive user interface. It can even turn off the webcam on a MacBook, a feature that Apple itself doesn't offer. Bitdefender is today's 1 best Mac antivirus It goes without saying that this premium provider has the goods when it comes to pure malware spotting, blocking and clearing.

But it's the quality of its extra features that help make Bitdefender the best, including ransomware protection, anti-phishing, and super secure web browser protection. Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is one of the most accurate virus protection suites for Apple devices out there, built on a sterling antivirus engine that is consistently rated among the top performers by independent testing labs and it boasts fast scan times, too.

That includes multi-layer ransomware protection, excellent anti-phishing capabilities, with very robust web browser protection delivered via an extension. Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac also keeps a watchful eye out for adware and is capable of scanning and picking up on Windows PC malware. That helps you defend against the possibility of you transmitting a Windows virus to your friends or family who might have Windows 10 PCs.

An extra layer of security for Time Machine is a valuable addition, too, to keep backups safe from ransomware attacks. And an additional nifty extra is the integration of Bitdefender VPN.

Mac Internet Security X9 provides good antivirus protection against the latest threats. The independent testing labs have generally rated it highly in the past although it slipped slightly in the most recent December Mac test by Best Mac antivirus software.

Scans are reasonably swift, too, plus you get protection against Windows malware. Outside of that robust core malware defense, it boasts an intelligent firewall with anti-spyware countermeasures. In addition, Intego helps shore up your privacy levels by defending against third-party apps attempting to hoover up your data.

Another benefit with Intego is a lengthy day free trial , so you can take Mac Internet Security X9 for a good spin to see if it meets your approval. Kaspersky is a well-regarded name in antivirus protection, and it maintains that reputation with its Internet Security for Mac software, which positively bristles with features. You get top-quality malware defenses — when it comes to the independent test labs, Kaspersky is consistently rated as one of the best for Mac antivirus — plus malicious URL blocking, ransomware protection, and countermeasures against webcam hijacking.

Kaspersky also provides an encrypted browser for additional security for sensitive online tasks like doing your banking. Overall, the Mac app looks similar to the Windows 10 antivirus version, which is highly rated in itself. There is a lot to like here, then, even if this internet security suite hasn't changed much since last year — but then, if it ain't broke, as they say….

The main fly in the ointment here is that Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac can be somewhat pricier than top-tier rivals, depending on the exact level of discounting on offer. However, there's usually a decent chunk of money off the asking price, making the suite more compelling value — but if not, it might be worth checking out the vanilla version of Kaspersky Internet Security which at times can be cheaper and also covers Macs as well as other devices. Head to Kasperksy's website to grab its Mac Internet Security product.

Norton is another well-respected brand in the antivirus world and provides excellent malware detection for Mac computers. Indeed, Norton Deluxe delivers protection for Macs, Windows PCs, or mobile devices — up to five of them per license. So, if you've got plenty of Macs or MacBooks to cover, or perhaps a Windows laptop as well, and of course your smartphone, Norton will have your back across all bases. You get quite a helping of features here, including solid antivirus protection, anti-ransomware, a firewall, parental controls, and some very neat extras, including cloud backup functionality and a password manager.

There's also a significant bonus in the form of Norton Secure VPN to help maintain better security and privacy when online. While you get impressive benefits on the security front, one thing to be aware of is that Norton does have more of a noticeable impact on your system performance than some rivals.

Furthermore, the asking price of this security suite is on the more pricey side by default. However, there are usually offers knocking a substantial amount of money off. At the time of this writing, you can get a pretty good deal on a subscription — particularly when you consider the number of devices covered.

Get Deluxe or check out Norton's full antivirus range here. Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac is another good choice to keep your Mac secure, and its antivirus engine is well thought of by the independent testing labs. In addition, Trend Micro's antivirus comes close to the top performers regarding the app's core malware protection.

This program's feature-set includes ransomware protection courtesy of Folder Shield , parental controls, camera, and microphone protection, anti-phishing defenses, and a social media privacy checker that monitors social network usage for the many increasingly severe threats delivered via these channels.

This package is also easy to get to grips with and generally user-friendly. On the downside, sometimes virus scans can be lengthier than you'll experience with competing products, and Trend Micro slows down Mac systems more than most rival suites.

Also, the app only covers a single device but that might be all you need. Furthermore, some rival antivirus suites offer more features. For example, trend Micro lacks a firewall or protection for the likes of online banking - the firm's Pay Guard secure browser is reserved for the Maximum Security for Mac suite.

That said, note that at the time of writing, you can get the latter suite for the same price as Trend Micro Antivirus for Mac — and extended coverage for up to five devices including Windows PCs, Android, and iOS mobiles, and Chromebooks.

Indeed, this offer seems to run quite often, so it's well worth keeping an eye out for a deal like this and grabbing the Trend Micro Maximum Security suite instead.

Clario aims to be an all-encompassing security package, and it succeeds in that goal, providing antivirus and a lot more. Bitdefender, our top-rated provider, powers the main antivirus engine, so unsurprisingly, Clario does well here. As mentioned, you get a whole host of security extras here, including a fully integrated Mac VPN service powered by NordVPN , a well-respected provider , identity theft protection, secure browsing, anti-tracking countermeasures, and more.

The Mac app is smartly designed to be very easy to use for beginners, although on the flip side, it pushes ease of use so much that tech-savvy types may be put off. Yes, Clario also supports iOS or Android devices but not Windows — up to three or six of them on the monthly or yearly subscription plans respectively.

The asking price is more than some of the rival suites on this page, but having high-quality antivirus and VPN protection rolled together in a beginner-friendly package will appeal to some Mac users. Avast Premium Security comes well-equipped to defend your Mac, and its antivirus protection has impressed both the major independent testing labs — so that's obviously a good start. Backing this up is a decent library of features, including a Ransomware Shield as an extra layer of defense to protect against this particularly nasty strain of malware.

It's a capability that seemed to work well in our testing, and could work against even the latest undiscovered threats out there. You also get a good level of protection when web browsing, with Avast firmly steering you away from any phishing sites, and Wi-Fi intruder alerts are on hand in case your home network happens to be compromised. The main downside here is that if you only want Avast Premium Security to protect a single Mac, it works out very expensive — but if you pay a bit more for the cross-platform Premium Security suite that covers 10 devices which can be not just Macs, but also Windows PCs and smartphones , it's much more competitively priced assuming you need that level of coverage.

Even so, there are better overall value options elsewhere. ClamXAV was only rated in one round of Mac testing by the independent labs throughout , but AV-Test was very positive in its evaluation, giving this antivirus full marks in its June test. Right now, our answer to that question is Bitdefender for Mac also available as part of the firm's all-singing all-dancing Bitdefender Total Security plan.

It combines faultless virus protection as verified by independent test labs with a whole host of features and a Mac antivirus client that's ridiculously easy to set up and use. That really depends on you.