Apple MacOS Malware increased by over 270% in 2017, according to a report from anti-malware software-maker Malwarebytes called "The State of Mac Malware." Although there are still considerably fewer viruses doing the rounds for Mac than for Windows PCs, the increased threat to Mac users is still significant. Could this be the beginning of the end?
Malwarebytes cites several notable examples of Mac malware from 2017, such as Fruitfly and its many variants, capable of capturing personal data or even generating child pornography images. Plus, new examples of malware have already been identified since the beginning of 2018.
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Malicious individuals often take advantage of Mac users' increasingly questionable sense of security, believing that they are not at risk of potential malware attacks. Moreover, unlike Microsoft, which builds the Windows Defender antivirus into its operating system, Apple doesn't offer this kind of program. Users have to select and install antivirus or antimalware software to protect their computer.
The increased threat is above all explained by the growing success of Mac computers. Indeed, Apple ended 2017 as the world's fourth-biggest computer-maker, with 19.6 million shipments, up 5.9% according to researchers IDC. The ever-growing number of Macs in use worldwide makes them an increasingly interesting target for malicious individuals.
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