While there are still Mac users who will proclaim that their systems are immune to viruses and malware, recent high-profile virus infections show that this is simply not the case. Even for anyone still convinced that their computer is immune to viruses, if a Mac is on the same network as a PC, it can easily be used to pass a virus to a Windows-based machine. This is just one of the reasons that Mac virus protection is much more important than many people believe, and Symantec’s newly released iAntivirus is a free tool that could help to bolster security.

If you have used any of Symantec’s security software for Windows, taking a look at the antivirus tool that has been released for OSX is going to come as a little bit of a shock. Minimal is a word that best describes not only the app’s interface, but also its feature set. Rather than on-going background protection against viruses and other forms of malware, all that is on offer here is on-demand scanning – although you do have the choice of performing a scan of your entire system, your Home folder or other locations.

iAntivirus

In addition to this, you can drag and drop files you are unsure about onto the app window to perform a quick scan of just these files, but there are very few options to work with. This could be viewed as a good or a bad thing as it helps to keep the software simple to use, but it also means that important security features are lacking. Anyone that is more used to antivirus tools sitting quietly in the background taking care of business will need to change their ways of thinking if they install this app as the lack of background checking means that the onus is on the user to start any scans.

Should anything untoward be detected, potentially dangerous files are quarantined so they are unable to cause any damage. You have the option of attempting to repair the files, deleting it, or just restoring it to its original location. There is one intriguing feature to be found in iAntivirus – the option of scanning your Facebook wall for malicious links that could be harmful to you and your online friends. This is a nice touch, but hardly a deal breaker.

You can find out more and download a free copy of the application by paying a visit to the iAntivirus review page.