Find virus protection for your Mac
It used to be that the risk of your computer getting infected with a virus was only a concern for Windows platform users. Mac users were in the minority and the people writing viruses tended to concentrate on writing viruses for where they would have maximum impact – ie the Windows users. Now however, with the increased ownership and usage of Macs, they are also at risk from being accessed by unauthorised users, and people with Macs should invest in antivirus software, too.
Some people are put off the idea of getting antivirus software as they’ve heard it slows down your operating system, and you can be constantly interrupted with virus alert messages. Virus scans can be slow and sticky up the performance of your computer until completed. While some of these criticisms have some truth in them, the most important thing is to defend your computer and all the personal information you have on it from access by unauthorised users.
Some antivirus software programmes do seem to slow processes down, but the great thing is that there are plenty of free antivirus programmes available that you can download and try out. If you find one has a negative effect on your computer’s performance, you can switch to another. Remember to uninstall one antivirus programme before installing another though – otherwise neither will perform properly.
For a Mac, you should choose specific Mac antivirus software. This is available in pay-for versions where you subscribe for different length periods – usually one, three or five years. Even these have free trial periods though, where you can try the software for 30-90 days before paying for a subscription. Free antivirus downloads are different – they are usually basic versions of the pay-for antivirus software, but you don’t need to subscribe.
Whichever option you choose, you should remember to keep it updated regularly and also to run the virus scans on a regular basis. If you think you’ll forget to do this, you can programme them to happen automatically. It’s good to choose a time when you’re unlikely to be using the computer – like 3am!
