Why Virus Is Good For Mac

Why Virus Is Good For Mac Computers
Why Virus Is Good For Macular Degeneration

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.

Note

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.

Why Virus Is Good For Mac Computers

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.'

As of this writing, Mac OS X is virus-free. There have been some attempted exploits in the past but those relied on social engineering. A prime example was the trojan in 2006. It required several actions to be undertaken by the user in order for the trojan to propagate. Viruses on the other hand accomplish their work without the end user knowing.
The good news is that even as Trojan Horses, adware, and other types of malware are becoming more common on the Mac operating system, true “viruses” are still quite rare for Macs. Apple is fully aware this fact, and has actually used it as a marketing tactic to encourage consumers to switch to Mac from Windows PCs.

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:

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. May 31, 2018 The likelihood that you have any viruses on your Mac is pretty close to 0% as there are currently no know Mac viruses in the wild (last I checked). What is more likely is that the AV software you downloaded mistook normal, benign files as viruses. There are other types of malware that can cause problems. You don't need AV software on a Mac.

Beginning with macOS X in March 2001, Macintosh operating systems are built on 'Darwin,' a fork of the BSDkernel.
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.
Many of the tools, scripts, and code used to create viruses or other malware are designed for Microsoft Windows.
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.

Dec 17, 2020 The Best Mac Antivirus Protection for 2021. Despite what you may have heard, your Apple computer is not immune to malware. We test the top contenders to identify those offering the best Mac.

Note

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.

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.

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Additional information

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

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Why are there no viruses for Mac OS X?

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OS X | Security

Why Virus Is Good For Macular Degeneration

With today's cyber-threats and focus on computer security, it's no surprise that many people are ditching their Windows PCs for Macs running OS X. Even Apple's 'Get a Mac' ads highlight the security issues that plague Windows. The requirement to protect Windows installations from viruses, spyware and malware, have prompted many to make the switch.

No viruses for Mac OS X
It's well known that there are no known viruses for the Mac OS X operating system despite it being on the market for over seven years. As of this writing, Mac OS X is virus-free. There have been some attempted exploits in the past but those relied on social engineering. A prime example was the trojan in 2006. It required several actions to be undertaken by the user in order for the trojan to propagate. Viruses on the other hand accomplish their work without the end user knowing.
At a very high level, I'll highlight the two most common reasons I've come across that are used by those who attempt to explain that no viruses exist for Mac OS X.
Reason 1 - small market share
Some people say the reason no viruses exist for Macs is that it's not worth the time for writers to focus on creating viruses for the Mac OS X operating system because of its market share. There's no doubt that Mac OS X has a significantly smaller market share than Windows. A common argument is that writers would rather focus on creating viruses and malware for Windows.

Reason 2 - Mac OS X is a modern operating system
Some will say that OS X is a modern operating system that is built on a secure UNIX foundation. It is also argued that Apple has taken a big picture approach to security as it applies to operating system design and implementation. The fact that Mac OS X was created after the Internet gives it a more secure architecture that makes it less susceptible to unauthorized access and malicious attacks.
Apple's stance on virus protection
Apple as early as this year encouraged Mac users to install virus and security software on Macs. Note that the page on which the recommendation was made no longer exists on Apple's web site but it can be viewed at the Internet archive here.
What's your take?
The goal here is to not give my opinion but open it up to readers so that they can have their say. Also, do you think Mac users should run security software? Simply post your response or feedback in the comments section below.
Note that a more recent trend over the past few years is for attackers to exploit the software installed on an operating system and not necessarily the operating system itself.

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