Malware (short for malicious software) is an umbrella term covering any software intentionally to cause damage to a computer, server, network, or the user of any of these things. What's the difference between a virus, malware, and ransomware? Though not as dangerous as a virus, they bombard your device with ads, and can go as far as to change your browser’s homepage and add spyware. That number is all but guaranteed to rise, with new threats like and FakeFileOpener.Īdware, or advertisement-supported software, is also a problem. A report from Malwarebytes found that Mac malware saw an increase of over 400% (Opens in a new tab) between 20. Mac's malware problem has not just caught up to, but outpaced the PC infection rate (Opens in a new tab).

They know that the population isn't paying attention. Hackers know that most Mac owners are under the impression that their laptops - or iPads, which have surged Mac OS's prevalence big-time - are invincible, and therefore might not bother to arm their Mac or iPad with any type of virus defence. Which means fewer targets for criminals, right? The chances of hackers deliberately going after Mac users are definitely in the minority, but not zero.

Do Macs get computer viruses?Īpple's been the cooler, more progressive option for years, but fewer people own Macs than PCs. Here’s some useful information that will help you choose the right antivirus software for your Mac. But buying tech is tricky, especially if you’re not used to the jargon. If you’re an unprotected Mac user, it’s time to amend that. Antivirus software is still a worthwhile purchase. Apple's closed-loop system (Opens in a new tab) simply makes holes smaller, which means Mac systems are harder to infiltrate.īut that doesn't mean your Mac's security is invulnerable. Windows does tend to have more security vulnerabilities because, while Apple does everything in-house, Windows operates on hardware from a handful of manufacturers. Sure, Macs are generally more secure than PCs.

It’s a bit of an outdated myth about Macs. You (Opens in a new tab)'ve probably heard that Macs don't need antivirus software, but whoever told you that was wrong. This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

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