macOS has anti-virus protection built inĭespite the perceived lack of threats, Apple has built anti-malware protection into macOS, the operating system that runs today’s MacBooks of various types. They will use obfuscated web links, Office Macros, Trojanised applications and can even exploit vulnerable applications without user interaction. You can expect attackers to use the same type of techniques as those who focus on Windows targets.

Steal or damage data and provide remote access.

Gain access to targets through social engineering or technical means.

However, it is possible to create malware for macOS and the excellent book, “ The Art of Mac Malware” goes into a lot of detail about how the bad guys run their attacks.įor our purposes it’s useful to know that Mac malware can do pretty much everything that Windows malware can do, such as: There is malware for the MacĪs we’ll see, the Mac doesn’t face the same level of malware threat that Windows users experience. Some argue (convincingly) that, as the Mac has routinely occupied less than 10 per cent of the computer market for years, its lack of users makes the platform less interesting for general cybercriminals. The famous Mitchell and Webb advert of 2007 was the most obvious dig at the prevalence of Windows malware and the lack of Mac threats. Apple has long marketed its operating system as being free of ‘viruses’.

Anti malware mac free