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Kaspersky intros Anti-Virus for Mac

updated 09:15 am EST, Thu November 5, 2009

New Mac anti-virus software protects files


Kaspersky has introduced Anti-Virus for Mac, a port of its long-running Windows and Linux software designed to cope with threats such as worms, Trojans and bots. Some features include e-mail and attachment protection, as well as download scans, and alerts on blocked files and programs. The software recognizes up to 30,000 threats; self-protection functions guard settings with a password, and attempt to prevent techniques from being modified or deleted.

Automatic updates ensure protection against current viruses. While running, the program is also said to consume a low 1 percent of processing power. Anti-Virus requires Mac OS X 10.4.11 or higher, and costs $40 under a one-year single-system license, or $60 under a license covering three machines.




by MacNN Staff

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TAGS :

 security, software, Kaspersky

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  1. iphonerulez

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2008

    +2
    11/04, 10:00am | report spam | Reply |

    I'd been using Kaspersky on my

    BootCamp partition in XP and XP virtual machines on my Mac. It works great, but it's as annoying as all get out since it's always popping up a window asking to update that damn database to cover virus threats. I moved to AVG anti-virus instead and it's less intrusive since it seems to do everything in the background. I'm not considering putting Kaspersky on OSX at all.

  1. Mr. Strat

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2002

    +4
    11/04, 10:23am | report spam | Reply |

    Huh?

    We need this to protect us from what?

  1. Feathers

    Grizzled Veteran

    Joined: Oct 1999

    +2
    11/04, 10:50am | report spam | Reply |

    Trust Kaspersky?

    As a company that trades in FUD, I simply wouldn't trust their software to do what it's supposed to and crucially, ONLY what it's supposed to on a machine of mine. Period.

  1. pastusza

    Mac Enthusiast

    Joined: Nov 1999

    -1
    11/04, 11:02am | report spam | (2 replies) Reply |

    It's only a matter of time....

    It's only a matter before something comes to the Mac. Don't be naive.

  1. IxOsX

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Feb 2009

    0
    11/04, 11:05am | report spam | Reply |

    Anti-Virus for Windows or for OSX?

    This only make sense if I see this as a Mac Anti-Virus for protect the others Windows PCs from having Virus. So why should my MAC make their work?

    About the spyware and trojans, could make some sense. I believe, that are some intrusion attacks that can use Java Applets for some kind of intrusion, while you navigate on the web, if you still have Safari 3. I believe that Safari 4 is more secure, but never know!

    The great triumph for this Protection Software, could have been give some kind of a better ASLR implementation against memory attacks, since in the OSX ASLR is kind of incomplete, I believe.

    I am not an expert in security, so if say something stupid, just say. I am always willing to learn more.

  1. Mr. Strat

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2002

    +2
    11/04, 11:22am | report spam | Reply |

    Matter of time...maybe

    I'm not saying it will never happen, but it hasn't happened in 8+ years.

    And if a person is routinely getting tainted attachments, they need to find a better source for whatever they're getting. And let the Windows people protect themselves. It's not my job.

  1. TomSawyer

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2008

    -1
    11/04, 11:32am | report spam | Reply |

    A port from Win/Linux?

    Hopefully actually a fresh build as OSX and Windows have a few differences.

  1. ViktorCode

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2006

    +3
    11/04, 12:37pm | report spam | Reply |

    Matter of time...

    It is just a matter of time before all major anti-virus companies will have ports for increasingly popular Mac OS. They have to spread to other platforms; good old days of totally unprotected XP machines getting infected after doing nothing but connecting to the internet are gone. And for the companies wich have their business based solely on the security shortcomings of OS tough times lie ahead. Microsoft is continuing to shrink their field of operation by focusing on security, by introducing annoying confirmation boxes right into the system so users won't have to rely on a third party product to get bugged, and by providing AV scanner as part of regular software updates.

    Anti-virus makers had to resort to scare tactics and misinformation to keep money flowing. First, they make you think that anything out there may be a threat. Indeed it may, but the most cases of virus infection are caused by either unpatched software or user installing virus by launching bogus executable file. Next, they lie that their product will protect you. In truth as testing shows the chance to detect previously unknown virus activity is very low for every AV. That means until a virus actually spreads wide (via unpatched holes or users not being cautious enough) it won't make it into AV's database and won't be detected. To detect virus infection that is already there you can use any free AV scanner tool.

    The constant buzz generated by AV makers and some self-appointed "security experts" sounds dooming for Mac: when OS share will grow big enough we will have plenty of virus writers targeting currently virus-free environment. It is just a matter of time, they say. But there are two points they miss totally.

    First, Mac OS won't surpass Windows market share. Macs are premium PC, and premium sector can't sell more units than, say, Dell will sell their cheap series units. It means that until Apple starts shipping Mac OS without Macs (which won't happen in foreseeable future) Windows market share still will be several times larger than Mac OS's. Nothing to make virus writers change their habits, after all they are after money here, and the business rules dictate to pursue larger target.

    Second, despite existing security holes in Mac OS exploiting them poses a real challenge. Yes, as it has been demonstrated time and time again you can hijack a Mac. But what do you do locked in an account with user's privileges? You can't steal passwords from keychain (at least no one claimed he did so), while on Windows it never posed a problem. You can't change browser behaviour to point user to fraudulent pages to steel banking info, while on Windows... you know the story. And, you can't hide your virus process so deep that user won't be able to remove it from auto-launch and get rid of it forever. Note to truth-freaks everywhere: by "you can't" I mean "you can in theory, but it will be easier to actually get physical access to Mac than finding a hole that will allow you to do that trick".

    So, Mr. Kasperski, your market is shrinking, thank to MS. Sooner or later more people will dump your bloatware down the toilet, and as such you will have to migrate to greener pastures. Sadly, Mac OS doesn't look like those. A couple of users will buy your AV, but it won't be enough to sustain your middle man business model. Please, stop your FUD. It won't help.

  1. Mr. Strat

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2002

    +2
    11/05, 10:24am | report spam | Reply |

    Pssst...it ain't about market share

    The lack of viruses for OS X has nothing to do with market share. It has everything to do with how the operating system is designed.

    Jeez...get an education in computers.

  1. b9robot

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Feb 2009

    -1
    11/05, 01:27pm | report spam | Reply |

    No viruses on Macs, product useless, go see Window

    I'm sorry but don't waste your money on this until someone actually proves to be able to get a virus into the wild. So far, no one has and I don't think we'll see any for a long time either.
    There have been many hackers who say they can do it, yet none have actually proven or come up with one without having admin rights or physical access to a Mac. Which obviously means they can't do it.

    Unix isn't your open door like Windows is for viruses. Apparently Windows 7 is no better from what I've read.

    It's security via a better OS, not because of lack of Macs out in the wild. With Macs at or above 10% market share now, the excuses are no longer going to work anymore. Not that they did before either.

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