Beta covers web browsing, file system, email

Just as Mac malware -- Mac Defender -- has come to the attention of media and Mac users, Avast Software has released a beta of its new Avast for Mac, a free antivirus program that has entered public beta stage. The app runs three shields, for web, mail and a Mac's file system and features an on-demand scanner with custom scans also available. The Web Shield monitors and filters HTTP traffic and protects against common Javascript-based malware. The File Shield scans application binaries on launch and checks all file modifications, while the Mail Shield monitors and filters POP3 and IMAP traffic.

On-screen alerts pop up on the detection of a threat and the software automatically updates with new definitions as they become available. Some known issues with the beta version include problems with drag and dropping on the dock icon, some greyed out GUI features that are not functional yet and Avast windows that sometimes stay behind another application's windows.

The software requires Mac SO X 10.5 and an Intel chip, with Growl notification software (also free) needed for alert pop-ups. The beta is free and the final release will be free.

by MacNN Staff