Mac malware at its highest ever!
Recent studies have found that Mac malware has increased by over 230% in the last 12 months.
Why do you believe people buy Mac OS computers? You may argue it?s because they are more stylish or for more creative users. However, a lot of users buy them because they believe they are safer from a cyber-attack. Soon, this belief will no longer be the case.
For years, cyber-criminals have targeted Windows OS due to its dominance across the world. 89% of worldwide PC?s run on Windows OS, with 9.6% running Mac OS. Mac however have seen this number rise over the years, it is predicted that within the next 3 years over 10% of PC?s will be running Mac OS. The question is, with the increase of Mac sales, will we see an increase of Mac Malware? And if so, how soon do we expect this?
McAfee found that Mac Malware grew by 744% in 2016, however a lot of that is claimed to be Adware. Latest statistics show a further 230% rise in Mac Malware from July 2016, with a further rise expected in 2018. Despite a ?strict? app store review process, experts are saying there is a ?tidal wave? of scam software found on Apples App Store, software that could potentially be dangerous to Mac OS devices.
It?s clear that the number of malware that target Mac OS, are increasing along with the sales. The more popular an operating system becomes, the bigger a target they are to cyber criminals.
Something that I must mention is that no computer is ever safe from malware, no matter what OS runs it. I would also not refer Mac as ?safer? to Windows. Yes, the majority of Malware out there targets Windows OS, but that doesn?t make Mac OS less prone to an attack. What will make your computers less prone to an attack, are the key fundamental ingredients to cyber security.
On Cyber Wise, we ?nag? on and on about the importance of cyber security tools and training. These are just as vital for Mac users as they are to Windows or even Linux users. Without the key tools and training, it is in fact yourself who is a target to a cyber-attack, and not your operating system.