Virus-Proof Your Mac

Apple’s Get-a-Mac ads (and many longtime Mac users and fans) love to imply that Mac OS X is a far safer and more secure platform than Windows. And there is a ring of truth to that implication. There are far more instances of malware and viruses bogging down Windows PCs than afflict Macs.

But that doesn’t mean Macs are perfectly safe and secure computers — after all, no computer is completely safe and secure on the Internet.

New malware threats (including the discovery of the first botnet operating on infected Mac OS X machines) are cropping up this year. It’s likely just a sign of things to come as Apple gains market share and visibility.

So Mac users need to understand their options for protecting their systems from malware, network attacks, and other threats.

In this guide, I’ll break down three potential areas of danger – 1) viruses and malware, 2) network attacks, and 3) spam – and details some of best the tools to combat them.