Apple fails again: Macs increasingly suffer from the appearance of viruses

The much vaunted security of Mac computers is once again called into question with the discovery made by an important security report. It reveals that, throughout 2023, the number of viruses and malware suffered by Apple equipment has increased drastically.

For years, Apple has used a compelling argument when talking about its devices and it is also about one of the features most appreciated by users: security. When comparing the security of iPhone or Macs to that of Android or Windows PCs, the theory always suggests that Apple leads. But It is obvious that it is a mirage that is breaking down little by little.

Macs suffer from more than 300 malware

We must not think that, by having a Mac, we are safe from infections, malware and viruses that easily circulate through the network. In fact, the latest report that Jamf has published here uncover that 300 malware families have already been registered that affect the apple company’s computers. In 2023, 21 new entries were added to the list confirming that macOS is not as secure as one might imagine.

To reach these conclusions, what the Jamf security team has done is carry out a long and exhaustive investigation in which they have analyzed 15 million devices. This figure includes not only computers, but also smartphones or tablets. And also They have analyzed all operating systems important, taking into account, as an extra fact, that their work has been carried out internationally in a total of 90 countries. Thanks to this precision in the information, his conclusions gain weight and can be clearly considered valid.

There are more and more Trojans on Mac

This is the type of virus that is spreading widely on the iPhone company’s macOS computers. A total of 17% of threats to which users who have a Mac are exposed are Trojans. And, as I’m sure you know if you know this type of virus, it’s not one that anyone wants to have. Because a Trojan opens a way through which hackers or any type of attacker can wreak havoc on your computer.

In another vein, the experts in the study talk about how surprised they are to have found a huge number of Mac computers that They do not have the minimum security options configured. They are very surprised that 55% of the Macs analyzed have the Firewall disabled, while 36% of the computers do not have the FileVault system activated. This one, which may not sound familiar to you if you don’t have a Mac, is responsible for encrypting many of the data on the computer.

As Michael Covington, one of those responsible for Jamf, mentions, it seems that the belief still exists that having a Mac you don’t need a firewall or other security resources. But he insists that the world has changed and that threats have adapted knowing the weaknesses of Apple computers. He particularly emphasizes that the malware threats they have discovered affecting macOS are no longer limited to attacking the computer, but are using the Internet in the process. And they do it so that, when malware, a virus or a Trojan enters a Mac, it does not take long to cause derived infections that accumulate and cause a larger problem.

They also comment that the problems increase with the installation of applications from risky sources or even with the download of apps that may be more sensitive to suffer attacks. Some of the names referred to include Tor or the Onion browser, as well as messaging tools and social networking tools.

Apart from Macs, mobile phones are also not exempt from being exposed to a high volume of risk. The situation is the same as with computers, so it is advisable to stop thinking that, by having an iPhone, we are more protected than what actually happens. And we must not think that these risks only affect users, given that from the report It is discovered that 39% of companies They have at least one device that is suffering from vulnerabilities.