Virus And Spyware Removal

Verizon on Monday announced that it is offering a Mac version of its Internet security suite and online backup service.

Customers can order the services independently or as part of a Verizon FIoS phone, Internet, and video bundle.

Verizon Internet Security Suite (VISS) offers virus protection, a firewall, and parental controls, while Verizon Online Backup and Sharing (VOBS) offers between 5 Gbytes and 250 GB of storage for a monthly fee.

“Mac users are an important and growing segment of the broadband community and Verizon is becoming more and more focused on providing them with services that enhance their online experiences,” Susan Retta, Verizon vice president of consumer product management, said in a statement. “We want Mac fans to know they can turn to Verizon for online security they can’t get from cable.”

Customers who sign up for a Verizon Internet, TV, and voice bundle can also subscribe to VISS and VOBS for $8.99 per month, which will provide security coverage for up to three computers and 25GB of online backup and storage.

New customers will get VISS and VOBS free for 30 days.

Verizon broadband service is not required to sign up for VISS and VOBS, however. For those who want to subscribe independently, VISS is available for $5.99 per month for up to three computers, for $10.98 for up to six computers, and $15.97 per month for up to nine computers.

Storage starts at $1.99 per month for 5GB and $4.99 for 25GB, and goes up to 50GB for $6.99 per month, 150GB for $12.99 per month, and 250GB for $19.99 per month.

Apple users will need Apple Mac OS X 10.5 or higher, a Mac with an Intel Core processor, 100MB of available hard drive space, and Safari 3.0.4 or above.

Apple made headlines this summer when the company admitted that the latest version of OS X had built-in malware protection. Though security protection on a computer might not seem like major news, one of Apple’s selling points had always been the fact that it was seemingly impervious to such threats.

Microsoft on Tuesday released free software that people can use to protect computers against viruses, spyware and other malicious codes in arsenals of cyber criminals.

Microsoft Security Essentials is available for download at microsoft.com/security_essentials and is built on technology that the global software giant uses in computer security programs it designs for businesses.

“With Microsoft Security Essentials, consumers can get high-quality protection that is easy to get and easy to use, and it won’t get in their way,” said Amy Barzdukas, general manager for consumer security at Microsoft.

“Consumers have told us that they want the protection of real-time security software but we know that too many are either unwilling or unable to pay for it, and so end up unprotected.”

Microsoft hopes that the free software will be broadly adopted, particularly by those who have not been vigilant about protecting computers from hackers, and thereby “increase security across the entire Windows ecosystem.”

More than 90 percent of the computers worldwide run on Windows operating systems made by the US technology firm.

“Microsoft is helping to reduce some of the barriers that constrain consumers from running (anti-virus software),” said IDC security analyst Jon Crotty. “Microsoft is focused on the challenges that prevent consumers from running up-to-date anti-virus software today, particularly in emerging markets where there is a growing prevalence of malware.”

Security Essentials is designed to run behind the scenes, defending machines against infection by malicious computer codes.

The real-time nature of the software means it is automatically kept up-to-date regarding viruses.

Computer security specialty firm Symantec downplayed the Microsoft offering, saying it is lightweight and isn’t tuned for new forms of attack being used by hackers.

Symantec referred to Security Essentials as a stripped-down version of an old Microsoft OneCare product that got poor ratings.

“From a security perspective, this Microsoft tool offers reduced defenses at a critical point in the battle against cyber crime,” Symantec said of the free offering that competes with Norton products sold by the firm.

“Unique malware and social engineering tricks fly under the radar of traditional signature-based technology alone — which is what is employed by free security tools such as Microsoft’s,” it said.