OS X file guard tool in alpha

A new OS X utility called FlockFlock that monitors file-system accesses for malicious activity is available as an alpha release for experienced developers to test.

Written by computer forensics expert Jonathan Zdziarski, the open-source software hopes to thwart "ransomware, spyware or other malicious programs that might attempt to steal or encrypt" your personal files. It watches your /Users directory for changes and prompts you to allow the access or it is blocked – allowing you to catch unwanted modifications by nasty software.

You can configure the file-system paths monitored by FlockFlock.

Don't forget it's alpha grade – and it isn't yet signed by Apple, so you'll have to disable SIP to use it. Which isn't recommended unless you really know what you're doing. The tool is named after Patrick Wardle's highly useful BlockBlock utility. ®