(Newswire.net — March 10, 2020) — If you own and use Apple technology, your devices may not be as safe from malware and hackers as you think. Learn more about protecting your Macs here.
If you primarily use Apple technology and as a result, don’t pay much attention to the threat of hackers and malware, it’s time to reevaluate your approach to cybersecurity.
According to the State of Malware report, recently released by Malwarebytes, there was a “significant rise in the overall prevalence of Mac threats in 2019, with an increase of over 400 percent from 2018.”
That’s quite a jump, and it should give Mac users pause. While Apple products may have been the safer option when it came to security several years ago, today, it seems hackers have become equal-opportunity criminals.
IT services professional in Portland, OR, Nick Hess shares his insights into Apple and malware.
Possible Reasons for the Uptick
The question is: Why have Apple products become a target for cybercrime?
The short answer is that it’s because Apple users have a lot of hubris when it comes to cybersecurity. Unlike Windows users, who are well-aware that they are targets for hackers, Apple users tend to think they’re untouchable. This makes their technology ripe for the picking where hackers are concerned. Some Apple users are even staunchly against downloading or buying protective software like firewalls. Their reasoning is that these measures may actually be detrimental and certainly won’t be helpful.
Another factor that possibly plays into the extreme uptick in Apple security issues is something that Malwarebytes simply admits to being a skew of the numbers: An increasing number of Apple users are using Malwarebytes’ security products. As a result, their data makes it appear that per-device threats rose drastically while in reality, the numbers may be slightly less alarming. Still, it’s clear that Mac users have something to fear — and more than they did a decade ago.
What Types of Dangers Threaten Apple Products?
One of the most surprising facts to arise from the Malwarebytes report is the difference in threats between Apple machines to Windows machines. Two specific risks plague Apple computers:
- “potentially unwanted programs” or “PUPs”
- adware
These PUPs are usually cleaning apps, but Malwarebytes considers them unwanted. Of the adware causing problems, NewTab is the adware family that caused the most issues. In 2019 alone, NewTab was detected by Malwarebytes around 30 million times. Its goal is to earn affiliate revenue by changing web browser searches (redirecting them). It does this by embedding within extensions in Safari, Apple’s web browser. The way users end up with the adware NewTab is often by clicking on fake directions, fake maps, or fake package tracking pages.
Other top adware and malware challenges for Apple devices include Genieo, OSX.Generic.Suspicious, and FakeFileOpener.
What Can Mac Users Do to Prevent Hacks and Malware Issues?
Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to prevent your technology if you are a Mac user:
1. Take caution with what you click on.
It’s important to take care whenever you’re online. Teach your employees to do the same with proper security-based employee training. Suspicious emails should be left alone. Never click on, download, or reply to something that gives you pause.
2. Be responsible about passwords.
Likewise, have good “password hygiene” by always choosing unique passwords for each login opportunity, never sharing your login credentials or passwords, and always changing your passwords at regular intervals to prevent them from being stolen and used.
3. If you own a business that uses Macs, invest in proper security.
For a while, Mac-based businesses may have successfully gotten away with avoiding taking cybersecurity measures. But those days are gone. If you operate a business that uses Macs, invest in the proper cybersecurity by working with a reliable managed service provider. They will be able to assess the potential threats that could put you at risk and help you make changes to prevent network hacks and data breaches.