Virus Protection For Pc And Mac



These days, antivirus and anti-malware protection isn’t just for the PC. Here are the best for both the PC and Mac, according to Consumer Reports.

At the top of the free antivirus for Windows is Bitdefender Free Edition. Bitdefender, a Romania-based cybersecurity firm, is not as well known as Norton or McAfee but it was at the top of the heap for both free and paid Windows programs, according to Consumer Reports (CR).

Other free antivirus software that scored well were Avast Free Antivirus 2018 and Avira Free Antivirus 2018 for Windows, CR said.

But note that if things like a firewall, password manager, and email protection are important to you, those features typically don’t come with free antivirus software.

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And what about Microsoft Windows 10 Defender (firewall included) that comes built in with all new PCs? It’s “is not quite as strong” as the three programs listed above but “still offers considerable protection,” CR said.

They key thing for the consumer is, if you’re going to install another antivirus program on your PC, make sure it doesn’t just replicate what Windows Defender does.

Are extra features worth the extra money? It depends

Upgrading to “pro” or “premium” paid versions will often get you valuable extras like a firewall, password manager and a spam filter, as Bitdefender’s Internet Security 2018 ($40) offers.

Ransomware protection is also included in some cases. Paid versions will also eliminate those pesky ads that are part and parcel of free software.

But not all upgrades are equal, CR said. “Opening your wallet does not guarantee you a better product,” CR said, adding that the Malwarebytes Premium and Dr. Web Security Space suites “both scored lower than Windows Defender without offering any meaningful extras.”

SPAM, A POPULAR VEHICLE FOR MALWARE, STILL TRICKS PEOPLE

Mac's needs protection too

In the past, a common refrain from Mac enthusiasts was that Apple computers weren’t vulnerable to viruses like PCs. Well, that’s definitely not the case anymore.

'Even though there are plenty of Mac users that are quick to point out that Macs shouldn't need protecting by any security software, it's a fact that Macs are being targeted exclusively by bad guys more and more,” Travis Witteveen, CEO of Avira, told Fox News in an email.

Best Virus Protection For Apple Mac

“Macs are actually getting hacked by a variety of methods such as scripting languages [and] web-based attacks…Mac owners are not any safer than Windows users,” Witteveen added.

In the Mac category, Avira Free Antivirus for Mac had the top score, according to CR.

The best paid programs include Norton Security Deluxe for Mac (currently $39.99 for 1 device for one year) and G Data Antivirus for Mac ($39.95), CR said.

A phishing scam has targeted Mac users by redirecting them from legitimate websites to fake websites which tell them that their computer is infected with a virus. The user is then offered Mac Defender 'anti-virus' software to solve the issue.
This “anti-virus” software is malware (i.e. malicious software). Its ultimate goal is to get the user's credit card information which may be used for fraudulent purposes.
The most common names for this malware are MacDefender, MacProtector and MacSecurity.

Apple released a free software update (Security Update 2011-003) that will automatically find and remove Mac Defender malware and its known variants.
The Resolution section below also provides step-by-step instructions on how to avoid or manually remove this malware.

Resolution

Best Virus Protection For Mac Cnet

How to avoid installing this malware

If any notifications about viruses or security software appear, quit Safari or any other browser that you are using. If a normal attempt at quitting the browser doesn’t work, then Force Quit the browser.

In some cases, your browser may automatically download and launch the installer for this malicious software. If this happens, cancel the installation process; do not enter your administrator password. Delete the installer immediately using the steps below.

  1. Go into the Downloads folder, or your preferred download location.
  2. Drag the installer to the Trash.
  3. Empty the Trash.

How to remove this malware

If the malware has been installed, we recommend the following actions:

  • Do not provide your credit card information under any circumstances.
  • Use the Removal Steps below.
Best mac computer virus protection

Removal steps

Virus Protection For Pc And Macbook

  1. Move or close the Scan Window.
  2. Go to the Utilities folder in the Applications folder and launch Activity Monitor.
  3. Choose All Processes from the pop up menu in the upper right corner of the window.
  4. Under the Process Name column, look for the name of the app and click to select it; common app names include: MacDefender, MacSecurity or MacProtector.
  5. Click the Quit Process button in the upper left corner of the window and select Quit.
  6. Quit Activity Monitor application.
  7. Open the Applications folder.
  8. Locate the app ex. MacDefender, MacSecurity, MacProtector or other name.
  9. Drag to Trash, and empty Trash.

Malware also installs a login item in your account in System Preferences. Removal of the login item is not necessary, but you can remove it by following the steps below.

  • Open System Preferences, select Accounts, then Login Items
  • Select the name of the app you removed in the steps above ex. MacDefender, MacSecurity, MacProtector
  • Click the minus button

Virus Protection For Pc And Mac Pro

Use the steps in the “How to avoid installing this malware” section above to remove the installer from the download location.

Note: Apple provides security updates for the Mac exclusively through Software Update and the Apple Support Downloads site. User should exercise caution any time they are asked to enter sensitive personal information online.