McAfee release security products for Macintosh

Who says that Macintosh users are completely safe when it comes to online security? Apparently McAfee don't think so as they have just released their bloated Internet Security Suite for the Macintosh. They have also introduced the Family Protection package to OSX as well (no its not a Rotweiller).

“McAfee Internet Security suite helps Apple users confidently live their digital lives,” said Todd Gebhart, executive vice president and general manager, consumer, mobile and small business at McAfee, in the press release. “It will protect Mac users from the growing threats users experience while searching the Internet every day, and McAfee Family Protection allows parents to keep a watchful eye over their kids’ activities.”

McAfee Internet Security for Mac includes the following features and benefits:

• McAfee SiteAdvisor technology protects users from malicious Web sites, browser exploits and notifies users whether an ecommerce site has been scanned by McAfee for potential vulnerabilities.
• SiteAdvisor technology provides site ratings in 22 search engines, and features advanced phishing protection that will alert users to sites that may try to steal personal identities or gain access to financial information.
• Secure Search a dedicated search tool that allows users to search, explore and shop more securely.
• Two–Way Firewall Protection monitors all data entering and leaving the Mac and blocks hackers from accessing the computer.
• Advanced Malware Scanning detects, blocks, and removes all Windows and Mac based viruses, spyware, and adware as well as any emerging threats that could harm the Mac.

McAfee Internet Security for Apple OSX is released today and it needs OS 10.5 or later. Prices in the states are $39.99.

McAfee are attempting to be more family friendly and their recent survey, run in conjunction with Harris Interactive shows that 55 percent of 13-17 year old users said that they hide what they do online from their parents and 36 percent said they would change their online behaviour if they thought their parents would find out what they were doing.

McAfee helps parents block all the good porn sites and monitor their kids while they are using the Internet. My take on this is if they don't trust their kids enough to let them online then they shouldn't be online at all. Why not spend some time educating them of potential risks then put some faith in them? Spying over a persons shoulder just seems wrong to me and it certainly won't help them develop a sense of trust with others either.

McAfee Family Protection includes the following features and benefits:

• Web blocking allows parents to block up to 35 different categories of content, preventing children from visiting sites related to topics like drugs or pornography. Keyword search filtering prevents children from searching for terms prohibited by parents.
• Activity reports provide parents a full view of their children’s Internet activity – including all websites visited. The reports are designed to empower parents to teach their kids how to safely use the Internet.
• Instant notifications are sent to parents by email or text message when a child tries to access inappropriate sites.
• Time limits allow parents to manage the amount of time children use the Internet.
• Program blocking enables parents to block specific applications installed on the Mac. For example, a parent can block iTunes to ensure their children don’t download songs or movies without their permission.
• Encrypted site blocking provides a deeper layer of protection against accessing Web sites that are encrypted which include many pornography sites.
• Parents can remotely modify each child’s profile. For example, a parent may block the category “drugs” but then remotely modify the rule if their teen needs access to an educational drug-related site for homework purposes.

McAfee Family Protection is available today on Mac OS 10.5 or later in the USA, UK and Australia. USA pricing is $19.99.

Clearly no other countries have kids who like looking at pictures of naked ladies (or animals if thats your thing).

Get both programs from www.mcafee.com/mac.

KitGuru says: We wonder if this McAfee software hogs as many resources on OSX as it does on Windows? Let us know in our forums.

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