AVG Expands Antivirus Software To Mac

AVG recently announced that its antivirus software is now available for Mac OS.

The new product will protect users running Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks and OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion from viruses and malware. The antivirus software is currently available as a free download from the AVG website and Apple’s App Store.

“It’s a popular belief that Mac computers are invincible. But, they never were — it’s just been a matter of OS X not reaching the popularity that Windows historically had,” AVG general manager of consumer and mobile David Ferguson said.

“Thanks to the advent of iPhones and the iPad, the Mac platform has scaled exponentially, and that fact alone makes it a viable target for attackers.”

The AVG antivirus software is capable of detecting malware associated with Mac, Windows, and Android platforms. The software will help Mac users from transferring harmful malware from their Mac computer to Windows PCs or Android devices.

Apple recently reported that it sold 4.6 million Macs in the fourth quarter of 2013, slightly less than last year’s sales of 4.9 million. The company also reported revenue of $37.5 billion in the fourth quarter, up four percent from last year ($36 billion).

AVG recently reported revenue of $100.1 million in the third quarter of 2013, a five percent increase over last year ($95.3 million). The software company also reported profits of $0.52 earnings per share in the third quarter of 2013, a 21 percent increase over last year ($0.43 earnings per share). AVG also reported that the company’s user base has grown to 172 million, with mobile users accounting for 57 million of the user count.

Apple has several antivirus software options available through its app store. There are also free options available through CNET and other download websites, including Avast, which has been downloaded over 2 million times and has been given a 4.5 star rating by users and CNET editors.