Best answer: Though Windows malware doesn't affect Mac devices, it's easy to unknowingly send these threats to PC-using colleagues, family members, and friends. During our testing, we used live malware and saw that the protections that come with Mac devices don't always stop them. Several threats are disguised to look like legitimate Mac programs and often sneak in through email messages and network connections. Luckily, a good antivirus program can stop them while keeping your Mac safe.
Today, the best antivirus engines use multiple methods for identifying known and unknown online threats, and antivirus is still a foundational component of security software. Antivirus is file-based protection, and after a virus attack, having virus-infected files on a target computer or mobile device is one of the main ways online threats. Apr 11, 2018 Does your Mac Need Antivirus Software? Many Mac users are still misbelief that “MACs do not get viruses” which is completely wrong, Mac do get Malware however not all Malware are the virus, there is the difference between Malware and Virus. Mac Malware does not fit to be called a Virus, Virus is often taken as a general term to describe any. Do Macs need antivirus software? The answer isn't as simple as it may seem. In this article, we look at the dangers faced by Mac users and the pros and cons of using Mac antivirus software. Do Macs need antivirus software? The answer isn't as simple as it may seem. In this article, we look at the dangers faced by Mac users and the pros and cons of using Mac antivirus software.
![Need Need](/uploads/1/2/6/4/126429846/562759951.webp)
- Staff pick: Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac ($60 at Bitdefender)
- Tech support recommended: Malwarebytes ($40 at Malwarebytes)
- Free Mac antivirus: Avast Essential Security for Mac (Free at Avast)
![Antivirus Antivirus](/uploads/1/2/6/4/126429846/115134129.jpg)
If you start to notice weird advertisements popping up in strange places on popular websites like YouTube, you might be infected. These ads tend to feature adult content or claim that a virus has been detected on your device and will often appear in places that you don't normally see ads.
You may also discover that your personal email or social networking sites are sending out messages that you didn't write. If this happens, you should immediately change your password to stop any more messages being sent from your account.
If your Mac just isn't responding the way it should, you might have malware planted into your system somewhere. If it takes much longer for your Mac to wake up than it used to, there may be something lurking in the shadows.
You won't always know if you have a virus. Technology has improved for the bad guys just as much as it has improved for the good guys. There are viruses out there that are smart enough to know how to hide deep in your system and work constantly to keep you from noticing it, all while performing malicious attacks. And once you're infected, it super easy for other devices connected to your network to become infected, too.
While you may think you don't need antivirus protection on your Mac, it's more important than ever now that Apple has grown so popular. Even if you use a limited, free version of a program, you'll be doing yourself a favor.
How can I protect my Mac right now?
The Mac operating system includes a number of security tools that help keep adware and malware off your computer, including default restrictions on opening apps from unidentified developers. If you stick to only downloading apps from the Mac App Store and are good about staying away from seedy websites, you can keep your computer secure from most virus issues.
In fact, Apple's security tools are why you'll hear many old-school Mac users say that you don't need anti-virus protection. The Mac is locked down well right out of the box.
However, there is more to protecting yourself than just avoiding bad apps and websites. You never know when you are going to pick something up that could create havoc on your Mac or on somebody else's PC. That's why, for added protection, you should think about getting antivirus software.
Staff pick
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac
Protection against Mac and Windows malware
Bitdefender runs in the background, deleting and eliminating Mac and Windows malware as it shows up. This protects both your Mac and friends' PCs from becoming infected. Bitdefender stops most threats before they download and includes phishing filters and a VPN.
Tech support recommended
Malwarebytes
Tech support's go-to
Malwarebytes is recommended by tech support at Apple, which downloads this program to user's devices when contacted about performance issues. This software searches out malware and other exploiting viruses and blocks websites that are known to distribute malicious content.
Free Mac antivirus
Avast Essential Security for Mac
Free basic protection
Avast's Essential monitors your email messages for any phishing schemes, malicious links or downloads that could lead to a malware attack or identity theft. It also watches your network connection and stops hackers and snoops as they try to sneak in.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
Rough and readyDon't worry about dropping your MacBook Pro with these cases
Buying an Apple laptop is a big investment. When you've paid out for a MacBook, you may as well splash out a little more for some decent protection. If you're worried about dings, dents, and cracks in your MacBook Pro, check out these rugged cases.
Published June 17th, 2012 at 8:38 PM EDT , modified July 15th, 2015 at 7:30 PM EDT
There is no simple yes or no answer to this question. The answer will depend on many factors, the biggest of which is your own opinion on security. However, I do have some recommendations. Before we get to those, we need to examine some basic facts about anti-virus (AV) software.
Perhaps the biggest fact that often gets swept under the rug is that no AV software (including XProtect, the anti-malware feature of Mac OS X) catches 100% of all malware. It is known that AV software in the Windows world typically recognizes at best 90% of all malware. Although some Mac anti-virus software does better than that, none is perfect, and some is actually pretty awful. Some are known to detect almost no Mac malware.
Another important thing to understand is that no current AV software is capable of intercepting brand-new malware. When new malware appears, that malware must become widespread enough to be noticed by the companies publishing AV software. Then they must find a copy of the malware, examine it and add it to the list of malware definitions used by their software. And, of course, none of that does you any good until you actually download the update, which doesn’t happen immediately. This means that, even if a particular AV program worked with 100% efficiency, it still would be completely useless for a period of time after the introduction of new malware. For example, in the case of the MacDefender outbreak, frequent name changes and minor tweaks to the “packaging” kept the MacDefender trojan variants one step ahead of all anti-virus software, for a day at a time here and there.
Trojans also make extensive use of what is called “social engineering”. Much like phishing scams and other online fraud, they are often carefully designed to use fear, greed, lust and other emotions to fool you into doing what they want. The MacDefender trojans are a perfect example: a malicious JavaScript injected into a legitimate site redirects you to a page that tries to fool you into thinking viruses have been detected on your machine, and from there fools you into downloading and installing “anti-virus software”. In reality, that software is a trojan that will do its best to make you think you’ve got real viruses (even faking some symptoms), all while pestering you to buy the software to remove them. If you “buy” the software, you have given the criminals your credit card number.
Mac Antivirus
Because of all this, the “set it and forget it” style of using AV software can often make one more susceptible to infection by the right malware. If you become complacent, assuming that your AV software will protect you against all threats, it is unlikely that you will be as cautious as you should be, and something will eventually slip past your AV software. This is not just a theoretical concern, it has been documented to actually happen. I have personally seen reports from people with AV software who nonetheless got infected with something.
In addition, the vast majority of AV software will cause some kind of negative effect, ranging from mild to extreme. These effects can include, but are not limited to:
- Crashes
- Slowing the computer
- Damage to the system, apps or even user data
- Reduction in security of your computer (yes, you read that right)
However, there are some cases where AV software can be a good idea, or even a requirement. For example:
- If you need to use older software containing known vulnerabilities, such as older versions of Java or Flash, or old versions of Mac OS X (such as Mac OS X 10.6, aka Snow Leopard).
- If you are using a Mac in an environment where AV software is required inflexibly
- If you frequently trade files with Windows users and don’t want to be accused of passing on a Windows virus
- If there is a major change in the malware affecting Mac users (in which case I will note it here)
If you decide to install anti-virus software, do some research before installing it. There is a lot of very bad anti-virus software out there. Many AV packages are renowned for their ability to bring a healthy Mac to its knees. Others are practically scams, detecting very little Mac malware (or even none). Beware of anti-virus “review” sites, which may be fake or paid “advertorials.”
It should be fairly obvious, but I stand behind my own product, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac, as an example of good anti-virus software. It’s lightweight, easy to use and has no impact on the system’s performance. Further, if the program doesn’t fix your problem, Malwarebytes support is dedicated to helping you do that.
Just keep in mind that no anti-virus software can ever take the place of cautious online behavior, which will be discussed in detail in the next section.
Free Mac Antivirus
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