AV-Test - Test: 16 Security Packages under MacOS Mojave for Consumer and Corporate Us

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As the threat scenario is continuing to exacerbate also for Mac users, they should not do without maximum protection for their system. The laboratory tested 16 products in terms of their protection.

It was only a few years ago that online and print media specialized in Mac computing played down the dangers posed to the Mac by malware. In the meantime, people have developed a new awareness there as well, reporting more and more often about dangerous malware for MacOS and calling attention to the constant increase in attackers. Anyone who still remains skeptical about these warnings would do well to consider the reports of Kaspersky: Already in the first six months of 2019, Kaspersky (alone) registered six million phishing attacks on Apple users. In order to gear up decisively against these attacks, the experts recommend good protection software. The laboratory of AV-TEST evaluated 11 packages for private users and 5 solutions for corporate users in terms of their protection, performance and usability.

The right security packages for consumer and corporate users

Included in the test for consumers are the packages from Airo, Avast, AVG, Avira, Bitdefender, Canimaan Software, Cyber Intell Solutions, F-Secure, Kaspersky, NortonLifeLock and Trend Micro. In the category of corporate solutions, the products from Bitdefender, Crowdstrike, ESET, McAfee and Sophos were examined.

In order for the test to be easily understood for all users and readers, it is divided up into three test areas. Initially, all security solutions are examined in terms of their protection. To do so, they are required to detect and remove current MacOS malware samples. Moreover, tests are conducted as to how heavily a protection solution puts a load on the Mac, possibly even slowing down performance. In the area of usability, all programs are checked in terms of friend or foe detection and whether they trigger false positives.

In each of the three areas tested, a product can earn up to 6 points. Thus, the best overall score is 18 points. This score was achieved by a total of 8 packages for consumers: Airo, Avast, AVG, Bitdefender, Canimaan Software, Kaspersky, NortonLifeLock and Trend Micro.

Among corporate products, the 3 products from Crowdstrike, McAfee and Sophos achieved the top score of 18 points. Bitdefender and ESET came in close behind, however, with an excellent score of 17.5 points.

Who does a good job of protecting against malware?

In the protection test, all products are required to detect a reference set with current and especially dangerous malware samples for MacOS. In the process, each malware program is downloaded to a newly-installed MacOS system and launched, in order to check the virus defense. Eight out of 11 packages for consumers achieve this task 100 percent. Three packages do manage to detect many, but not all, attackers. The detection rates of F-Secure, Avira and Cyber Intell Solutions range between 96.6 and 93.8 percent.

Things look better when it comes to corporate solutions. Four out of the five solutions there always detect the malware 100 percent. Only McAfee stumbled slightly and committed minor errors: 99.3 percent.

Most of the products earn the full 6 points in this test phase. Just a few lose valuable points here, as they do not detect all malware samples.

Which solution puts an excessive load on the system?

Protection software is naturally not allowed to prevent the system from working. AV-TEST checks to see whether this is the case in the performance phase. For the test, the lab carries out everyday operations on a reference Mac without a security solution: files are copied, downloads performed, applications launched or apps installed. The times measured during the test are used as a reference. The measurements are then repeated and compared with each installed protection solution.

The result is excellent among products throughout both user categories. Nearly all solutions earn the full 6 points here. Only three packages exhibit such minor irregularities that they still receive 5.5 points for this. All in all, that is very good news for all users.
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