Nov. 15, 2018

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The big question out there when it comes to Apple products is, “Can a Mac get a virus?” The short answer? Absolutely.

Apple computers can get viruses and malware just like PCs can. While iMacs, MacBooks, Mac Minis, and iPhones may not be as frequent targets as Windows computers, all have their fair share of threats.

Adware, spyware, ransomware, and hardware and software vulnerabilities are some of the problems now affecting Macs, and not just PCs. Read on to learn more about some of the most common malware and viruses that can affect Apple devices, what the signs are, and what you can do to help protect your devices.

The MacDownloader malware was a form of spyware that attempted to steal personal data, including the user’s keychain, which stores usernames, passwords, PINs, credit card numbers, and more. Macro viruses on Macs. Microsoft Word macro viruses have been around for a long time, mainly affecting PCs, but eventually jumping over to the Mac OS.

Figuring out how to fix viruses on your Mac can be an incredibly time-consuming process. Instead, take advantage of a free Mac virus cleaner. Some malware requires an expert’s touch, and you’ll find the Mac virus help you need with Avast Security for Mac. It’s the easiest, fastest, and most effective solution for complete virus removal. Can Macs get viruses? In addition to their ability to work seamlessly with Apple devices, many users prefer Mac computers because of their perceived “inherent” security features. Download Malwarebytes for Mac (the free version) and you get a 14-day trial of the premium version with automatic (real-time) virus and malware protection. After 14 days, your trial reverts to a limited disinfection scanner. Buy the premium version now to prevent infection in the first place. The malware was designed to install a new root certificate, allowing it to intercept communications, even the encrypted ones. When it gets to successfully route traffic through malicious servers, that’s when it intercepts sensitive information. Because of threats such as this, it’s imperative that you know of free Mac virus removal methods.

Four types of Apple viruses — and a vulnerability

Apple viruses can range from annoying to outright damaging.

1. Adware on Macs

Mac Scan For Viruses

Adware is a potentially unwanted program that can bombard users with advertising pop-ups. Adware can be both malicious or benign. Some adware can work in conjunction with spyware, a type of software that can spy on and record everything you do online.

Pop-up ads can lead users to malicious websites that could deliver media='(min-width: 992px)'>

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An Apple Macintosh computer can get a virus or malware infection, so the short answer to the question is Yes. However, it's less likely for an Apple Macintosh computer to be infected compared to a MicrosoftWindows computer.

The term 'virus' and 'malware' are often used interchangeably. For the sake of simplicity, 'virus' will be used on this page and refers to either a virus or malware.

Several examples of viruses that have infected Apple Macintosh computers include the following.

• Flashback malware - Infected over 600,000 Apple computers in April 2012; designed to steal user's personal information, including account login credentials.
• OSX/KitM.A virus - Infected a small number of Apple computers in May 2013; designed to take screenshots of a user's desktop and upload to one of several websites.
• OSX.PROTON - Infected thousands of Apple computers in 2017; designed to steal user's account credentials by accessing the macOS Keychain app.
• OSX/MaMi - Infected several thousand or more Apple computers in January 2018; designed to allow a person to view a computer's Internet traffic, also called 'snooping.'

In 2015, the senior e-threat analyst at Bitdefender, Bogdan Botezatu, was quoted as saying 'Mac OS X software has more high-risk vulnerabilities than all versions of Windows put together.' Despite that statement and apparent fact, Mac computers are still infected by viruses much less often than Windows computers. Below are some of the reasons why Apple Macintosh computers do not have as many viruses as Windows computers:

1. Beginning with macOS X in March 2001, Macintosh operating systems are built on 'Darwin,' a fork of the BSDkernel.
2. Most of the computer virus writers are more familiar with the IBM platform and Microsoft Windows, which means it's easier for them create a virus for that platform.
3. Many of the tools, scripts, and code used to create viruses or other malware are designed for Microsoft Windows.
4. Many of the targets of viruses are governments and businesses, with an aim to either steal information, money, or create havoc. The majority of computers used by government agencies and businesses have the Windows operating system, resulting in most viruses being targeted towards Windows computers, instead of Macs.

How To Remove Virus From Mac

If you are running a virtual PC on your Apple Macintosh or Windows in Bootcamp, because it is emulating Microsoft Windows, it can become infected with Windows viruses.

Software and plug-in threats

Although the Apple OS is more secure than many versions of Windows, additional software, plug-ins, and add-ons that connect to the Internet can introduce security vulnerabilities. The most common ways to attack a Mac computer is through a third-party browser and browser plugins, like Adobe Reader, Flash, and Java. Today, most Mac users have these plugins installed and enabled on the computer, and, in doing so, compromise the overall security of the system.

Viruses For Mac And Pc

Additional security threats

Although a Mac is less susceptible to viruses, Mac users can still be the victims of trojan horses, phishing scams, and online fraud. If you are a Mac computer user, we still recommend keeping informed about how to keep safe while online. There is no such thing as a 100% safe computer. Mac, Windows, and even Linux computers are all capable of being infected with a virus or other malware.

Remove Malware Mac

Additional information

Anti Viruses For Mac

• See our malware and virus definitions for further information and related links.