Like all software, youll want virus protection for your Mac that is from a reputable, respected company, offering good value for the money, customer support and service, and regular definition updates for viruses and malware.

TheTop10Sites compares the top security software for Mac to help you find the ideal product to suit your needs.

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Most Commonly Asked Questions About Antivirus for Mac Looking for an antivirus solution to protect your Mac Weve got you covered.

In addition to our comprehensive antivirus reviews, weve compiled answers to some of the most commonly asked questions to help you get started.

Do Macs Need Virus Protection Its a myth that Macs are immune to viruses and malware, so yes, virus protection for Macs is a very real thing.

While Apples built-in security features are superior to those of Windows-based systems, and they do a good job of preventing many threats, they are not invincible.

One of the key benefits that Macs have enjoyed for a long time in this area is that they were the minority of users and systems out there.

Naturally, those who were focused on causing havoc or making a buck with illicit activities wanted to get the most for their work, so they targeted the Windows PC environment.

But the steady growth of Mac use, along with comparable code in iOS and its widespread use in smartphones, has eroded some of this advantage and protection.

To keep your system safe and secure, its best to augment the native Apple security with good virus protection for Mac.

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Should You Choose Paid or Free Antivirus for Mac There are both free and paid options available, with differing degrees of features, cost, and effectiveness at keeping threats at bay.

While free programs are tempting, if youre serious about keeping your system safe, then you should choose a paid option.

Free virus protection for Mac leaves a lot to be desired and sometimes, especially when you choose options from less-reputable companies, can even introduce new vulnerabilities into your system.

Furthermore, free programs offering virus protection for Mac and other platforms tend to have limitations, less-frequent definition updates and are less robust and effective than their paid counterparts.

Protecting your system is worth shelling out a little bit of money, compared to the cost in lost files, lost productivity, or replacing your whole system if something does go terribly wrong.

What Should You Look for in a Mac Antivirus There are two kinds of virus protection passive and active.

A passive form of virus protection for Mac, or any other platform, is the traditional virus scanner.

On-demand (when an action is initiated by a user), a scan of all files and programs on the system is performed.

Anything identified as suspicious or out of the ordinary is flagged, allowing for user follow-up actions.

Active protection, however, includes a monitoring component that is always on, and can identify and more importantly, prevent any sketchy downloads, procedures, actions, or updates that contain malicious code.

Good virus protection for Mac should include an active threat component, so you can stop problems before they have a chance to even get into your system.

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At the same time, some active virus protection programs are resource hogs, and install all sorts of unnecessary features and add-ons into your system, slowing down your computer considerably.

The best virus protection for Mac systems has a small footprint and doesnt use a lot of RAM, processor cycles, or other system resources to stay vigilant and guard against the latest threats.

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