October 2019 • Macworld 79BUYING GUIDEOutside of direct malware detection, many
anti‑malware apps include additional tools such
as ransomware protection. Ransomware is a new
kind of malware that, once it’s infected a computer,
encrypts all the user’s files and then demands
a fee to decrypt them. To protect against this
infection, anti‑ransomware features typically block
any app from writing to a user’s home folders,
such as Documents or Photos, unless the app’s
preapproved (a process called whitelisting). Lots
of apps come already preapproved, of course,
such as Microsoft Word, or Apple’s own Photos
app. But you can add others.
Several anti‑malware apps also include virtual
private network (VPN) add‑ons. These protect an
Internet connection by encrypting it, and this is
useful when utilizing unsafe open Wi‑Fi such as
that provided by a café or hotel.
Web protection via browser plug‑ins or
extensions is also popular and aims to stop the
user (or their children) doing anything they regret
online, such as visiting dodgy websites or handing
over personal information.
Price was an obvious factor in our test. All the
antivirus apps are sold as yearly subscriptions.
That’s right, you can’t just pay once and use forever.
Often there’s a hefty discount for that first year’s
subscription, but this can burn the user when
automatic renewal occurs a year later and the full
retail price is charged. Alternatively, users can
purchase several years’ subscriptions at once,
receiving a discount.October 2019 • Macworld 79BUYING GUIDEOutsideofdirectmalwaredetection,many
anti‑malware apps include additional tools such
as ransomware protection. Ransomware is a new
kind of malware that, once it’s infected a computer,
encrypts all the user’s files and then demands
a feetodecryptthem.Toprotectagainstthis
infection,anti‑ransomware features typically block
any app from writing to a user’s home folders,
such as Documents or Photos, unless the app’s
preapproved (a process called whitelisting). Lots
of apps come already preapproved, of course,
such as Microsoft Word, or Apple’s own Photos
app.Butyoucanaddothers.
Severalanti‑malwareappsalsoincludevirtual
privatenetwork(VPN)add‑ons. These protect an
Internetconnectionbyencryptingit,andthisis
usefulwhenutilizingunsafeopenWi‑Fi such as
thatprovidedbya caféorhotel.
Webprotectionviabrowserplug‑ins or
extensions is also popular and aims to stop the
user (or their children) doing anything they regret
online, such as visiting dodgy websites or handing
over personal information.
Price was an obvious factor in our test. All the
antivirus apps are sold as yearly subscriptions.
That’s right, you can’t just pay once and use forever.
Often there’s a hefty discount for that first year’s
subscription, but this can burn the user when
automatic renewal occurs a year later and the full
retail price is charged. Alternatively, users can
purchase several years’ subscriptions at once,
receiving a discount.