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1. Apple introduced malware detection to the Mac OS with Snow Leopard (Mac OS 10.6). This system consists of the quarantine of any app downloaded from the Internet, the use of Code Signing.
2. Aware of the problem, Apple eventually replaced the classic Mac operating system with the new Mac OS X, which came with built-in malware security measures. For instance: Quarantine, introduced in 2007, alerts users if they try to open applications downloaded from the Internet. It acts as a reminder, in effect prompting users to think twice.

Even Macs Need Antivirus Protection. The myth that Macs don’t suffer malware attacks has been.

macOS malware includes viruses, trojan horses, worms and other types of malware that affect macOS, Apple's current operating system for Macintosh computers. macOS (previously Mac OS X and OS X) rarely suffers malware or virus attacks,^[1] and has been considered less vulnerable than Windows.^[2] There is a frequent release of system software updates to resolve vulnerabilities. Utilities are also available to find and remove malware.^[1]

History[edit]

Early examples of macOS malware include Leap (discovered in 2006, also known as Oompa-Loompa) and RSPlug (discovered in 2007).

An application called MacSweeper (2009) misled users about malware threats in order to take their credit card details.

The trojan MacDefender (2011) used a similar tactic, combined with displaying popups.

In 2012, a worm known as Flashback appeared. Initially, it infected computers through fake Adobe Flash Player install prompts, but it later exploited a vulnerability in Java to install itself without user intervention. The malware forced Oracle and Apple to release bug fixes for Java to remove the vulnerability.

Bit9 and Carbon Black reported at the end of 2015 that Mac malware had been more prolific that year than ever before, including:^[2]

• Lamadai – Java vulnerability^[3]
• Appetite – Trojan horse targeting government organizations
• Coin Thief – It stole bitcoin login credentials through cracked AngryBird applications

A trojan known as Keydnap first appeared in 2016, which placed a backdoor on victims' computers.

Adware is also a problem on the Mac, with software like Genieo, which was released in 2009, inserting ads into webpages and changing users' homepage and search engine.

Malware has also been spread on Macs through Microsoft Word macros.

Ransomware[edit]

In March 2016 Apple shut down the first ransomware attack targeted against Mac users, encrypting the user's confidential information.^[4] It was known as KeRanger. After completing the encryption process, KeRanger demanded that victims pay one bitcoin (about US$400 at the time, about US$9,150 as of July 1, 2020) for the user to recover their credentials.^[5]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^ab'Mac OS X Malware details'. Retrieved 2015-03-12.
2. ^ ^ab'2015 Mac OS X Malware'. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
3. ^'Lamadai Mac Operating System Attack'. Retrieved 2016-03-21.
4. ^'Mac OS X Attack March 2016'. Retrieved 2016-03-07.
5. ^'Apple Shuts down First ever ransomware'. Retrieved 2016-03-07.

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.

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.

• 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.'

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:

1. Beginning with macOS X in March 2001, Macintosh operating systems are built on 'Darwin,' a fork of the BSDkernel.
2. 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.
3. Many of the tools, scripts, and code used to create viruses or other malware are designed for Microsoft Windows.
4. 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.

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.

Malware For Mac Os 10.6.8

Additional information

List Of Mac Viruses

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