Top antivirus programs for Mac users

Perhaps you have heard that viruses are not a problem for Mac users because viruses cannot affect a Mac computer. If you have heard this about Macintosh computers, do not believe what you are hearing because that statement is not true. Viruses can affect a Mac computer, which means Macs can be infected with viruses just as easily as a Windows computer. The reason that people believe that Mac users cannot be infected with computer viruses is because most of the viruses are designed for Windows operating systems. When people create viruses majority of them create them for Windows users mainly because of how popular Windows operating systems are, but that doesn't mean that people do not create viruses for other operating systems.

Since most viruses are created for Windows operating systems this has affected the antivirus software that is available for Mac users. The main way that the antivirus software has been affected is because there are fewer choices for Mac users. One thing that you need to keep in mind when choosing antivirus software for your Mac computer is what operating system you are using, you need to make sure that the antivirus software that you are choosing is going to support the system that you are currently running. The good news is if you are running a more current version of Mac OS X you will have an easier time finding antivirus software that supports it, but the older versions can prove to be tricky.

Here is a look at some of the antivirus software that is available for Mac users.

Number one: Norton
With Norton, there are a few different programs that you can choose from to help protect your Mac from viruses. One program is the Norton Internet Security 3.0 for Macintosh. This program offers antivirus protection for older versions of Mac OS X; it covers versions 10.1.5 through 10.3.9 and only supports the PowerPC G3/G4/G5 processor. You can also choose the Norton Antivirus Dual Protection for Mac. This program is only going to be beneficial for you if you routinely dual boot into Windows or you run Windows in a virtual environment on an Intel-based Mac. The last choice that you have is Norton Antivirus 11.0 for Mac. This program is decent enough to protect your computer from most viruses, but how well it works depends on what you are trying to protect.

Number two: MacScan v2.6
This program is designed by SecureMac and is great for guarding against spyware if you are a Mac user. In regards to protecting against other malicious programs such as Trojan Horses and worms, the program leaves something to be desired for, but it can still get the job done. This program is designed for Mac OS X v10.2.4 and higher. It comes with built-in support for Firefox v3, which provides you with cookie cleaning and web surfing protection. You can buy a single license for $30 or you can pay $50 for three licenses.

Number three: McAfee VirusScan for Mac
McAfee is a well-known program with Windows users, and that reputation carries over to Mac Users. McAfee is one of the few programs available that provide great antivirus protection for Mac users because it scans and detects for all types of viruses. In addition to the antivirus protection, it also has network-wide management, which makes it a great choice for corporations. The one drawback to this program is that the licenses are not sold separately; you have to buy a minimum of three licenses, which can cost around $150. The program is designed for Mac OS X 10.4.6 or later and Mac OS X 10.5. You can use this program by itself or you can combine it with McAfee ePolicy Orchestrator for enterprise management.