Additionally, Macs keep malicious software from causing too much damage with tools like Execute Disable (XD), Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR), and System Integrity Protection (SIP) that run in the background to prevent viruses from accessing critical files. These include antivirus software called XProtect and the Mac Malware Removal Tool. Macs have several built-in security features designed to protect your computer and information from attackers (but these features aren’t bulletproof!).

Apple enables these features by default, so you don’t have to worry about getting your settings right. The computers automatically quarantine suspicious files, meaning that they can’t access critical system software or change the computer’s core functions. In general, the design of Macs limits damage from malware. If the tool identifies malware, it will notify you and remove the dangerous files. Since threats are always changing, the Mac Malware Removal Tool also scans your computer regularly to check that nothing sneaks past XProtect. If XProtect detects malware on a file or application, it notifies the user and blocks the download. XProtect scans all applications and files for viruses and malware using a database of threats that Apple updates daily. Since 2009, Apple has included XProtect, Apple’s proprietary antivirus software, on all Macs. Avast Antivirus – Mac is Protected Do Macs Have Built-in Antivirus Software? Is Apple doing anything about that? Do Macs have built-in antivirus software? Do you need a third-party antivirus app for your Mac? We answer all those in this guide. In fact, Malwarebytes, an antivirus company, saw a 400-percent increase in Mac malware in 2019 compared to 2018. Macs have grown in popularity, and cybercriminals saw that as an opportunity to target more people, focusing their efforts in creating malware for Apple computers. While that may have been true 20 years ago, it no longer applies today. There’s even a myth that Macs are safe from malware, mainly because most viruses are designed for Windows. A PC malware designed to exploit a Windows vulnerability, for example, does no harm on a Mac computer. Here’s one thing many people don’t know about computer viruses: Many of them only attack specific operating systems.

Keeping macOS up-to-date helps patch security vulnerabilities.

Read our Bitdefender review, a top-rated software with 100-percent virus detection rate.

Macs need third-party antivirus for total protection.

Macs have built-in antivirus and security software, but they aren’t foolproof.

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