Computer viruses have been there for many years now. And they have caused all sorts of damage to our computers since then: system failure, data loss, data leakage, lagging, annoying advertisements, and whatnot.
So an often asked question is – does a Mac really need an antivirus, or can it protect itself? We think that it definitely needs additional protection. Statistics say that there was a 400 percent growth in threats on Mac devices from the year 2018 to 2019, and there were found an average of 11 threats per Mac device.
If you want to answer the question of how to find trojan virus in my computer and detect all kinds of other viruses on your Mac to protect your computer and your data, then check out these tips below.
Why You Need to Scan Your Mac for Viruses Regularly
Scanning your Mac occasionally is very important because there are many more threats than viruses. A Mac could be attacked by anything: adware, malware, malicious files, spyware, trojans, and many others.
Earlier, people were used to thinking that the main target for creating all sorts of viruses will always be Windows users because there are simply more of them. But the times have changed, more and more people choose to use Mac for various reasons; therefore the number of virus attacks is growing as well.
It is a good thing that most of our confidential and personal data is stored in the cloud, so it is less possible to lose it. But Mac users shouldn’t feel too comfortable about it because this just makes a Mac user a more interesting target. Also, possibly a more vulnerable target – if a person thinks a Mac can defend itself and does not worry about data loss because he keeps everything in the cloud, he will be more than easy to attack.
Checking for Malware on Your Mac
Most people think that if they have an antivirus on their computer, everything is scanned and done for them automatically. But the truth is that it is better to initiate the scan more often than to wait for your antivirus to figure it out itself. The recommended frequency is at least once a week. Surely, it also depends on how often you use your computer.
A clever way to start checking your Mac for malware is by analyzing the apps that you have installed on your computer to determine which ones you do not remember installing yourself.
To do so, go to the Applications folder, which you can easily locate in the Finder, scroll through the list of apps, find the ones that you did not install willingly, delete them, and do not forget to empty the Trash Bin.
Checking Your Browser for Malware
Your browser is another often places were hijackers and adware extensions like to hide. For example, one of the popular viruses like this blocks your Google search, and you can try to enter your search either in the address bar or go directly to Google, but each time you will be redirected to another site’s search results that are often incompetent and not as effective.
To check if you have any of these, you need to launch the Safari browser, click on the Preferences, and take a look at the home page URL. If it is not the one you have originally set, then change it back.
To see, if you have any extensions that you haven’t installed, click the Extensions tab and go through the list. If you see some extensions or plugins that you know nothing about, uninstall them as soon as possible.
Switching to a Private Network
Many Mac users expect the Macs to defend themselves or are used to thinking that viruses only attack people who are not being careful or do not know how to use the computer well. The truth is that hackers track your behavior, not your knowledge, so this factor does not matter, and the virus might suddenly leave you with a slow computer that will decrease your productivity.
There are so many people who use public wi-fi nowadays, and some do not realize how dangerous that could be. If you happen to use public wi-fi often, it is recommended to get a Virtual Private Network that encrypts your connection.