Kaspersky Lab has released of a new product that protects Macs and other computers connected to Macs from all types of malware.
Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac is based on Kaspersky Lab’s new antivirus engine which dramatically increases system scanning speed thanks to improved processing of objects and optimized use of system resources, particularly on dual- and quad-core processor platforms.
The new product for Mac OS X (versions 10.4.11 and higher) combines the advantages of the new antivirus engine with a security approach that is based on protecting home or corporate networks from multiplatform IT threats. Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac protects against Mac OS malware (Trojans) as well as combating similar threats, including viruses, Trojans, and worms for Windows and Linux operating systems.
The release of Mac OS X made the interaction of multiplatform computers considerably easier and Mac computers have now become an integral part of many corporate and home networks. These unprotected machines are like open gates through which malicious programs can penetrate any computer in a network which, in some organizations, could result in tens of thousands of machines being affected.
In order to protect Windows PCs on mixed networks more effectively, Kaspersky Lab’s new product has access to the company’s global antivirus database that includes information on more than 20 million malicious programs for a range of platforms. The antivirus databases for Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac are updated hourly, as are the company’s antivirus products for Windows and Unix operating systems. This ensures that users are protected against the very latest malware that appear in large numbers for multiple platforms every day on the Internet.
Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac scans files and email attachments downloaded from the Internet. The new product is also exceptional for its distributed use of system resources: when user activity increases, the priority of the antivirus scanner declines, offering the user complete access to the computer’s system resources and increasing the performance of user applications.
Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac also protects shared folders on virtual machines which are gaining in popularity with both corporate and home users. This prevents the transfer of malware from Windows or Unix virtual systems to the work environment, which is of great importance for those working with several operation systems on a Mac computer.
Being well aware that an attractive interface is a must for Mac applications, Kaspersky Lab has equipped its new product with an animated interface that is user-friendly both for novices and more experienced users. Information about the protection status and any necessary user actions are presented in a graphic format that is easy to understand. The new product includes an automated mode for operations with applications, which means the program takes decisions automatically and doesn’t bother users with unnecessary requests.
Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac was especially designed to meet the needs of the Mac OS X operating system, offering complete compatibility with all versions of the OS from 10.4.11. Other technical requirements include: a Macintosh with the Intel processor, 512 MB available RAM and 80 MB available hard drive space.
Find out more information here: www.kaspersky.com/kaspersky-anti-virus-for-mac
MacDailyNews Take: If you’re on a network with Windows boxes especially, even though the vast majority of malware will not run on Macs, you may wish to help protect Windows PCs which have difficulty protecting themselves. Nobody likes a Typhoid Mary, especially your company’s IT guy(s). So, even if your Mac is immune most malware, products such as this can prevent your Mac from being a carrier in mixed network situations. It’s a matter of being part of the solution (as efficiently as possible), not part of the problem, especially on corporate networks.
MacDailyNews Note: We have not tested Kaspersky Anti-Virus for Mac. This is merely news of its availability.
Very true MDN re: Typhoid Mary. I used Virex back in the OS 9 days to make sure I wasn’t passing along junk to the PC users on the network. Twice, I was the one who told PC users that they had a virus on their computers when it came in an attachment to me.
Is this vaporware? I can’t see any Mac user wasting actual money on something like this.
@ Sarasota
“vaporware” is something promised-but never delivered..
According to this article, this has actually been released for Mac users–
But, on the other hand (like you said)– I can’t see very many Mac-heads lining up to buy it..
This is, “Hey Mac user, because you don’t get viruses and Windows does, we want you to waste cycles so that if a virus passes through and doesn’t affect you, you can still squash it to protect us.”
Okay, can someone confirm? I’ve heard here and elsewhere that there are no Mac viruses (for many reasons, including Unix priv reasons). Then I read. Elsewhere I read there are ‘a few’ Mac viruses. So, which is it? (And I do know the differences between viruses and trojans and what needs social engineering, etc.).
@MDN Take
Infecting others while staying immune is the entire point! We should be handing out blankets and flash drives!
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No thanks- all set- thank you
LeeSweet,
There are no OSX viruses but there are Word macro viruses that, although they can’t run when opened on a Mac, can be passed on by a Mac to PCs in infected Word files.
It’s so efficient because it doesn’t actually have to do anything €:
(How do you like my hamster-smiley?)
@ LeeSweet
There have been a few “proof of concept” trojans that affect the Mac .. but AFAIK — there haven’t been any actual viruses (for the Mac)– since the adoption of OSX ..
Last I heard, there were only about 60-70 which would affect OS 9 (and below) — but back then, WinDoze still suffered through tens of thousands ..
As far as the MDN take…I will be more than happy to run AV software as long as the cost comes out of the budgets of Windows users in the company and not mine. Running computers that are not so easily hacked IS the only solution.
just my $0.02
@Agree with your take
I totally forgot about Virex – rock on!
@Sarasota
vaporware = Phantom Game Console – who’s HQ was on Longboat, no wait, 2 blocks from the Hollywood 20, no wait Longboat again – that’s a good local example you can appreciate
this is a real product; MDM’s take is right
What is this ‘anti-virus’ you’re peddling? Has it got something to do with the swine flu?
@ LeeSweet–
There were a few viruses for Mac OS 9 and earlier. There are none for Mac OS X, excluding trojans.
Stuff it. Or maybe – Stuff IT.
@LeeSweet
There are no viruses that affect Mac OS X.
No viruses.
NO VIRUSES FOR MAC OS X.
There are none, zero, not a single virus, no viruses, for Mac OS X.
this makes me laugh.
LOL
“Animated Interface” doesn’t sound very promising to me.
“The release of Mac OS X made the interaction of multiplatform computers considerably easier and Mac computers have now become an integral part of many corporate and home networks. These unprotected [but secure Mac] machines are like open [that actually describes Windows PCs, must be a mistake
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”tongue wink” style=”border:0;” />] gates through which malicious [Windows] programs can penetrate any [Windows] computer in a network which, in some organizations, could result in tens of thousands of [Windows] machines being affected.
Not needed now, but one day… The market share thing is not a myth. Many hackers say it’s just not worth the time to only hit that many computers. Here are some other good quotes:
“There is no magic fairy dust protecting Macs. Writing exploits for [Microsoft] Vista is hard work. Writing exploits for Mac is a lot of fun.”
The Mac’s operating system will be an easier nut to crack once hackers start to focus on it. That is because it has a lot more code in it than Windows, leaving room for more vulnerabilities and bugs that hackers can exploit.
The things that Windows do to make it harder (for an exploit to work), Macs don’t do. Hacking into Macs is so much easier. You don’t have to jump through hoops and deal with all the anti-exploit mitigations you’d find in Windows.
It’s more about the operating system than the (target) program. Firefox on Mac is pretty easy too. The underlying OS doesn’t have anti-exploit stuff built into it.
“When the malware authors put out something that’s really sophisticated we are going to have a whole population that is really vulnerable.”
I don’t see myself standing in line for this product. But it would be nice to have access to a high-quality option for Mac security software, should it be necessary.
My organization uses Symantec Antivirus and it can really slow down a Mac Pro. The Symantec Antivirus settings that the IT department imposed (and I can’t change them) also radically slow down USB data transfers to/from a memory stick. My old Powerbook G4 (unencumbered by Symantec software) transfers files mush faster than my Mac Pro with Symantec.
To be truly pedantic, there WAS a single trojan in the wild. It had spread through a file that contained iWork 09 and could be found on the peer-to-peer file-sharing networks. It changed permissions, activated some processes on startup, connected to a remote (malicious) computer and waited for further instructions. Approximately 20,000 Macs were infected (a rounding error, compared to millions of Windows that generally suffer from any single variant of any single trojan or virus).
A version of the same trojan for Mac appeared a little later, attached to Photoshop download (it was deployed when user launched the cracking applet). Its damage was somewhat smaller.
Two years ago, there was a proof-of-concept trojan that never made it out of labs. Last spring, there was proof-of-concept exploit of Safari’s Java implementation that also never made it in the wild (Apple plugged it a few weeks later). The exploit was pretty bad, since it allowed attacker to lure user to a bad web-site and then use java vulnerability to execute code on the Mac with root privileges.
So, these few are about all there ever was in the (almost) 9 years since OS X came to be.
And no, not even a single VIRUS was ever written for the Mac (definition of virus: code that automatically infects unprotected computer, then spreads itself to other computers on a network, without user intervention, as opposed to trojan, which requires user action, where user is lured to visit a site, or open/execute a file purportedly being something of value to the user).
Our company uses Kaspersky on its Windows machines and it’s far less intrusive than Norton or McAfee.
Personally I use ClamXav, on the not-being-a-Typoid-Mary basis. It’s fine, but good to know there’s a quality alternative now should it be required.
@quantum
Your statements go against everything I’ve read about Mac security. I’m not expert, but let me give this a shot.
Thing one: Every application that runs in Unix has to run out of a library. Everything. There are not that many libraries, so not many places to hide.
Thing two: Admin permission has to be given for anything to install.
Thing three: Any virus can only access files and folders on the user account on which it’s been downloaded. Users don’t typically log in as admin, so it can’t gain root access and damage critical stuff (I said I was no expert) in the OS.
Thing four: Macs ship with the firewall off, but all ports are closed. Any normal Mac on the internet is invisible and cannot be pinged. Turn the firewall on for even more protection (although I’ve read that Apple’s firewall is pretty weak.)
Can you counter those four things in addition to the fact that Macs have been 100% virus free (that’s not “mostly” or “pretty much – that’s 100%) since OS X was released?