Despite being considered as much safer than Windows, macOS gets more and more threatened by malware every day. The latest threat report by McAfee showed that in 2016, the macOS malware grew by 744%, with 460,000 instances registered.
However, even with the recent numbers reported, if you compare macOS infections with the ones of Windows computers, the Mac numbers seem to be minimal.
In fact, all the registered malware in 2016 increased by approximately 600 million instances, alongside 15 million mobile malware.
Fortunately, most of the macOS malware appeared to be adware, meaning that it’s more annoying rather than dangerous for the victims. Actually, this is the case with most Windows or Android malware.
Nevertheless, it does not mean that there are no instances of really dangerous viruses, like Word macro instances for example, where Mac users were targeted, or the Fruitfly malware that was used against computers in biomedical research institutions.
The best thing to do for protecting your device from malware is to install software from verified sources and avoid emails and attachments from unknown senders.
Apart from the macOS malware issue, the recent McAfee report focuses on the growing number of malware infections on Internet of Things devices, enabling them to be used as part of botnets for different purposes, such as DDoS attacks on websites for instance.
“IoT devices are being hijacked and used to carry out serious crimes in cyberspace. Attackers, after gaining control of IoT devices, can use them to attack business, consumers, or Internet infrastructure. The Mirai botnet is just the beginning,” states the McAfee report.
However, the whole situation highlights the contemporary problems of the world where more devices work with Internet connection and there is not enough security to protect them against malware.