14 DAY TRIAL // ClamXav, a free virus scanner, has been updated with support for Lion, Apple’s next major version of the Mac OS. This is also the last version that supports Tiger (Mac OS X 10.4) users, according to developer Mark Allan.
Allan maintains the program so that Mac users can stay out of harm’s way. He distributes it free of charge, but donations are greatly appreciated.
His app uses the very popular ClamAV open source antivirus engine as a back end and has the ability to detect both Windows and Mac threats.
The software can be set up as passive or active, meaning it can scan the files you tell it to (selectively or the entire hard drive), or you can activate Sentry to monitor your hard drive and scan new files as they arrive.
Which brings us to today’s update - ClamXav 2.2 Build 245. The new release updates the scanning engine to ClamAV 0.97.1.
Allan notes that “If you have edited freshclam.conf and clamd.conf by hand, you can find your old files inside /tmp.”
Those who don't know what that last line means can probably ignore it, he adds.
The ClamXav help menu is now linked to online documentation and users can now hold the command key and click "Ignore warning" to hide multiple warnings.
The update also delivers miscellaneous bug fixes, according to the changelog.
Finally, Allan notes, ClamXav 2.2 now fully supports Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, Apple’s next major Mac OS iteration scheduled to debut next month.
Allan also has a message for those stuck on the six year-old Mac OS X 10.4 dubbed Tiger:
“If you're on OS X 10.4, I'm afraid this is the last update to ClamXav you will receive, so please turn OFF update checking. You will still receive updated virus definitions,” he says.
Those who already have ClamXav 2.0.x installed are encouraged to use the "Check for ClamXav updates" option in the ClamXav menu as it simplifies the update procedure.
Those who don’t can freely download the app from Softpedia using the link below.