Mac Security Program a Scam?
Jeremy Kirk, IDG News Service - Tuesday, January 15,

The MacSweeper site purports to scan Macs for security issues, then sell users a software fix--but researchers have their doubts.

"Some Macintosh users have encountered a security program whose function and Web site have the tell-tale signs of a scam.

Visitors to the Web site selling the program, called MacSweeper, are offered a free security scan of their computers. The scan, which only works on Macs, highlights supposed security problems with the computers. It offers to remove the problems with the purchase of a US$39.99 lifetime subscription.

But the awkward English on the program's Web site, and the way the program operates, have raised doubts over its legitimacy, users and security researchers say."

Story: PC World

____________________________________

"Even more telling that it's a scam is the fact that when you visit the MacSweeper website with a PC and click on "Scan", it will tell you that you have security vulnerabilities in folders that only exist on Mac like system_root/home. Fake? Oh yeah…"

News from the Lab: F-Secure

MacSweeper Responds:

"We are really trying to make a good software, and you wont find any viruses/spyware/trojans/malware in MacSweeper (test it your self, if you don't believe me, you can use any type of firewalls, dissemblers, or other tools) .

The problem is that we are using selling partners that forces us to use this marketing type. We would like to leave them, we don't want to completely destroy Good Name of MacSweeper application."


Report is @ News from the Lab: F-Secure