- Do Macs Need Antivirus
- Do Mac Users Need Antivirus
- Do Macs Need Antivirus Reddit
- Do Macs Need Antivirus 2021
Whether or not your Macbook needs an antivirus software is a common concern that has been debated upon in the tech space over the years. The answer to this though has not remained the same. Macs are usually known to have better protection as compared to Windows PCs; however, this certainly does not make them immune to all kinds of viruses. Again, experts differ on this.
If you happen to research on the internet, you would find that most Apple users do not think that any kind of security software is necessary. This is because they have never faced a problem in spite of not installing any kind of antivirus software.
Yet, since 2017, there have been reports suggesting that Macs are not as secure as they used to be. A number of reports have suggested that Macs have become even more susceptible as compared to Windows PCs. It has also been reported that if affected by Mac malware, the Apple devices can freeze. So, do you need an antivirus for your Mac? This article aims to answer this question for you.
A quick and efficient antivirus app is a vital tool for keeping your Mac safe. Antivirus software protection is a must for your device, but there are still cyber hacks that can penetrate it. If you stick to only downloading apps from the Mac App Store and are good about staying away from seedy websites, you can keep your computer secure from most virus issues. In fact, Apple's security tools are why you'll hear many old-school Mac users say that you don't need anti-virus protection. The Mac is locked down well right out of the box. Avast Security (for Mac), AVG AntiVirus for Mac, Avira Free Antivirus for Mac, and Sophos Home Free (for Mac) are totally free for personal use, although Sophos technically limits you to three.
- Can your Mac survive without an antivirus in 2020? Download CleanMyMac X to check your Mac for hidden apps: Your crash course into Mac.
- Yes, you need antivirus software for your Mac. Any Apple product using the latest operating system (OS) can still be vulnerable to attacks caused by malicious software. Cybercriminals even create malware specifically targeting Macs. Unfortunately, many Mac users are unaware of this threat to their security.
Do Macs reallyneedantivirus
There are hardly any specific reasons for you to believe that the Macmay not fall victim to malware. The exploitation of devices is absolutelypossible in today’s world. They are mostly done through Trojans, which need auser to install them.
Criminals always find it easier to exploit a device whose security protocol is easier to break into rather than a device that is well known for its secure walls. The security protocols of Apple devices were known to be much better as compared to those of Windows PCs. However, Windows has started becoming much more secure, with their Windows 8 and Windows 10 versions said to be the safest Windows versions that they have come out with to date. So, the declining safety of Macs has led many experts to believe that installing an antivirus is a must.
The Mac market share is about 20-30% in most developed countries. It is a known fact that Macs are considerably more expensive than Windows PCs. So obviously Mac owners are able to spend more on their Apple devices. This also makes Mac users a perfect and attractive target for criminals. This is a popular belief that makes one section of experts feel that Mac users are vulnerable.
One should keep in mind that the end-user is usually the most exploitablelink. There are numerous apps that seem to promise attractive features but comewith nothing but viruses and spyware. This is where your antivirus softwareacts as a guardian, as it will make you aware of the virus and block it fromentering and damaging the system.
Do Macs Need Antivirus
So, for this reason, it is always worth purchasing security software and ensuring the safety of your device. Some of the best antivirus providers are Norton, Total AV, Avira, Vipre, Bitdefender, Trend Micro, BullGuard, McAfee, and Kaspersky. Now, here’s the counterargument.
Macs really donot need antivirus
This argument is made on the basis that as per records, there has neverbeen the need to install any kind of antivirus on a Mac. There have beentestimonies from Mac users that they have used their devices for around 15years and have never faced any kind of an issue ever. One of the reasons statedis that the Apple market share is considerably smaller than that of Windows.
Understanding this logic is quite simple: as Apple’s market share across the globe is in single figures, hackers would not really want to focus on such devices. These criminals might prefer to go after the bigger numbers and hence do not focus much on Macs as compared to Windows devices.
Another reason why cybercriminals go after Windows is that it is much simpler to hack into as compared to the Mac. The Mac OS has multiple firewalls, so even if malware enters a Mac system it will never be able to get to the core of the system. Apple has taken this even further as all the versions that came out after OS X 19.8 Mountain Lion have featured the Gatekeeper function that does not allow the users to install anything on the device apart from any software that is approved by Apple itself. The App Store includes all the apps that are approved by Apple so anything from there can be downloaded by the users with total ease. So when the question is asked — does Macbook need antivirus,there are many who say a resounding “no.”
Do Mac Users Need Antivirus
So ultimately doesyour Macneed to be protected?
This completely depends on each user: if you are a user operating your Mac at your residence for non-business purposes and only for leisure, then you can choose to continue using your device without installing any kind of antivirus software; however, operating a device without the antivirus protection would always be a risk.
So, if you are still wondering if your Macbook needs antivirus, you could say the answer is a yes if you have any kind of valuable data on your system. If you simply use your Mac for leisure, you might still want to try out an antivirus just to be on the safer side. It is best to take precautions whenever you can.
The old adage goes that Macs can’t get viruses, so why would you bother downloading, let alone paying for, antivirus software? We have a few reasons.
No computer is immune from cyberattacks, so each year Which? tests Mac antivirus software to their limits with hundreds of virus attacks including worms and ransomware to see how they fare. Read on to see your protection options.
Browse all our antivirus software reviews, or skip straight to the best antivirus packages from our tough tests.
Built-in Mac security
While the adage mentioned above isn’t strictly true, it is fair to say that there aren’t many viruses for Mac computers, which makes them hard to come by. Our lab tests Windows antivirus software with several thousand Windows-specific viruses each year, but tests only a few dozen on Mac computers. That isn’t to say that it’s impossible to catch a Mac virus, but the number of different strains is much smaller.
There are two ways MacOS looks to defend against malware:
- XProtect This is a detection tool built in to macOS that is kept up-to-date with the very latest virus ‘signatures’. Signatures are telltale signs that a file is in fact a malicious virus, and means it doesn’t need to be intensively scanned to work out that it’s harmful. XProtect is kept up-to-date independently of system updates, so you won’t need to restart your Mac to get the latest signatures. If XProtect detects you’ve downloaded malware, it will let you know and move the file straight into the Bin.
- Malware Removal Tool This automatic tool will get rid of malware that hasn’t been picked up by XProtect and, if you have automatic security updates switched on (we recommend you do), will get rid of files that are malicious.
Apple also treats software downloaded from the web differently to software downloaded from its own App Store.
Indeed, macOS is pretty explicit about apps that haven’t been authenticated (signed by a registered developer and notarised by Apple). Whenever you download a program from the web, you’ll be presented with a warning to remind you that it won’t have gone through Apple’s checks. While this doesn’t necessarily mean a program will contain viruses, not being checked by Apple also means that the software won’t have gone through basic privacy and reliability checks, either.
If your Mac has completely blocked you from opening an app because it isn’t signed or notarised, you might want to think twice about opening it. But Apple does allow you to do so via the Security & Privacy menu within the Settings app.
If you stay within Apple’s walled garden, you’ll decrease your chances of picking up malware.
Why you should still consider antivirus for Mac
Even if you don’t let a piece of malware run, we have found that macOS’ built-in security scanning doesn’t always detect dormant viruses just sitting on the hard drive. If you never had any intention of running the viruses yourself, you could inadvertently share them with somebody you know who might not be so fortunate.
And there’s more to antivirus than simply protection from viruses. Almost all the security suites we test come with additional protection against phishing attacks, where websites pretend to be legit in order to steal your data. We have found that the very best Mac security suites will also bolster your phishing protection quite significantly, and perform better than the protection built in to the Mac versions of Safari, Chrome, Firefox and Opera web browsers.
For this reason, if you’re nervous about threats on the web, it would make sense to at least consider a Mac security suite.
Wondering about VPNs? Read our VPN reviews to see which one is right for you.
Antivirus options for Apple Macs
While there’s no cheap way to get yourself a Mac, those who don’t fancy a yearly subscription to a security suite can rest easy in the knowledge that this year we tested two free options – and while neither are Best Buys, one of them was perfectly acceptable.
If you’re a Which? member, you can see the very best antivirus options on our best antivirus for Mac advice guide. And for everybody else, we’ve highlighted five options from the biggest brands.
Paid antivirus for Mac
Norton Security Deluxe
Do Macs Need Antivirus Reddit
One of the biggest names in antivirus has a relatively inexpensive Mac option. What’s more, if you have Windows computers in your household you can mix and match the different device types under the same subscription. Subscribing gets you various other benefits, although some, such as the 50GB of cloud storage, is only available for Windows computers. See whether it’s worth paying for in our Norton Security Deluxe for Mac review.
Kaspersky Internet Security
Kaspersky’s security suite includes basic protection as well as tools specifically designed to protect your files from ransomware and a bolstered web browser for banking. Like Norton, you can mix and match a Kaspersky multi-device Internet Security subscription between Windows and Macs. See if it’s worth the cost in our full Kaspersky Internet Security for Mac review.
Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac
Bitdefender comes with phishing protection and a VPN for keeping your web browsing safe from prying eyes, but can this AV production take on its big-brand rivals? It’s performed well in our tests in previous years, so read our full Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac review to find out.
Free antivirus for Mac
Do Macs Need Antivirus 2021
This relatively simple piece of software comes with live virus protection, virus scanning and a piece of VPN software. While it won’t set pulses racing with its features, for many this will be a plus point, with no unwanted bloat. That said, the software doesn’t feature any phishing protection, either, which seems like a strange omission. See how it did in our lab tests in our Avira Free Security Suite for Mac review.
AVG Antivirus for Mac (free)
If you don’t want extra features and also don’t fancy shelling out for yet another digital subscription, AVG Free might be the option for you. There are no frills, but it should deliver when it comes to basic protection, adding that last layer of defense for when all else fails. See how it fared in our antivirus lab by reading the full AVG Antivirus for Mac review.
Avira Free Security Suite for Mac
How we test antivirus
Our antivirus test lab is riddled with threats. It has set up dozens of computers in 40 countries around the world to act as ‘honeypots’ for millions of viruses. These honeypots capture viruses that are fresh into the wild and may have only existed for days. This makes the task for the security software very challenging, because many of them rely upon huge databases of so-called virus ‘definitions’ to tell whether or not a file is harmful.
Grabbing new threats means they will also have to rely on their own intuition – rather than simply checking a database – using more advanced techniques to decide if there’s a threat. We also use a mix of scenarios on both Windows and macOS, including viruses stored on USB sticks, and even malicious real-world phishing webpages designed to steal your data. Only the most secure software can fend off all these types of attacks effectively.
Malware can be more of a concern if you’re using an old phone. Read our guide on mobile phone security for more.