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TopTenREVIEWS - Bronze Award - Awarded for excellence in design, useability and feature set
Overall Rating
 
 
 
 

BitDefender Antivirus for Mac is a robust Mac antivirus software that is completely capable of protecting Mac OS X from all sorts of malware. Although there are far fewer viruses for Mac computers than Windows, Macs are not immune. Even traditional PC malware that doesn’t affect OS X can still be stored on your Mac, wasting space and posing a risk if it gets passed on. BitDefender Antivirus for Mac is one of the best Mac antivirus software, offering a healthy set of features in a very usable application. With solid security and simple usability, BitDefender for Mac is our TopTenREVIEWS Bronze Award winner for Mac antivirus software.

There are those who would have you believe that Mac antivirus software is useless. And while the threat to Mac OS X is far less prevalent, it isn’t nonexistent. Mac viruses can deleted files, steal sensitive information, disable programs, slowdown your system, allow remote access to your Mac or otherwise interfere with your computer. Luckily, BitDefender for Mac is completely equipped to protect your Mac from the variety of threats, including Mac-specific viruses and malware that targets other operating systems. Not only are you protecting your valuable Mac computer, you will also avoid inadvertently sharing any viruses with friends or coworkers who run Windows.

Scope of Protection:
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With multiple layers of advanced protection and innovative technology, BitDefender Antivirus for Mac is equipped to protect you from threats spread through files, applications, email and the internet. Malware goes by many names, but this Mac antivirus software includes an arsenal fit to detect and defend from viruses, Trojan horses, worms, spyware, keyloggers, adware and even rootkits.

Traditional signature matching is the first layer of protection, and BitDefender’s scanning engines are built for optimum protection and performance. The Mac security software comes complete with both on-access and on-demand scanning. The always-on virus shield automatically scans every file or application as it is opened. With automatic protection, you don’t have to constantly monitor the software to ensure security.

Of course you can run specific on-demand scans directly from the program. BitDefender Antivirus for Mac has several versatile scanning options that let you scan exactly what you want, including processes, removable devices, the home folder, the full system or just a quick scan of critical areas. If you have a very specific file or folder to scan, you can use a custom scan. The software can even scan compressed archive files for hidden threats.

As well as protecting your entire Mac from all major threats, BitDefender Antivirus for Mac is also comprehensive in supported configurations. The Mac antivirus application is compatible with Mac OS X Tiger (10.4), Leopard (10.5), Snow Leopard (10.6) and Lion (10.7).

Effectiveness:
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BitDefender Antivirus for Mac is one of the best Mac antivirus applications because it is so effective. The Mac antivirus software is effective at locating and removing existing threats, and preventing any future malware. The multiple layers of security protect your Mac by stopping any threat that that comes your way (or hackers who try to infiltrate the system).

BitDefender is known for their strong antivirus protection, and their Mac antivirus software has been approved by multiple professional third-party testers. Their scanning engine has been proved in battle and approved by the West Coast Labs, AV Comparatives, Virus Bulletin and ICSA Labs.

Because new threats are created all of the time, an essential factor to effective Mac security is to have up-to-date virus signatures. BitDefender Antivirus for Mac includes quick and automatic updates every hour. They’re frequent enough to keep you current, and small enough that they don’t seriously impact your speed.

Further enhancing performance, the BitDefender Mac antivirus software utilizes intelligent scanning to optimize performance. To make scans quicker (without compromising security), an optimized scan only checks files that are new or have been recently changed.

Features:
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BitDefender Antivirus for Mac has several compelling features that improve efficacy, efficiency and usability. One feature is the quarantined area. When potential threats are detected, they are placed in the quarantine, which serves as an inoculate holding cell where the files will await action, but they can’t harm your system. From the quarantine, you can choose to restore the file (if you know it’s safe) or delete it completely.

Another BitDefender feature is the integrated scheduler. If you want to run virus scans at a specific time (i.e. when you’re away from your computer), you can set any type of scan to run on a set schedule or time interval. If you’re running a scan while you’re working, you have the option to run a pre-scan count of files to be scanned and then you will have access to a visual indicator of the scan’s progress. You also have the option to pause and resume scans, so you can temporarily stop a scan without canceling it altogether.

Other settings that can be useful include the option to open BitDefender Antivirus for Mac as soon as you login to your computer, and the ability to drag and drop files to be scanned. The Mac antivirus software can also be configured to use visual and auditory alerts to notify you if malware is detected.

Ease of Use:
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BitDefender Antivirus for Mac is designed to be just like your Mac; powerful and easy to use. The user interface is straightforward and provides quick access to the various components of the software. Easy to understand visual indicators let you know if your security is at risk and help you quickly resolve any issues. The main dashboard features a toolbar, at-a-glance status indicators and access to the settings of each module. The whole application is easy to navigate and provides flexible control of the software. You can also access most of the major functions of the BitDefender software directly from the Dock icon.

While advanced users can take advantage of flexible tools to customize the BitDefender Mac security software, average users will appreciate the fact that they can simply install the Mac antivirus software and let it protect automatically without constant supervision. You can configure the software to perform how you need it to, whether that be quietly in the background or up front and center. One versatile capability is that you can specify exactly what the software should do when a threat is scanned (even for each specific scan type). For example, you can configure the application to try to disinfect found items, and if that doesn’t work, place the file under quarantine.

Overall, BitDefender Antivirus for Mac is completely flexible, but remarkably easy to use.

Help & Support:
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BitDefender Mac antivirus software is pretty intuitive, but it’s nice to have backup readily available when you need it. Integrated support documents are available, or you can refer to the knowledgebase and FAQs section online. For personal help with any other issues, you have access to the professional support staff available via email, phone or online live chat.

Summary:

Overall, BitDefender Antivirus for Mac delivers comprehensive protection and is very user-friendly. The product is among the best Mac antivirus software available, and comes with superior protection, performance and price.

 
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BitDefender Antivirus for Mac

Pros
BitDefender Antivirus for Mac is powerful, flexible and easy to use.

Cons
The Mac antivirus software doesn’t include extensive history logging.

The Verdict

BitDefender Antivirus for Mac is overall one of the best Mac antivirus software available.