Bitdefender can be downloaded from the Mac App Store. After providing it with full access to your disk and access to your security preferences in System Preferences, Bitdefender is ready to use. It is able to automatically update its virus definitions, and you can select between a Quick Scan or a Deep Scan. You can also select to scan files and external volumes in a custom location. The application includes a very effective anti-theft feature, which lets you locate and audio an alarm on your device, remotely remove its articles and block it from connecting to wifi networks.
The program also features a handy online knowledge base that contains videos and a huge collection of content and offers a high level of speed for virus scanning – a quick custom scan took only 5 minutes on my test device. It’s also among the few alternatives that have a vulnerability scan that scans your device for obsolete programs and weak passwords.
Overall, Bitdefender is among the best malware detection scanners consistently returning remarkable results in independent lab tests. It provides unbeatable spyware detection rates and a comprehensive set of protection options, including a password manager as well as parental controls. It even includes protection for machines in many of its plans for business, which is a important benefit in comparison to other services.
Bitdefender’s interface is easy to navigate and breaks down its features into three categories that are Privacy, Protection and Utilities. Protection is the portion of Bitdefender that covers features that are standard to all antivirus software, such as real-time protection, firewall monitoring and ransomware countermeasures. Privacy covers methods to ensure security while browsing the internet, like a safe browser (designed with banking and shopping websites in mind) that runs home websites in an sandbox, and blocks malware from contaminating your regular internet browser. The Utilities category contains optimization tools as well as other handy utilities.