Introduction
It is an often-heard view that macOS computers don’t need antivirus protection. Whilst it is certainly true that the population of macOS malware is very tiny compared to that for Windows and Android, there have still been many instances of macOS
malware getting into the wild. Moreover, Apple Mac security needs to be considered in the wider context of other types of
attacks.
In addition, it should be noted that Apple themselves ship some anti-malware capabilities within macOS. Firstly, there is “Gatekeeper”, which warns when apps without a digital signature (i.e. not certified by Apple) are run. Then there is “XProtect”, which checks files against known-malware signatures. Finally, Apple provide the “Malware Removal Tool” (MRT). These features are essentially invisible to the user, other than configuration options and alerts. System and security updates are installed automatically using the macOS update process.
The effectiveness of Apple’s built-in anti-malware features have been
questioned, however, and some security experts recommend strengthening the defences by adding in a third-party antivirus package. There are many good reasons for this. Firstly, the approach taken by Apple might be adequate for well-established malware, but might not respond quickly enough to emerging threats. Secondly, you might want a broader base of malware evaluation. Thirdly, macOS is not immune to bugs.
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