#Free mac antivirus ratings 2017 how to#
#Free mac antivirus ratings 2017 mac os x#

We use ’s own testing data to ascertain the effectiveness of each antivirus in this respect.īut security is only half the story. We look for anti-malware properties that prevent known and unknown threats from having their way with your Mac.

#Free mac antivirus ratings 2017 how to#

Read next: How to remove Mac antivirus software How we testįor any security software to be effective and worth the install it has to be able to prevent malware from infecting your computer. Cyber security is more important than ever, and a good antivirus is the best place to start if you want to stay safe. So make of that what you will.Īdditionally, threats such as ransomware are on the rise, and have recently hit huge organisations including the NHS.

#Free mac antivirus ratings 2017 mac os x#

However, Macs are not entirely safe either in fact, reports from early in 2017 suggest that Macs are becoming less secure.īusiness Insider even argues, rather contentiously, that Macs are now more vulnerable to viruses and attack than Windows PCs, although you’ll note that the site bases this on a chart that groups all versions of Mac OS X together (215 vulnerabilities in 2016) but separates Windows 10 (172 vulnerabilities) and Windows 8.1 (154). They pick off the lowest-hanging fruit, and that is unprotected Windows PCs. Is it any wonder that cybercriminals focus on the Windows world?Īll malware these days exists to make money, and the criminals who create and share it are not doing so because they want to work hard. Fewer targets, and these are harder to hack. The second reason is that, right now, there are far fewer Macs than there are Windows PCs. Macs are not unhackable, but they are more difficult to exploit than Windows PCs. It’s like having a series of fire doors: even if malware gains access to your Mac, it is unable to spread to the heart of the machine. As a Unix-based operating system macOS is sandboxed. On the technical side, macOS is a Unix-based operating system. Macs are generally more secure than their Windows brethren for two reasons. We’d argue that they are wrong – or a bit overconfident, at least. Plenty of Mac aficionados will tell you that Apple computers are inherently secure and don’t require protection. A hoary old question for more discussion of this topic, read Do get Macs get viruses?