Information Security: Harnessing the Overlooked Source for SMB Competitive Advantage

I've been a Mac user for years, counting on Macs for both work and play. Although the experts and pundits today are quick to warn that hackers are about to begin infiltrating our systems, i've yet to listen to about an active virus or malware attacking the Mac OS specifically that wasn't designed, distributed, and contained by the IT Security research community.

Still, any day now I'm sure there'll be some nasty thing worming its way through Apples, and when the time comes I'd wish to be prepared. It is going to hit some mac users pretty hard if they don't seem to be expecting it (within the ego, maybe).

I've been poking round the Internet find an inventory of a few free Mac A/V and anti-malware programs. Today there is a new one at the list, since F-Secure has just released a Mac A/V program-in beta. They promise prizes and a subscription to anyone willing to offer “active feedback” to enhance the software.

About.com also has a good list of Mac security programs with brief reviews detailing how well each protects against various threats. It is not as research-intense because the PC A/V reviews I posted last week, but simply describes the scope of ways the software blocks-or ignores-various kinds of threats.

Here’s an inventory of a few of the free Mac-based products obtainable:

• Clam X AV â€" Free virus checker according to the ClamAV engine
• McAfee VirusScan for Mac â€" available for Mac 8.6 and above
• PC Tools iAntivirus â€"guards only against Mac-only malware, and here is a review with screenshots
• House Call from Trend Micro, a plague scanner available online that checks for threats at the system.
• F-Secure Mac Protection Beta — the most recent at the block

The problem with a few of the free programs is that they focus solely on Mac issues and will not clean the computer-viruses that some files harbor. If those infected files are sent to a computer, they may still pose a threat.In the event you use a dual boot or are working closely with other Windows machines, it could be more helpful to get a program for Mac users bundled with the Windows version, akin to Norton AntiVirus.

Or if you would like the coolest protection for the Mac, the product that appears the foremost comprehensive is Intego's Virus Barrier. The corporate focuses only on Mac issues, which has disadvantages in the event you switch systems, but can be ideal for folks working in a Mac-only environment. And an enormous plus is that the system uses heuristic scanning, checking for behaviors that resemble threats before they're identified. At $70, it's kind of pricey, but when you are the type who desires to be fortified and absolutely prepared, which may be your best solution.