Non-malware predicaments of that sort do happen, although they are generally marginal when it comes to Mac OS X and the newer macOS editions. Browser crashes can stem from Flash Player being out of date. For instance, a slowdown can be caused by low available memory or heaps of junk files inundating the system. Importantly, a Mac that’s acting up isn’t necessarily a virus-stricken one. The former display sponsored content on most web pages the victim is visiting, and the latter trigger fake problem reports to try and fool the users into purchasing their licenses. The strains that show up the most on the Mac virus heat map are ad-injecting culprits and scareware programs. Some people might think Macintosh computers are only susceptible to security issues over out-of-the-common things like the deleterious Meltdown and Spectre microprocessor flaws, but that’s a big misconception.Ī slew of garden-variety PUAs (potentially unwanted apps), adware, browser redirect viruses, rogue system utilities, ransomware, and cryptojackers are out there targeting Mac machines on a massive scale. Macs aren’t in the risky red area in this context, but nevertheless, malware outbreaks are constantly occurring in this ecosystem. There is no operating system immune to viruses, and a magic vaccine to fend them all off has yet to be invented.

Find out how to tell if your Mac has a virus, what to do in case of infection, and how to prevent different forms of malware from contaminating a Mac.

How to check my mac for malware