Macintosh Internet Security Guide

This page provides background information and includes personal firewall, anti-virus, privacy and security suite/family software. For security product street prices, see our custom Macintosh Price List on Amazon Listmania!

Background Information

• Apple Computer -- Apple Product Security and Safe & sound

• Time to look at parental controls [Macintosh], Glenn Fleishman, Seattle Times, September 3, 2005 -- BumperCar, KidsBrowser & Intego Content Barrier
• Locking down OSX [Macintosh], Michael Mullins, TechRepublic, ZDNet UK, August 1, 2005

• Mac Security: Fact and Fiction, MacWorld, February 18, 2005

• 8 Ways to Protect Your Mac Right Now, Kirk McElhearn, MacWorld, February 17, 2005

• E-Mail Survival Guide: Win the Spam War, Joe Kissell, MacWorld, October 13, 2004

• Francois Joseph de Kermadec, MacDevCenter

  • The Fight Against Spam Part 1, May 14, Part 2, May 18, and Part 3, May 24, 2004

  • A Security Primer for Mac OS X, February 20, 2004

• Personal firewall software for the Mac OS, Aron Roberts, UC Berkeley, February 13, 2004

• Macintosh Security, UC Berkeley Labs, December 2003

Comparative Reviews

• Raise the Wall, Jeffery Battersby, MacWorld, February 17, 2005 -- OS X (built-in), NetBarrier, FireWalk, Norton & IPNetSentry X
• Select Your Shield, Mark Anbinder, MacWorld, February 17, 2005 -- VirusBarrier, Virex, Sophos & Norton
• Test Report: OS X Firewalls, Mary Landesman, MacWorld, January 25, 2005 -- OS X (built-in), NetBarrier, FireWalk, Norton & IPNetSentry X

Firewall Software

• BrickHouse Brian Hill
• DoorStop X, Open Door Networks, also see "Who's There? Firewall Advisor"
• Firewall X2, Pliris
• IPNetSentry, Sustainable Softworks
• Net Barrier, Intego
• Norton Personal Firewall; firewall based on Door Stop Personal.
• SunShield

Anti-Virus Software

• Intego VirusBarrier
• Norton AntiVirus

Anti-Spam Software

• Spamfire, MatterForm Media
• SpamSweep, Bains Software
• Also see our page on secure online email hosting services.

Internet Security Suites and Families

• Intego Family -- NetBarrier (firewall+), VirusBarrier, Personal AntiSpam, ChatBarrier, ContentBarrier, DiskGuard, FileGuard, Personal Backup and Internet Security Barrier (several suites).
• Norton Internet Security (suite includes firewall, antivirus, iclean, privacy and parental controls).

Privacy Software

• Allume Systems -- Internet Cleanup...
  • OS X Security Utilities, Kirk McElhearn, MacWorld, January 25, 2005
• Jiiva -- AutoScrubber
• Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) email security
  • Full-Featured Security System Comes to OS X, Glenn Fleishman, MacWorld, April 2003

Hardware Routers (Firewall, Internet Connection Sharing & Networking)

• Go to our Router and Wireless pages for choices and product reviews.
• Apple Airport and Wi-Fi Network Security, Arnold Reinhold, February 23, 2004