14 DAY TRIAL // Security firm Intego has found that a “rogue” antivirus program is doing the rounds, claiming to keep Mac users safe from stuff like Adware, Spyware and Trojans. The company itself offers antivirus solutions for Mac, but advises Mac users not to trust “MacGuard”.
“Intego has discovered a rogue program claiming to be Macintosh antivirus software,” the company reports on its website. “MacGuard claims that it will 'search your hard drive for malicious objects such as Adware, Spyware and Trojans, cleaning your files, eliminating the threats, and securing your privacy in just a matter of minutes,'” according to Intego.
However, the security firm adds that MacGuard's description “is merely a clone of a well-known Windows rogue security software tool that has been proven to be malicious. The software may be dangerous to Mac OS X, and there is a risk that the company 'selling' this software may be scamming users and some sources suggest that they may be using the credit card numbers they harvest for nefarious purposes”. So, what Intego is trying to say is that, not only do you (allegedly) buy an antivirus program you don't need, but you can get into more trouble because of this.
Intego aims its security programs at novices, but also security experts who need to protect their Macs, “optimally”. Intego provides security software for Macs to protect against viruses and malware, hackers and vandals, spam and phishing, and to provide data protection and allow children to use the Internet safely. Just as essential are the company's tools for businesses which use Macs, offering powerful virus protection for file servers and mail servers, and a remote management tool to administer Intego software on multiple Macs, the company says.
Intego has recently updated its antivirus software application for Mac OS X, VirusBarrier X5, to version 10.5.4. The update addresses some minor issues and improves overall stability of the program.