Miami-based security solutions company, ProtectStar, has launched Camera Guard Professional for Mac 2016 (http://tinyurl.com/h9mpgrn), a security solution designed to protect any Mac’s webcam and microphone from being accessed by hackers, spyware or malware.

It runs in the background, constantly monitoring for applications or processes that attempt to access the Mac’s camera or microphone. The app blocks any attempted access, and immediately informs the user of the access attempt, according to ProtectStar CEO Chris Bohn.

Camera Guard Professional also offers an added layer of security by protecting the individual settings of the software via a Personal Identification Number (PIN) that the user creates and enters. Any changes to the settings of the app will then require the entry of that PIN in order to take effect.

Camera Guard Professional also offers an “intelligent” feature called Deep Detective, which keeps a close eye on all attempted accesses to the protected Mac. While similar to the more common firewall or intrusion detection systems available from other companies, Deep Detective proactively protects the system from hackers, spyware and Trojans, according to Bohn. The feature actively monitors which processes or programs attempt to access the camera, as well as reporting both known and unknown attack attempts via its modern heuristic methods, he adds.

Camera Guard Professional requires OS X 10.11 or higher (and is compatible with the upcoming macOS Sierra). It normally costs $29.90, but is available for a discounted price of $19.90 in the first week of launch.