Yes, it can be a hard thing to admit. Nobody wants to speak up about it. For everyone’s sake, though, someone has to break the social taboo and just come out and say it—Macs are not impervious to malware. As secure as Macs generally are, the fact is that hackers are targeting them more than ever.

In the ten months since January 2017, we have blocked over 250 million malware threats aimed at our Mac customers. The most common type of malware attacking Macs is adware, which covers 17% (or 41 million detections) of these Mac threats. These insidious programs can affect your system in a number of ways, like sneaking suspicious files into your system, redirecting your web searches, and—of course—flooding you with ads.

According to our data, the next largest threat to Macs, coming in at 14% of the threats we blocked, is a number of blacklisted websites. These malicious sites can wreak havoc as soon as their pages fully load in your browser, kind of like a cyber Venus flytrap.

The next largest threat, at 5%, are potentially unwanted programs, or PUPs. These are suspicious files that usually find their way into your system by attaching themselves to downloads of programs you want. They can be spyware or any number of unwanted invaders. Rounding out the top five Mac threats are Trojans, files that appear to be one thing but are really another, and ransomware, the virus that locks up your files and demands money to set them free.   

In addition to malware threats, router-based vulnerabilities are potential risks for Macs. In October 2017 alone, Avast blocked more than 104 million of these types of threats for PC users. We’re happy to offer Mac users that same protection now.

Macs need antivirus solutions just as critically as PCs.

Last month we proudly announced that our free Avast Security for Mac solution won an award and accolades in a recent AV-Comparatives test. This month, we’re launching an even more powerful suite of protection services for Mac called Security Pro, equipped with protecting against these rising threats and including a robust set of new features.

If you’re an existing free Security for Mac user, you’re welcome to try this premium service at no cost for one month. Along with top next-gen cybersecurity, some of the extra features with Security Pro that you can enjoy are:

• Stronger ransomware protection – Our free Mac security solution offers ransomware protection, but we added an extra layer in our Pro version, protecting your folders as well as your files. When the WannaCry ransomware outbreak hit, we were in the forefront of detection and protection solutions. We know ransomware.
• Wi-Fi Inspector – Not available in the free version, this feature monitors your home Wi-Fi and warns you if hackers, trackers, and connection hijackers are trying to get in.
• Scheduled scans – This feature helps you set up your security scans so they do not interfere with your prime computer time.

The cybercriminals are getting smarter, but so are we. Your Mac is one of the more outstanding achievements to come out of Silicon Valley, a marvel of design and development, so protect it against those who want to compromise and invade it. Avast Security Pro for Mac gives you the proactive defense you need against all those...bad apples.