Do I need Antivirus on a Mac? • Blisstech Solutions

Broadly speaking there are two different types of desktop computer users; Windows users and Mac users (sorry Linux users but you are very much in the minority).

Microsoft has included a free antivirus solution called Windows Defender for years because they realised that most malware was aimed at Windows users.  Even so, many Windows users will use a third-party antivirus solution to provide extra protection.

Apple Macs also come with their own built-in security solution called XProtect, but conversely, most Mac users believe that additional security protection is not needed. This was exacerbated by an Apple marketing campaign that suggested that Mac could not get malware. This is simply not true.

It is true that Apple Macs are inherently more secure than Windows because of the way the operating system works.  However, they are not immune from malware and there are more threats aimed at Macs than ever before.

Wait, aren’t “Malware” and viruses the same thing?

No.  A virus is a type of malware but not every piece of malware is a virus. A virus is a particular type of malware that is able to spread itself, just like a biological virus. However, these days most malware does not spread that way.  Far more malware is spread through e-mail, websites or infected software. We have become used to calling the software we install on our computers to protect against malware “antivirus” software, but it does a lot more than protect you from viruses. It will protect you from a whole variety of threats there are too numerous to go into here.

“Antivirus” software is a set of programs designed to protect your computer from cybersecurity threats. It runs in the background, constantly scanning your computer for any threats. If it finds something suspicious, it will either remove the threat or quarantine it so that it can’t do any damage.

Is there malware that can infect Macs?

Before answering that question, it is worth considering why malware is created in the first place. Some of it is created to gain notoriety, some of it is created by nation-states for cyber espionage, but the majority of it is created for monetary gain. That is, criminals are creating malware to either extort money or make money in other ways such as through Cryptojacking.

Years ago, over 90% of all computers were Windows systems. Today Windows still has a very large market share, but Mac usage has eaten into that as shown in the chart below.

Graph showing the trend of desktop operating system usage since 2009

This means it is now more worthwhile for criminals to write malware and potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) for Apple Macs as they can make money out of it. You will see this trend in the chart below which shows a massive jump in 2020 which coincided with more people working from home computers. Hackers are not stupid and they realised that many people having to work from home using personal computers would use a Mac, so more people using Macs had access to business data during the pandemic.

There are 1.8M known active threats for Mac OS.  This pales into insignificance to the 1B threats on Windows, and even the 4M threats on Linux (which is probably because of the rise of Linux use for business systems in the cloud) but it is still a growing threat.

So, do I need Antivirus on a Mac?

In short, yes, we recommend that you do, certainly if you use a Mac for business use.  While Apple’s operating system is inherently more secure than Windows, this doesn’t mean that Macs are immune to malware. In fact, there have been high-profile malware attacks on Macs for years, such as the “Keydnap” virus that targeted Macs back in 2016.  Antivirus is the best way to protect your Mac from these kinds of threats.

While the built-in XProtect system does scan for malware, it does not have the advanced features of third-party antimalware solutions and is reliant on Apple updates to get up-to-date protection.  Apple is not a security company and will not be as good as dedicated security software vendors at finding and stopping new threats.

There are a number of different antivirus programs available for Macs, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. For business use, we recommend a solution that reports the security status of all systems to a central console.  Using such a solution ensures that all systems (Windows, Mac and Linux) can be centrally configured, and malware detections are reported to a central location that is monitored so alerts can be responded to quickly.

If you would like to know more about the options available to your business, please get in touch.

More Content

Be more productive with these Microsoft Edge features

Be more productive with these Microsoft Edge features

In the never-ending mission to be more productive, the latest Microsoft Edge browser could be a powerful ally. We’re telling you about 5 of its best productivity features.

Secure your data under lock and key

Your business's data is invaluable. Without it, you wouldn’t have much of a business, would you? So that data must be kept safe… and one of the best ways to do that is to encrypt it. That way, even if a cybercriminal gets their hands on it, your data is worthless to...
Which ransomware payment option is best? (Hint: none)

Which ransomware payment option is best? (Hint: none)

Cyber criminals are giving you more options when it comes to paying your way out of a ransomware attack. Our advice remains the same though. Find out what that advice is here.

Start it on your phone… finish it on your PC?

Start it on your phone… finish it on your PC with “Hand Off”

If you work on your phone while you’re on the move, it can be a hassle to find the right file once you’re back at your PC. Here we tell you about a cool new feature coming to Windows 11 that will help.

10 Simple Tips for Avoiding Phishing Scams: How to Stay Safe Online

10 Simple Tips for Avoiding Phishing Scams: How to Stay Safe Online What is Phishing? Phishing is a common online scam in which cybercriminals try to trick you into sharing personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers. Phishers often use email or...

How to get faster Wi-Fi in your office and for remote workers

The quickest way to upset your staff is by giving them slow access to the internet. Bad Wi-Fi quickly creates tension in the team and is a real productivity killer. You don’t have to suffer slow Wi-Fi. Here’s our guide to making Wi-Fi faster whether you’re working in...

Tech Tip: How to use Windows shortcut keys

Good morning everyone and welcome to your Tuesday Two Minute Tech Tip. 👉 Tired of dragging the mouse around the screen to access the things you use all of the time? 👉 Want to hear about some handy shortcuts Windows that you never know existed? Today's tip will help...
How to use Browser Profiles thumbnail

Tech Tip: How to use browser profiles

This Tech Tip is on how to use web browser profiles. If you are a freelancer, virtual assistant, or just wear many hats in your job role, you probably have multiple different logins for the same application. As so many applications are web-based, we have to login to...
An AI-charged blast from the past

An AI-charged blast from the past

Microsoft Paint is all grown up, and it’s making a supercharged comeback thanks to AI. We have all the details

Tech Tip: How to align in objects in Microsoft PowerPoint

In today's Tuesday's Two Minute Tech Tip Matt shows you how to align objects in PowerPoint. It can be a pain when trying to align things manually in PowerPoint, but there is a handy little feature that makes this easy. This video will show you how to: 👉 How to quickly...
Share This
Contact
Love Lane
Cleobury Mortimer
Shropshire DY14 8PE

01299 382 321
[email protected]
Copyright © 2024 Blisstech Solution Ltd
Registered No: 08125391 VAT No : 307 5490 05