It even includes LifeLock monitoring for misuse of your personal data.

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Sorry to say so, but were long past the days when Apple could claim in its TV ads that Macs never get infected.

The last few years have seen an onslaught of notorious Mac malware, such as Shlayer, Proton and KeRanger.

And todays Macs are absolutely plagued by adware, scareware and potentially unwanted programs.

Best antivirus software: Protect your PC with free or paid programs The best Android antivirus: Make sure your mobile is malware-free Best identity-theft protection services to keep your personal data safe Unfortunately, Apples built-in protections dont do enough to stop all this.

Meanwhile, the Gatekeeper system in macOS only checks new software for an Apple developer signature, which you or I could get with a 99 license.

Third-party Mac antivirus programs have no time for such foolishness.

They detect shape-shifting malware and malware no ones ever seen before.

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They update their databases several times a day, and double-check what Gatekeeper lets in.

Most of them even scan Macs for Windows malware to prevent local-network attacks.

Some of them come with useful extras such as a password manager, system optimizers or VPNs.

Get the whole protection package with the very best Mac VPN What is the best Mac antivirus program We tested seven of the best Mac antivirus products, free and paid, and we think Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac is the best Mac antivirus program.

Bitdefender had a nearly invisible impact on system performance, caught all Mac and Windows malware in lab tests, rolls back files encrypted by ransomware, and hardens your web browser against online attacks.

Latest Mac iOS security alerts and threats Apple accidentally approved notorious Mac malware to run on macOS Catalina and Big Sur.

A flaw in Apples Safari browser could send strangers your browsing history and other personal data.

More than 1,200 iPhone apps may be infected with malicious adware, but Apple denies any problem.

Close behind is Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac, also a dedicated Mac antivirus program with perfect malware-detection scores but a heavier system impact during scans.

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It has features Bitdefender doesnt, including webcam protection and full parental controls.

Kaspersky offers 300MB of daily VPN usage, and its password manager is also limited unless you pay more.

Its VPN and password manager are unlimited right out of the box.

Youll pay more, but because Norton 360 Deluxe includes five licenses for Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices, it may be worth the extra cost.

Norton catches all Mac and Windows malware in lab tests, and its system-performance impact is small.

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