ClamXav OS X antivirus - free protection for the proactive

Most Mac users don't worry about viruses - in fact, a lot of the time you'll hear statements like "Macs don't get viruses.". As the popularity of OS X grows, and as more and more people buy Macs, they are becoming more attractive targets, and they're working side by side with PCs. That means files are exchanged, email is received, and a whole host of entry vectors open up. Macs also see use as file servers, mail servers, and in other capacities where they might not be at risk, but the clients connecting to them may be.

Those risks mean that antivirus software for the Mac is getting more attention now than it was a year ago.

Last year saw OS X viruses starting to get attention - viruses such as OSX.Leap.A brought attention to the fact that Macs weren't invulnerable bastions of security. While we still haven't seen a major OS X worm, antivirus for the Mac is looking more attractive.

If you'd like to cover your bases, but don't want to invest in a commercial product, ClamXav may be a great option for you. It is based on the ClamAV open source antivirus package that most Linux users are used to, and it has a GUI that makes it more attractive to most OS X users.

A small dose of preparedness can help, and I'll be using AV on my Mac. Is that a belt and suspenders approach to security? Not for much longer, I believe.