Protecting Your Mac From Malware

Due to a lack of malicious activity targeting Mac OS X it has been considered a relatively safe operating system for some time now. But times change, and that complacency can no longer be justified. In 2011, Kaspersky Lab recorded a rapid growth in the number of malicious programs for Mac OS X and in early 2012 more than 700,000 owners of Apple computers realized that the absence of reliable protection could lead to serious problems. This wake-up call came courtesy of the Flashfake infection: criminals corralled the compromised systems into a botnet and loaded additional malicious modules on them to intercept traffic, among other things. In the future, the number of malicious programs for the platform will only grow and we anticipate the emergence of new Mac OS X malware outbreaks. Prevention, of course, is better than a cure – and the comprehensive Kaspersky Security for Mac  antivirus solution is capable of providing reliable system protection.

The Kaspersky Lab product effectively protects against malware, combats keylogging and can block dangerous links using the Kaspersky Security Network cloud service. The solution also includes a Parental Control module which helps parents protect their children from undesirable content and restrict the time they spend in front of the computer.

The main window of Kaspersky Security for Mac displays the main protection modules. You can see which modules are currently active by the color of the icons. In our example File Anti-Virus and Web Anti-Virus are active, while Parental Control is not enabled. In the upper left corner of the main window you can find the auxiliary buttons. Clicking on Reports displays a report on program performance, clicking on Preferences opens the window settings and by clicking on Support and Help you can get assistance with any difficulties you may encounter while working with Kaspersky Security for Mac.

In order to protect your computer and the information stored on it, Kaspersky Security for Mac uses two main tools – File Anti-Virus and Web Anti-Virus. Additional protection is provided by the Kaspersky Security Network cloud service through which the program receives information about new dangerous applications, sites and other threats – almost as soon as they are detected and without waiting for signature database updates.

File Anti-Virus runs in background mode, but you can perform a manual scan if necessary. To do so, click on the icon in the form of a magnifying glass in the main window of Kaspersky Security for Mac and select the desired type of scanning: Full Scan – a full system scan; Quick Scan – a critical areas scan; Virus Scan – a random scan of specified folders.

Web Anti-Virus protects you while you are surfing the Internet or communicating via social networks. It warns you about dangerous links and malicious sites. A virtual keyboard offers your personal information additional protection against keyloggers – malicious software designed to capture sensitive data entered on a physical keyboard. If you are banking online or entering your login details on any site, call up the virtual keyboard directly from your browser and use your mouse to enter the necessary information.

For those whose computer is also used by children, Kaspersky Security for Mac’s main window offers Parental Control: with it you can block your child’s access to adult sites and other inappropriate resources. There are several options for social networking sites: you can completely disable your children’s access to them or track their activity using the log in Kaspersky Security for Mac. You can also block the transfer of specific data (such as your home address or credit card numbers) that may be of interest to cybercriminals.

In order to restrict the time your child spends on the Internet you can set time limits using Time Control, which is part of Parental Control. This function enables parents to specify the total number of hours per day that a child can spend online, or to set a strict schedule for weekdays and weekends.

This brief overview of the key features of Kaspersky Security for Mac demonstrates how the product can provide your system with robust, reliable protection. As you can see, all of these features are vital: the interception of confidential data, inappropriate content and other threats are genuine problems that have to be combated.