Just like any other computer, Macs need antivirus protection as well. Macs are also vulnerable to threats, just like other devices running Windows, Linux, or other operating systems.In fact, there have been several reports of threats designed to target devices running macOS, mostly adware and potentially unwanted programs (PUP).
Intego's website claims a '100% detection rate of Windows 10 malware'. No anti-virus product can provide a 100% but only 99.x% figure. Why should I use a product of a small unknown vendor when there are free anti-virus products of well-known competitors? I wouldn't take any risk but rather go with the well-known ones. Real-Time Antivirus with Automatic Scans Keep You Covered 24/7. Intego VirusBarrier provides real-time antivirus protection for Macs, and scans files whenever they’re accessed to keep your Mac free of malware. Our Mac antivirus software automatically checks for the latest updates to make sure you’re protected against the newest threats.
According to a recent report by cybersecurity company, Malwarebytes, the average number of detections per Mac in 2019, which is 11, more than doubled from its average of 4.8 in 2018. This 2019 average is also a lot higher than Windows’ average, which is 5.8 detections per Windows device. What does this entail? This simply means that there are now more threats on Macs than on Windows computers.
This is why having a reliable and robust anti-malware software is more important than ever. In this article, we’ll look at one of the most popular antivirus for Mac: Intego Antivirus. We’ll look at its features, its advantages and disadvantages, and what makes it different from other Mac security software.
What is Intego Antivirus?
Intego is a Mac security software company that has been providing security apps designed for macOS since 1997. It has a wide range of security products for both home and business clients. AV-Test Institute and AV-Comparatives, independent organizations that conduct comparative tests and assessments of virus antivirus software, have tested and certified Intego as a reliable security system for iOS and macOS devices.
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Intego has a wide range of security features to help protect Mac users against all sorts of threats. Some of the notable features include VirusBarrier and NetBarrier, which provides protection from viruses and cybersecurity threats, especially for users who connect to public Wi-Fi networks. It also has a set of Mac optimization tools, such as Reclaim, Duplicates, and Organize, that would organize and clean up your system. These tools also help free up some storage space on your computer. Aside from these tools, there are also other advanced features that help improve your Mac’s health and performance.
Right now, Intego offers four home packages and two business packages to choose from.
Home Products:
- Mac Internet Security X9
- Mac Premium Bundle X9
- ContentBarrier Secure X9
- Mac Washing Machine Secure X9
Business Products
- VirusBarrier X9
- NetBarrier X9
In terms of price, users can enjoy premium protection for a relatively affordable price. Of course, the price differs per product — the lowest being $39.99 per year up to $179.99 for the most pricey package. The features and the number of users are also factored in in the package cost.
What Are Intego’s features
Overall, Intego has a great set of features that ensure that Mac users get the protection that they need. It provides real-time protection, it scans files as you access them, it has been certified by two labs for Mac malware protection, it has a built-in full-featured firewall, and it can detect malware for different platforms.
Here are some of the features offered by Intego:
VirusBarrier
VirusBarrier is Intego’s built-in antivirus scanner. The user interface is simple, user-friendly, and easy to navigate. It has all the necessary virus protection tools to keep you protected, including antivirus scan, scheduled scans, real-time protection, and malware removal.You can choose to schedule scans of specific files or folders instead of the entire system. You can also select the level of protection that you want — from Minimum, Standard, and Maximum.
NetBarrier
NetBarrier is Intego’s firewall feature, plus some extra options. This is a whole lot better than Mac’s default firewall because you can customize when to use the NetBarrier protection. You can choose to turn it on all the time, or only when you’re using public Wi-Fi. NetBarrier’s Applications tab allows you to choose which programs can connect to the internet using your device.
ContentBarrier
ContentBarrier, Intego’s parental control software, allows you to monitor how your children are using the internet. You can see what websites they visit, what they type in, and what messages they send and receive. You can also filter or block specific websites that might be inappropriate for children. One of the best features of this tool is the Anti-Predator monitoring function that goes through all of your kid’s activity and alerts you if your kid is being targeted by online predators.
Free Intego Antivirus For Mac Computers
Washing Machine
Just like a real washing machine, this Intego feature of the same name helps you clean up and optimize your Mac. It has three main tools:
- Reclaim – This tool scans the entire device for unused files that are eating up your storage space. This can help free up hard disk space.
- Duplicates – This allows users to delete duplicate files on the computer. Users can see a preview of the file before deleting the files to make sure they are really duplicates.
- Organize – This tool lets you tidy all your files and apps. You can create Smart Folders and sort your files in them.
Personal Backup
This feature is designed to help Mac users back up all their important files in a way the Time Machine doesn’t. It offers more options for creating your backup, such as where to save them and when to schedule your backups.
Pros and Cons of Intego
One of the advantages of using Intego is that it offers a lot of customization options for its various products. For example, you can choose what level of protection you want or what type of backup you want to create. It also scans connected iOS devices for malware, which is great for Mac users who own iPhones and iPads as well. They don’t need to install additional security software for their mobile devices.
Its full-featured firewall is more useful compared to Mac’s built-in firewall. It’s also a great tool for cleaning up and optimizing your Mac. Intego is a lightweight software and doesn’t eat up much resources, even when running in the background.
Unfortunately, Intego only focuses on PUPs and adware. It doesn’t protect you from phishing and malicious websites, which are two of the most widely used distribution strategies for malware. It also does not detect all Windows malware.
If you’re not a tech-savvy internet user, you will need more time to familiarize with the Intego software because it has too many interfaces. For example, ContentBarrier can be quite complex to navigate for first-time users.
Intego Packages and Prices
As mentioned above, Intego offers various packages depending on your needs. Each package includes the VirusBarrier and NetBarrier feature, so you’ll get real-time malware and network protection no matter which plan you choose.
- Mac Internet Security X9 is Intego’s basic package that includes VirusBarrier and NetBarrier. You can protect one, three, or five Macs. This package costs $39.99 annually for one computer, $54.99 for three computers, and $69.99 for five computers.
- Content Barrier Secure X9 is great for families with kids because parental control is added to the plan. You can protect one computer for $59.99 or three computers for $119.99.
- Washing Machine Secure X9 offers optimization tools on top of the basic security tools. This is a great choice for Mac users that have file management issues. You can protect one computer for $40 or three computers for $60.
- Mac Premium Bundle X9 is the most expensive bundle right now. It includes all the features mentioned above. You can protect one Mac for $69.99, three computers for $94.99, and five computers for $119.99 annually.
The Verdict
Intego is a good security software for basic malware protection for Macs. It offers a lot of useful security and optimization tools, but it is quite lacking in terms of active malware protection. Although it can prevent common adware and potentially unwanted programs from infecting the device, it does not provide sufficient protection against newer threats, especially phishing and malvertising.
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