Apple’s response and the bad guys’ response to that are both firsts. But before we start wallpapering our desktops with eight different antivirus tools, it’s important to take a step back and try to understand what Mac Defender really means. Because, as momentous as this event is, it doesn’t mean we face an upcoming Mac Malware Apocalypse.

How to avoid or remove Mac Defender malware in Mac OS X v10.6 or earlier Learn how to avoid or remove Mac Defender malware in Mac OS X v10.6 or earlier. A phishing scam has targeted Mac users by redirecting them from legitimate websites to fake websites which tell them that their computer is infected with a virus. Alternatively, Microsoft Defender can be uninstalled from the command line via this single command (administrative credentials required): sudo rm -rf '/Applications/Microsoft Defender ATP.app'. Select the disk where you want to install the Bitdefender software, then click on Continue. After that, select Install. When prompted, type your username and password, then click Install Software. A small window will appear and Bitdefender Antivirus for Mac will automatically download and install on your Mac. Find the Mac Defender entry on the interface, right-click on it and select Move to Trash. If the user password is required, enter it. Now go to Apple Menu and pick the System Preferences option. Select Accounts and click the Login Items button. Mac OS will come up with the list of the items that launch when the box is started up.

People get emotional about security. Safety is hard-wired into our brains. People also get emotional about their Macs—or any Apple products, for that matter. Apple makes a killing by connecting with its customers on an emotional level.

So I understand that some of you worry that Mac Defender is a scary sign of things to come. But while the Mac security situation really is changing, those changes are due almost entirely to attackers’ changing tactics and have little to do with the inherent strength or weakness of Mac security. The bottom line: You should pay attention to Mac security. But you don’t need to freak out about it.

The real danger

Online crime falls mostly into four categories: self-spreading malware (like viruses); malware that attacks vulnerable Web browsers when you visit a site (drive-by attacks); malware that tricks you into installing it (like Mac Defender); and online scams and Web attacks that don’t hack your computer (eBay scams, phishing, search-result poisoning, and so on). Macs are still unlikely to see the first or fully-automated versions of the second. Mac users have always faced the fourth. But as our numbers grow, it’s only natural we will see more of the third.

For years, Macs have been free of the soul-crushing malware problems that have plagued Windows PCs. Despite the Mac Defender incident, I don’t expect that to change anytime soon.

Some attacks still take advantage of security holes in the computer—especially in Windows XP and in Flash or Java plugins. But we see far fewer successful attacks on modern operating systems like Windows 7 and OS X. Microsoft recently reported that only 4 out of 1000 32-bit PCs are infected by malware—and only 2.5 out every 1000 for 64-bit. Windows 7 is actually more secure than OS X, but the gap narrows every year. And there simply isn’t the same attack ecosystem for Macs, nor are we likely to see one develop.

So while Mac users will likely see more malware, it’s highly improbable we (or Windows 7 users) will ever experience what those who are still running Windows XP battle today.

But two other factors are changing the Mac security landscape. First, Apple products are growing rapidly in popularity. At the same time, the overall Internet security environment is more hostile than a cantina on Tatooine. For years now, cyber-attacks have been more about hacking your brain than your computer. We all face a massive, daily onslaught of Internet-based scams. The technical security of your computer isn’t the most important factor—but your Mac is still the target.

Lack of immunity

The bad guys are good. They spend all day, every day, trying to figure out ways to get a few of you to install a piece of software, enter a credit card number, or buy a fake purse off Amazon. Probably every one of you out there has fallen for some sort of scam, big or small, physical or virtual, at some point in your life. We’re human, after all.

And the scams are getting better. For example, recently a company called Epsilon was breached. Epsilon is one of the largest commercial e-mail marketing firms, managing lists for companies like TiVo. The bad guys obtained the names and e-mails for everyone who had opted into or out of any of Epsilon’s lists. Imagine getting a perfectly normal looking e-mail from a company you do business with that is addressed to you by name, and includes some links for new features. Ask yourself: Are you really immune to this kind of phishing attack?

There also really aren’t safe online neighborhoods anymore. Many Mac Defender victims searched for innocuous items like images of children’s birthday cakes. “Trusted” Websites, including many with well-known brand names, are breached and used to attack visitors on a daily basis. Who needs to break into your online bank account when he can get you to click on a poisoned link on Google or Facebook?

It’s time for those of us in the Mac community to start paying more attention to security issues—not because Apple is issuing a patch, but because, even if our Macs aren’t the target, we are. We’re going to see more attacks—some technical, some not—and we need to realize that we can all be fooled at least once. As Windows gets more secure, and Macs more popular, it only makes good business sense for criminals to start moving in our direction.

We are most likely transitioning to a state of constant, low-level crime and harassment that relies as much on fooling us as cracking our Macs—and probably some combination of the two. Bad guys will always go after the easiest, most cost-effective target. As operating system vendors continue to tighten the screws, the targets will likely shift to Web services, getting us to install the software ourselves, and traditional scams.

Actually, we’re already there.

While I’m sometimes foolish, I’m not a fool. Like the rest of you I plan on staying educated, paying attention, and adjusting my habits as the criminals change their attacks. We can patch our Macs, but we can’t patch our brains. They’re the ultimate soft targets.

[Rich Mogull has worked in the security world for 17 years. He writes for TidBits and works as a security analyst through Securosis.com.]

There’s a common myth among Mac users that you don’t need Mac virus protection. The urban legend is largely fuelled by sheer numbers — in the early days of computing, there were far more PC than Mac users, which meant PCs were more attractive for hackers. This in turn caused more media exposure around reported cases, which encouraged the market for Microsoft antivirus software. Meanwhile, Mac users were operating in assumed safety for many years.

However, in March 2019 Microsoft released their proprietary antivirus software for Mac, named Windows Defender ATP (Advanced Threat Protection). The release took many by surprise, not only for its cross-platform support but also because it made them question if antivirus software for Mac was actually needed. The security of macOS was now up for debate, alongside an evaluation of Microsoft Defender for Mac and what could be its best alternatives.

Do I Need Virus Protection For Mac?

Despite the numbers suggesting that Macs are relatively safe from malicious software and viruses, that does not mean they are immune. It’s true that Macs appear to be more secure out of the box due to the underlying framework of their software, Unix. Additionally, they come pre-installed with proprietary software that protects users from threats automatically. For example, macOS’s Gatekeeper ensures that every downloaded file is scanned and checked against common malware before it’s opened, and as an extra layer of security it won’t open an application from a developer that isn’t approved.

Applications made for Mac are also sandboxed, which implies that their installation files are completely isolated from the rest of the operating system, creating a non-invasive file structure that doesn’t mess with critical system files (unlike Windows). If you’re a Mac user and you have automatic software updates turned on, you’re relatively safe from threats.

However, this means you depend entirely on Apple’s security team for your best antivirus for Mac — what if they haven’t caught up with the most recent threat and applied the update yet?

Savvy hackers aim to be one step ahead of security teams, trying to crack the latest code that can cut through to a user’s system. This has become slightly easier over the past decade, since Apple moved to a more standardized hardware set for their Macs, including Intel chips instead of their old custom chips — these are also used by many Windows PCs, which could mean an easier transition for popular PC hardware-based hacks to Mac.

In fact, as of early 2019, a common malware has been seen on Macs which aims to retrieve your passwords and login details from Google Chrome browsers, attempts to steal browser authentication cookies for cryptocurrency platforms as well as see any text messages saved through iTunes backups for two-factor authentication password retrieval.

How to protect your Mac from malware and viruses

Although Macs are relatively safe straight from the store, there are some steps you can take to ensure you’re being protected properly. The best way to do this is to not allow the installation of third-party software, unless it's listed on the Apple App Store by approved and identified developers:

• Click on the Apple icon in your menu bar

• Select System Preferences

• Find Security & Privacy

• Navigate to the General tab

• Ensure that you have ticked App Store and Identified Developers

Additionally, you should make sure that you’re using strong passwords for all of your accounts, including logins for websites. Apple Safari suggests tips for strong passwords when you enter them for the first time, and you should follow its guidelines to protect yourself against hackers — the general rule of thumb is eight characters or more, a mix of letters and numbers, and at least one special character. Do not use the same password for more than one account!

With those basics covered, you could move on to the more advanced safety options to increase your chances of security, including:

• Don’t connect to public WiFi networks, as you can’t be certain who’s administering them and monitoring your activity

• Avoid opening suspicious emails that contain mentions of free products, access to money or estates, or from people and companies you don’t recognize

• Similarly, pay close attention to content seen in social media networks, such as Facebook, as often scams are run using the promise of money or products for clicking a link

• Ensure your Adobe Flash software is up to date, if you use it. Note that its support is ending in 2020, but if you see a message requiring Flash for certain websites, only download Flash software from the official site.

Now you should be in a strong position to go about your daily computing without too much concern. However, that doesn't mean that you don’t need to download Windows Defender or other third-party antivirus software for Mac.

Kogent Defender Mac Os Catalina

What is the best virus protection for Mac?

Kogent Defender Mac Os Catalina

With the release of Windows Defender for Mac by the Microsoft virus protection team, Apple’s built-in software got themselves a match, or even a formidable rival. At the moment, it’s only available as a preview for enterprise users, but the Windows Defender download will be rolling out to individuals later this year, packaged into the Office 365 software suite, making it an appealing add-on for all businesses.

Microsoft’s Defender uses the same library of antivirus and anti-malware protection as Windows, which means it has powerful capabilities right out of the box. However, the software isn’t an exact replica, as denoted by the ATP brand in the name. Microsoft has created a subset of their Windows Defender software for cross-platform protection, starting with Mac but expecting to extend to other platforms in the future, including mobile.

Although Microsoft’s software is known to be extensive and strong, they’re facing the same threat as Apple in their own antivirus software — hackers finding new vulnerabilities before they can be protected through an update. To this extent, nobody is 100% safe at all times, but installing a third-party antivirus such as Windows Defender for Mac on top of the existing Mac software is a good idea.

Windows Defender for Mac isn’t your only option for extended protection. Many Mac users swear by alternatives such as CleanMyMac X, which is a toolset that combines antivirus software for Mac alongside other useful optimization features. The CleanMyMac X team works to protect against threats that aren’t already being covered by Mac’s original software, with updates released consistently to fight malware, ransomware, and adware specific to macOS.

Besides, CleanMyMac X’s disk cleanup tool finds fragmented or unnecessary files on your system, and removes them to free up space on your drive. The app’s one-click optimization also runs through a list of uncommon and common scripts to help your Mac work faster across the board — all of this from one simple and beautiful interface.

Another essential addition to your security plan is Shimo — a powerful VPN application for your Mac that lets you browse the internet anonymously (through IP proxy), safely, and securely. Connecting to public WiFi spots can expose your data unless you use a VPN (Virtual Private Network), which simulates a different network environment. Shimo’s VPN software features AES 256-bit military-grade encryption that is certified by official organizations and the army itself. The utility is well-known for having a straightforward interface that makes it a breeze to set up, control, and use a VPN service.

When considering the safety of your Mac, you should definitely install some third-party additions to protect against anything that Apple hasn’t yet found. Although Microsoft Windows Defender is one option, both CleanMyMac X and Shimo are powerful alternatives. The best part is that you can get both of the latter under one affordable subscription through Setapp.

Setapp is an app platform designed for Mac which grants access to over 150 different apps, including CleanMyMac X and Shimo. By using Setapp as part of your protection plan, you have access to a diverse set of applications, each specializing in certain tasks and capabilities that one piece of software can’t hope to match. If you’re uncertain about whether to pull the trigger, you can always trial CleanMyMac X and Shimo for seven days for free before purchasing — when it comes to your security, a free trial is a no-brainer.