Mac software > All Reviews > Software > Utilities > Finder utilities > Norton iAntiVirus review

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 Norton iAntiVirus review

Free antivirus for your Mac, from a company that knows a thing or two about computer maintenance.

Karl Hodge

Manufacturer: Symantec
Manufacturer: Symantec
Pros: Automatically updates, simple interface, free.
Cons: Lacks more advanced features and integration.
Price: Free
We rate this 4 out of 5.Star rating:

It’s official - Mac fans can no longer look down their noses at Windows users whose systems have succumbed to viral infection. OS X has malware too. Not much, it should be said. Estimates vary but, according to iAntivirus makers Norton, the number of threats hovers around the hundred mark. That includes spyware and adware though - the number of bona fide viruses (programs that secretly install themselves, self replicating and causing damage) is fewer.

It’s becoming a genuine concern, in short, which is why iAntivirus is such a welcome gem. There are other free Mac antivirus tools but, until recently, they were a little unpolished. ClamXav - based on command line tool ClamAV is the open source choice. While undeniably powerful, it fails in the ease of use department, even with a graphic UI bolted on top.

iAntivirus comes from Norton - a company best described as the Adobe of PC antivirus tools. It shows, with an easy to configure interface that enables you to scan for threats on any folder or file on your Mac. You just drag and drop them into place.

The software scans for viral threats as well as known spyware and adware too.

iAntiVirus protects your Mac from viruses that can attack OS X and identifies Windows malware too.

iAntivirus doesn’t just look for threats to OS X either. A recent survey by Norton rival Sophos suggested that 1 in 5 Macs carries malware that could infect Windows PCs. Most often, these are buried in cross-platform files. The malicious code has no effect on OS X, but can be activated when documents are opened on a Windows machine. Because iAntirus scans for PC as well as Mac malware, it helps you protect other people’s computers.

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