Trend Micro Smart Surfing for Mac is Mac antivirus software that provides protection from many malicious threats and programs that find their way onto your computer. This application features a large selection of scanning capabilities and a few additional features to further your protection even more. There are several features and tools this Mac antivirus application is lacking and a few areas of the software could use some improvements. But in most cases, this Trend Micro application will shield your personal data from dangers lurking on your computer.

Trend Micro Smart Surfing for Mac detects viruses, worms, Trojan horses and other forms of malware. It offers protection against those threats that can find their way onto the computer through the web, Bluetooth capabilities, email, instant messages and much more. This application not only protects against these security threats but provides protection against spyware and phishing as well. Email and web protection are also available to allow you to do your everyday work without the fear of malicious software. Even though this application detects a wide range of threats, it does not identify rootkits and has no anti-spam protection available.

This security application detects threats using real-time background scanning. The application hides silently in the background of your computer and is constantly working to find any threats. Once a potential threat is found, the software quarantines the threat and lets you decide whether to keep or eliminate the suspicious file. Unfortunately, Trend Micro Smart Surfing for Mac does not offer any type of firewall protection, nor does it use heuristics to detect malware.

There are a variety of scanning options available on this application. You can perform quick, full or custom scans. If you choose to do a custom scan, you can scan individual files and folders and media devices. You can also set exclusions on files that you do not want scanned. In addition, you can set the application to scan your computer at specific times throughout the day, week or month. And you can then view all the scan results on a report log. But unfortunately, this application does not automatically scan a USB drive when connected to the computer.

One of the standout features available on this Mac security application is its parental controls. Using this software, you can protect your children and those around by limiting access to different areas of the Mac. You can block certain websites and certain search results such as gambling, violence and illegal drugs. You can even control chat and instant messaging features.

If you have questions or concerns while using this application you can contact a technical support representative through email, live chat or telephone support. Available on the Trend Micro website is a knowledgebase that provides additional resources and articles to assist you. There is also a FAQs section that provides common questions many Trend Micro users have. Unfortunately, you cannot access a user manual online to provide step-by-step guidance through many of the tools and features available on the software.