“There are no Mac viruses”, “I have a Mac, I don’t need an antivirus”, “It is not possible for a Mac to get a virus”. Do any of these statements sound familiar?
Five reasons to protect your Mac
- Apple’s success. Hackers’ objective is to infect as many users as possible. It is true that some time ago the number of Apple users was so small that cyber-criminals didn’t look at them as a potential target. However, as Apple’s market share increases so does its visibility to attackers.
- Mac security updates are much less frequent than on Windows machines. Security patches are only released once every other month so Mac systems are left vulnerable for longer times.
- Mac users are less aware of possible security risks and have less experience dealing with security issues. Mac users are over-confident and more susceptible to phishing and online scams.
- Mac applications also have vulnerabilities and security holes. iTunes, Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Flash… These widely used Mac OS X applications can be a potential entry point for viruses.
- Mac computers can act as carriers of malware. 20 percent of Mac computers carry viruses and other threats they can spread to Windows and Android systems.
Trojans, ransomware, worms… There are a lot of different types of Mac-specific malware, and many threats can infect both Mac and Windows systems.
How to keep your Mac secure
– Install antivirus software on your Mac and keep it up-to-date.
– Surf the Internet safely.
Would you leave your Mac without protection?
Panda Security specializes in the development of endpoint security products and is part of the WatchGuard portfolio of IT security solutions. Initially focused on the development of antivirus software, the company has since expanded its line of business to advanced cyber-security services with technology for preventing cyber-crime.
