Despite persistent rumors to the contrary, MacOS is just as susceptible to malware as Windows 10 — it’s just that Windows 10 is a more common platform, so more malware is coded with Windows users in mind. Apple’s operating system is far from invulnerable, and new Mac threats appear regularly, so it’s important to keep up on basic security.
Fortunately, there are many fantastic anti-malware platforms designed to give your Mac a booster shot against the latest viruses, adware, and ransomware, as well as historic threats.
The best
Avast! Free Mac Security
Avast! is one of the most popular security suites available, and it’s easy to see why. It’s effective and free for non-commercial use, providing on-demand tools for quickly performing full-system malware scans as well as sifting through specific email threads, attachments, and various web activities (I.E., webpages, downloads, and Java scripts). Furthermore, it offers drag-and-drop scanning for individual files and phishing protection, along with the ability to scan external drives and attached volumes for potential infections.
The application’s interface is straightforward and self-explanatory, too, and features a navigational pane on the left that consists of five primary buttons and a real-time graph that aggregates shield activity and allows users to quickly check the overall stats of their computer. The free version also offers to install two other programs during installation: Avast Online Security ($60 per year) and Avast SecureLine VPN ($60 per year). Neither are necessary for detecting and removing malware, however, so pay attention during installation if you don’t want them.
The rest
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac
Windows users have long turned to Malwarebytes’ free version, affectionately known as MBAM, as a backup for always-on malware software. Although it markets itself as much more these days, if you’re a Windows user, it’s a great tool for scheduling deep-scans of your system. The Mac Malwarebytes version started as an adware removal tool, but as of today, it’s also a fully-fledged tool for protecting your machine against malware. Plus, it’s just as effective in MacOS as it is in Windows, a fact that’s aided by the Malwarebytes team’s constant research on current threats — the company identified the first Mac malware threat in 2017.
Using the program couldn’t be easier. Just launch it, hit scan, and the software will quickly let you know if you’re infected with any Mac-specific malware. Like the Windows iteration of the free version, though, this is not an always-on solution and is thus more suited for performing deep-scans and ridding yourself of particularly pernicious MacOS malware like Fruitfly. As MalwareBytes describes itself, it’s a remediation solution. It doesn’t provide “real-time” protection like its premium version or some of the other options on our list.
Sophos Antivirus Mac Home Edition
If offering an entire history of Mac malware dating back to ’82 isn’t evidence of a developer on top of its game, we don’t know what is. Straddling the line somewhere between necessity and excess, Sophos offers all the basic utilities you’ve come to expect from quality antivirus software, and a whole lot more. The utility offers custom, on-demand, and scheduled scans for specified files, folders, and drives, along with additional tools for deleting and quarantining any software Sophos deems a potential threat.
The software even incorporates real-time protection features that will quarantine unknown files that are merely exhibiting suspicious behavior. Although the program has a tendency to scan slower than most, it’s fairly lightweight, and non-obtrusively performs vital background tasks while barely leeching or exhausting your system’s resources.
Despite its robust feature set, Sophos manages to cram all this functionality into a compact interface. Initiating a full-system scan can be done directly from the top of the main menu, and you can configure exemptions quickly from easily navigable menus. Additionally, the malware definitions are constantly being updated, ensuring the program is never without the latest knowledge of potential threats. It’s one of the most hands-off antivirus programs on the market, and as such, sits among the best.
Bitdefender Virus Scanner
Built upon Bitdefender’s award-winning anti-virus engine, Bitdefender Virus Scanner features a host of scan options, allowing you to quickly perform deep scans of your entire system, or those targeting specific locations. If you grant it access, the streamlined program even provides an option for scanning critical locations — such as your Mac’s launch agents and the entirety of your system library — thus allowing you to bypass lengthier scans when pressed for time. Moreover, it automatically updates with Bitdefender’s hourly malware definitions prior to scanning, while providing a quick means for blacklisting specific locations from system scans.
Other features are limited, though. Bitdefender Virus Scanner automatically tries to disinfect and quarantine suspicious files it comes across, and though the feature is not unique to Bitdefender’s offering, the software can also quickly search for malware within various archives and file types (PDF, PKG, ZIP, RAR, etc.). Said functionality is housed within a sleek window that showcases the three scanning modes in addition to a sole “Update” button, the latter of which can be used in lieu of automatic updates.
Avira Free Antivirus for Mac
Avira strikes a nice balance between ease of use and quick access to advanced utilities, ultimately rendering basic system scans just as simple to execute as those that are scheduled and file-specific. The software is equipped with standard spyware and adware protection, along with the ability to intercept harmful websites and block tracking. Plus, it comes bundled with 5GB of online storage in addition to one-click deletion of malicious files.
Unlike most of the software in our roundup, Avira is coupled with a moderately-lengthy installation and an update process that goes hand-in-hand with the software’s heavy use of system resources. It’s certainly not a deal breaker when you consider the non-existent price tag and its thorough antivirus engine, but it’s an unfortunate downside.
Avira’s interface is also rather bulky, though easy to navigate. The app is lined with red-and-gray highlights and a left-hand navigational bar for viewing the status of your system, scheduling tasks, and viewing past quarantine history, among other options. Virus definitions are updated in a timely fashion, too, regardless of how long the initial updates might take to finish. It’s resource heavy, but capable enough if you’re looking for automation, scan history, and other advanced features.
Editors’ Recommendations
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