

These are sort of like a Trojan Horse and begin to work when the user clicks on an infected file, often a Word document. There was a particularly bad one a few years ago called ‘MacDownloader’ which hid in a fake Adobe Flash update. They’ve been a threat to Macs for a while. Sometimes the malware inside the trojan horse will start operating without your knowledge, stealing personal data in the background.
#How many viruses are there for mac software#
Trojan horses hide a malicious software within an otherwise nonsuspicious link or download. Often these can lead to malicious websites that could then deliver spyware – a program which tracks activity online and steals information, used for fraud or theft.Įven a benign pop-up can be annoying and intrusive and hamper the day-to-day use of your computer.

– ADWAREĪdware could be any unwanted program or pop up that displays unwanted ads. Here’s a few examples of what you could face. Sometimes, something which seems as if it’s just annoying could actually be much worse. The threats, like with any computer user, range from simply annoying to potentially devastating. The safest option is to assume that you could be vulnerable. There are ways for seasoned hackers to bypass them and they don’t block all potential threats.Īs Macs have become more popular and the number of users has grown, so have the number of threats they face. The assumption that you are safe simply because you are using a Mac actually leaves you more vulnerable to an increasing number of threats.Īs useful as the in-built security features are, they only do so much. Photo: Markus SpiskeĪrguably the real danger facing Mac users is that they are unprepared. Because unfortunately it’s no longer true.
#How many viruses are there for mac install#
This has made it pretty hard to install something malicious onto a Mac computer.īut they don’t make the ‘we don’t get viruses’ claim anymore. The integration between their software and hardware has always had the benefit of being harder to penetrate.Īnd since the arrival of macOS X, they have had built in security measures, particularly for preventing malware getting on to the computer. They have historically had a smaller share of the market, making them less of a target. This belief was supported by the creators, Apple.įor years Apple used ‘Macs don’t get viruses’ in their marketing and on their website. Photo: Alex Bachorįor a long time, it was widely believed that Mac’s were safe from viruses. There are now more threats to Mac users than ever before. In fact, the likelihood of catching a virus whilst using a Mac computer is increasing. You may have heard that Macs are safer than Windows PC’s when it comes to cyber security.īut it doesn’t mean they’re completely safe.
