The conditions have been building for some time and I’m glad that our security app will soon be available for Mac users,” says Jiri.Īvast! Free Antivirus for Mac is currently in the late BETA stage. This latest botnet did not fall out of the clear blue sky. “It takes 1-2 years for malware guys to adapt to a new technology - it took a similar time when they switched from DOS to Windows. During 2011, there were some large-scale attempts to spread Mac malware via Google Image poisoning.
Initial malware samples were rather simple, just compiler-generated code, with no encryption whatsoever, but it has since evolved to be more “custom”, with encrypted strings and code, and structured to avoid security apps like LittleSnitch(firewall software for Mac OS) or Apple's XProtect. “Welcome to the real world.”įlashback is a logical step in Mac malware’s steady evolution, he points out. Now these days are over and Mac users can pick up malware just by visiting an infected website,” adds Jiri. “Mac malware has historically been dependent on social engineering – convincing the user to enter the required password. The latest Flashback variants can infect vulnerable Macs without requiring the victim to enter a password. “Add a growing market share that makes Mac an attractive target for the bad guys together with a user base that insists they do not need a security app – you have all the conditions in place for an epidemic to rip through.” “With an estimated 600,000 infected Macs, this botnet is just a large example that the Apple operating system is not immune from malware,” said Jiri. The AVAST Virus Lab now has 18 variants of this malware in its antivirus database.
The Flashback Trojan linked to the Mac botnet is a derivative of last year’s DevilRobber Mac OS X Trojan. “We’ve confirmed our app’s detection abilities for Flashback within the test lab and with reports from our beta testers,” says Jiri Sejtko, director of AVAST Virus Lab operations. Mac computers running the beta version of avast! Free Antivirus for Mac were not infected by the Flashback Trojan. If your computer is a bit on the slower side, consider skipping the extra features.Avast! Free Antivirus for Mac and the Flashback botnet Security software with all the bells and whistles may leave your computer so secure it can’t do anything. Not all computers are high end gaming systems with fancy blue lights.
Expert reviews are critical when choosing security software. You do not want to trust your information to a company with a bad reputation. Here are some points to consider the following when choosing antivirus software: Many computer owners will want to secure their information with the enhanced protections provided by installing third-party security software.
Make sure these features are enabled and you keep up-to-date with the latest security updates. That's why basic anti-virus features are included with your computer’s operating system.
If you’re looking for a free anti-virus option, consider the following software which has been well-rated by independent security researchers and is available for both Windows and Mac:ĭealing with malware and computer viruses have been part of using the internet for decades. Quick Tip: Free Basic Anti-Virus Software