Do I need to run antivirus on my Mac?

A common myth among owners of Apple Mac devices is that they don’t have to worry about protecting their devices from viruses. Is this relevant in 2024? If you own a Mac and you are not sure whether or not you need a security suite to protect your device, read on.

Macs have long enjoyed an elite reputation for being essentially immune to malware and computer viruses. However, even though they are much more secure than Windows PCs, even today, Apple Macs are still vulnerable to malware. Furthermore, this is a growing problem. With more Apple products being sold, the target audience for hackers is becoming ever more lucrative. This in turn makes it even more likely, that malware will be created specifically to attack Macs, so it makes sense, now more than ever, to think about Mac security software.

Installing backdoors on compromised computers is a common way for some hackers to occupy their time. According to a report in tech news site Ars Technica, sites such as Hack Forums contain threads full of people comparing and trading images of people whose Macs they have broken into and taken control of.

Many of the ways people are compromised these days comes through being fooled into clicking on links in emails, which then downloads malware, or clicking through to fake versions of websites which then ask you to log in, therefore stealing your account details.

iPhones, iPads and even IoT-connected devices are all attractive targets for cyberattackers. Any device that is connected to the internet is vulnerable to malicious software that can infect your system, delete and alter files, steal personal data, or use your Mac’s resources.

You can protect your Mac. You can protect your iPhone. You can even protect every IoT device under your roof. That doesn’t mean everyone else in your family is safe, or that everyone else in your family is diligent. Just because you hesitate before hitting that big download button doesn’t mean your spouse will, and just because you can cruise through the dark net unscathed doesn’t mean your kids should.

Just like when you’re driving a car, it’s not just your own safety that matters – it’s everyone else in the car with you.

Apple continues to boost security in each new version of the macOS operating system. But Macs do not include antivirus or anti-spyware software, although they do have a built-in firewall to block attacks from malicious users online.

The bottom line is: Macs are safer than PCs, but get a decent antivirus software regardless.

Saving $20-$40 per year on one of the best antivirus programs will cost you dearly if you get infected with nasty malware that will risk your privacy and valuable data.

Your Mac could be like a sitting duck for every hacker under the sun (or looming in the darkness), without a proper antivirus program.