November 03, 2010, 1:14 PM — The flames of impending Mac insecurity are once again getting fanned, as Sophos and ESET are the latest security software companies to pitch new products for the Mac.
Sophos, which typically focuses on security products for the enterprise, has released Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition. (Say it three times fast, I dare you.) It's a new--and free--anti-virus client for the Mac that seems to cover the bases like viruses, trojans, and worms, "even those designed for Windows."
ESET, a shop that makes a variety of security products for home, business, and mobile devices, has also announced that it will soon release a Mac client. ESET Cybersecurity for Mac looks to be a doppelgänger of ESET NOD32 Antivirus 4 for Windows, as it will offer yearly subscriptions, controls to block the use of hardware like USB or CD/DVD drives, a submission system for reporting files, and more.
Recognizing that "the human element is often the weakest link," ESET offers a set of Internet security educational resources, accessible only through the Mac client, to help users help themselves. The company has also released ESET NOD32 Antivirus Business Edition for Mac, a version of its client that meets certain security regulations for businesses and allows IT administrators to now monitor Mac clients in addition to Windows and Linux clients. The home edition of ESET Cybersecurity for Mac will be available online and in Apple retail stores later in November for $40. Business users should contact ESET for pricing.
As with the releases of Panda Security and BitDefender for Mac earlier this year, Sophos and ESET both acknowledge that, while Mac malware is technically feasible, there may not be an immediate, pervasive threat right now. Sophos, for example, highlights recent threats like pirated iWork '09 installers that contained trojan horses and Apple's touting of better malware protection in Snow Leopard as reasons to make another pitch for Mac users to start getting prepared.
