Apple computers can get hit with viruses and malware just like PCs. The big difference is that iMacs, MacBooks, Mac Minis, and iPhones are not targeted for these cyberattacks nearly as often as are Windows computers.
Criminals have launched ransomware attacks on individuals, big companies and government bodies. And in 2016, they hit Macs, too. KeRanger was one of the first significant ransomware outbreaks for Macs, hitting more than 7,000 Mac users. The virus infected computers from an installer for Transmission, a BitTorrent client.
Are Mac Computers Virus Free
There's a constant debate about whether Macs need antivirus software. But the answer is yes if you're still wondering whether you install an antivirus program on your Mac. Although Macs are less likely to become infected than PCs, it's important to stay on the safe side.
Avast Security is a great free option for any Mac user. It comes loaded with features that constantly work to block dangerous forms of ransomware, viruses, and malware that compromise your Mac's security.
Since Avast Security is completely free on its own, it withholds some extra features for the paid Premium plan, such as Wi-Fi intruder alerts and live ransomware shield support. Just be careful when you install the free plan. Avast will try to throw in some costly extra features during installation that you probably don't want.
Bitdefender Virus Scanner doesn't come with many bells and whistles, but it's still a viable option as a free antivirus program for Mac. This antivirus is especially great for scanning specific files or apps. It also allows you to omit files, making for a speedy scanning process. And if it finds a threat, Bitdefender will quarantine or remove it.
Bitdefender doesn't operate in the background, so you'll need to prompt the program to perform scans manually. Fortunately, virus signatures are automatically updated every hour to ensure you have the latest protection.
The only downside to Bitdefender is that it lacks the tools to protect your Mac online. For protection against dangerous websites or tricky phishing emails, you'll have to look into a more well-rounded antivirus software instead.
Even though Avira is free, it still has tons of valuable features. The real-time scanner can scan your entire computer or just specific files. If you want a more hands-off approach, you can even schedule the scanner to run at certain times.
By default, Sophos Home comes with a 30-day free trial for the premium version. You don't have to buy the premium version once the trial ends, but you'll lose some premium features you might've gotten used to. Either way, you can still get by with just the free plan.
Sophos Home also comes outfitted with parental controls that allow you to prevent your children from accessing certain websites. You can have up to three devices (both Mac or Windows) on the free plan, ensuring that everyone in your family has protection.
AVG's free protection is powerful enough to secure your Mac from malware and protect you when you're online. It can also prevent you from acquiring and passing on any PC or Android viruses. AVG automatically updates its virus database, so you'll always have the most effective security.
If you're looking for any parental controls or webcam blockers, the free version of AVG won't have it. It just offers scanning and detection features, which are good enough for basic security needs. Unfortunately, the full system scan does cause your computer to perform slowly, and you can expect it to take several minutes (or hours) to complete.
Comodo Antivirus offers an easy-to-use interface and free protection for your Mac. Checking a file or app for viruses is as simple as dragging and dropping it into Comodo. It comes with a quick scan that finishes in minutes and a total system scan that might take an hour or two to complete. The scheduler lets you pick and choose the times you want to perform scans, so your computer won't get bogged down at the wrong time.
Like some other antivirus software on this list, Comodo also stays up-to-date on the latest virus signatures to protect you from all types of malware. Just remember that Comodo doesn't automatically protect you online. You'll have to download the free Comodo Online Security browser extension if you want to block any dangerous websites.
Many Mac users think that their device is resistant to viruses. However, that's just not the case. Even if your Mac is less likely to contract a virus, especially if you download your Mac apps from safe websites and steer clear of bad security choices, it's still possible to pass malware to Windows and Android users.
So, using antivirus software on your Mac to prevent any security breaches is never a bad idea. And if you're looking to protect your PC as well, check out our list of the best antivirus software for Windows.
Protect yourself from phishing attacks not responding to emails that require you to enter a password or install anything. You could also use free software such as BlockBlock. That way even you were to carry out the steps to launch the malware, it would not be able to write files or mark itself as launching on startup.
Beware that due to the fact that people are so concerned about malware threats on the Mac there have been cases of malware actually disguising itself as an antivirus app, most recently Mac Auto Fixer pop-ups have appeared suggesting that software needs to be installed (at a high price). This is similar to another fake antivirus app called MacDefender which has been doing the rounds for some time.
Whether hackers physically sneak it onto your device or by tricking you into installing it via a phony app, a sketchy website, or a phishing attack, viruses and malware can create problems for you in a couple ways:
An important part of a Protection Score involves how well you protect your identity and privacy, which illustrates how staying safe online requires more than just antivirus. Antivirus protects your devices, whereas identity and privacy protection looks after you.
Yes! Legitimate antivirus software is far superior to going online without protection. But while free antivirus software for Mac is enough, paid antivirus solutions often include additional features that can provide even more benefits, options, and security protections. AVG Internet Security is one such paid solution that comes with premium features such as tools to block ransomware protection, and network scans.
Bitdefender Antivirus Free is a free antivirus software especially designed to protect your Windows PC. Quick to install and light on computer resources, it is good for gaming, image and video editing, and resource-intensive applications.
Windows 11 lets you run the antivirus program of your choosing, and Bitdefender Antivirus Free for Windows is the perfectly optimized option if you need a powerful antivirus software loaded only with the bare-bones protection features that every computer needs.
Let's start with what antivirus is. Antivirus software originally checked computer files and programs to see if any rogue software matched a list of known computer viruses. Today, anti-malware is a more apt term to describe cybersecurity protection that uses multiple methods to find and block all kinds of malware (not only viruses).
While there has been a perception particularly among Mac users that Macs don't get viruses and malware, in 2021, Apple themselves confirmed that Macs do get malware. So do you need antivirus, or anti-malware? Today's threats include things like ransomware, in which an attacker can lock up your device and demand a ransom, or spyware, software that enables someone to spy on what you do on your computer (like log in to your accounts). A free antivirus program will give you some protection, but a paid anti-malware program like Malwarebytes for Mac can detect and block malware before it gets on your Mac. If you would prefer your Mac stay virus-free, using antivirus/anti-malware is a good idea.
The first widespread Apple virus was called Elk Cloner. It was created by a 15-year-old high school student in 1982, and it targeted Apple II computers. Disseminated by infected floppy disks, the virus itself was harmless, but it spread to all disks attached to a system. It proliferated so quickly that many consider it the first large-scale computer virus outbreak in history. Note that this was prior to any PC malware.
Macs get attacked by cybercriminals trying to encrypt or steal your personal data. Or they might try to use your system as part of a botnet to attack other computers globally. Our Mac OS antivirus software offers the best Mac virus removal and protects your system. Scan your system at the push of a button and repair folders with just one click. Our Apple virus scan software is free. Download it now for your Mac with macOS 10.13 (Sierra) and later versions! For additional features get our Free Security Suite, including free Antivirus for Mac, free Phantom VPN to secure and anonymize your online surfing, Avira Browser Safety (on Firefox) to block ads and browser trackers. For premium antivirus protection, discover the benefits of our Antivirus Pro for Mac now.
In addition, you can use the free Avira Browser Safety add-on to ensure that PUAs, such as annoying adware, do not get onto your Mac in the first place. Avira Browser Protection helps you detect PUAs like adware hidden in software downloads and offers you a safe download alternative. In addition, you can also block harmful ads and websites, unsafe and phishing websites, online tracking, and prevent browser hijacking.
Avira Free Antivirus for Mac not only helps you better protect your device from malware such as viruses, Trojans, spyware, and ransomware but also includes many other security, online privacy, and optimization features alongside virus protection. Thanks to the integrated VPN, you can enjoy bank-grade security to surf anonymously and encrypt your traffic even on unsecured public Wi-Fi hotspots. The password manager helps you create strong passwords for your user accounts, while the junk cleaner rids your Mac of junk data and duplicate files. The Avira Browser Safety add-on helps you block harmful ads and websites, unsafe and phishing websites, online tracking, and prevent browser hijacking. All these features mean Avira solutions are the perfect complement to the security features built into macOS, providing additional layers of protection. 2ff7e9595c
Comments