There was a time when malicious software such as viruses, spyware and adware were the worries of only Windows users. If you owned a Mac, you’re pretty much safe from all this malware. However, this thought was pretty much blasted by Symantec when they mentioned in a 2005 report that hackers and virus creators were starting to target the Mac operating systems. Since then, the concern for viruses and spyware on Macs has grown.

5 Tips to Prevent Spyware Invasion on Your Mac

You know what they say… prevention equals a pound of cure. As such, nothing beats being careful if you want to prevent your Mac from malware. Here are a few tips to accomplish just that.

• Internet Explorer may no longer be supported by OS X and true, the other web browsers (e.g., FireFox, Opera, Safari) are more secure to use, but that does not mean that you should not be careful of the sites you visit. Be wary of free downloads and any site that wants to install something on your Mac. Unless you truly trust the source, don’t gamble on it.
• While we are on the topic of web browsing… online contests. Some of these sites will try to trick you into ‘allowing’ them to download something on your PC or simply want to tick you into clicking something that will open your Mac to whatever they want to sneak into it.
• Beware of SPAM. Spam does not only waste time but they also usually bring with them spyware. As such, make sure that your e-mail is secure. Activate spam or junk email filters and don’t open any attachment from people you don’t know.
• You may receive Microsoft files and spreadsheets from people you know but if they have macros in them, disable them first before you fully open the file. Opening Windows Office files is one of the few ways your Mac can get infected with spyware.
• Another thing that can open up your Mac to spyware is the use of instant messaging (IM) programs. As such, ensure that Privacy Settings on these programs are turned on and don’t reply right away to messages or IM invites from complete strangers.

How to Select the Best Mac Spyware Remover

Ok, you’ve done your best to protect your Mac but somehow, those spyware suckers still got a hold of your system. Now what? The best and fastest way to get rid of spyware is to use an anti-spyware tool. Following are a few tips to help you select the best one.

• Choose the anti-spyware application that comes along with good anti-virus features.
• With anti-malware applications, it’s all about their database so check if the software maker has a large database where they keep a list of known viruses, spyware and adware. If the database is constantly updated, then you’re secure that any problem can be addressed by the application you intend to use.
• Check that the Mac spyware removal tool performs automatic updates or at the very least, alerts you of updates to their program. With all the things we do on our Macs, it’s pretty easy to forget to check for software updates. If the anti-spyware program updates itself then that’s one less thing to keep track of.
• Free vs. paid anti-spyware. Compared to free Windows-based anti-spyware utilities, there are less available for the Mac so finding a free tool may be a bit hard. Further, most free anti-spyware tools have a caveat. For instance, you can only use if for a certain number of days or you can only scan for spyware but not remove them, and so on. I suggest you try a few free ones to see if any spyware is indeed detected. And if so, then consider getting the paid version.
• A good Mac spyware removal tool should also have this feature: spyware alerts. This means that the software should let you know if and when an attempt is being made to install malware on your machine. Ideally, such a feature can set to run only in the background so that you don’t have to do anything.
• Check out consumer reviews! There are plenty of sites and forums that you can go to check for any reviews other users may have posted regarding a particular Mac spyware remover. If you can’t find an existing review, simply ask for any comments about the anti-spyware program you are considering.

Lastly, ensure that you install a good firewall on your Mac. Firewalls avert any unauthorized communication between your Mac and any computer network and thus helps protect your system from having spyware installed on it.