The security mechanisms built into macOS architecture are, thankfully, a major obstacle to massive malware outbreaks targeting Macintosh computers. However, underestimating Mac viruses is like ignoring the elephant in the room. Both the growing quantity and sophistication of infections raiding these machines, including high-end MacBook Pro laptops, are an issue on Apple’s agenda and a wakeup call for regular users.

So, what does the Mac threat landscape look like nowadays? It is dominated by adware, fake system utilities, and ransom Trojans. Let’s look into each cluster in detail.

Adware that zeroes in on MacBook Pro’s is a heterogeneous phenomenon. It encompasses ad-injecting viruses and browser hijackers. If the former type of malicious code infiltrates a system, it wraps the visited web pages with a virtual layer presenting a bevy of advertisements. The victim will be bound to see annoying in-text links, price comparisons, banners and popup ads while surfing the web, not to mention that interstitial advertisements will be splashing up behind the scenes all the time.

Macs can get viruses, just like any programmable computer. However, there are no known viruses for Macs in the wild. There is malware for Macs (viruses are just one type of malicious software). Malware usually gets on your computer when you insta. Stopping a virus altogether involves searching your Mac pretty thoroughly to ensure all traces of the virus are gone. You should use malware-scanning software to help identify and eliminate viruses.

Unlike ad-injectors, hijackers focus on skewing browser settings in order to cause redirects to bogus search engines or sites hosting more malware. Cybercriminals thereby monetize the intercepted user traffic. The impact of Mac adware isn’t isolated to the browser only, although perpetrating browser extensions are the main components of their activity. It typically also meddles with the login items and regular system processes, so the fix isn’t as prosaic as it may appear.

Rogue security and optimization apps, also referred to as scareware, are an increasingly common category of MacBook Pro malware. The recent outburst of the culprit called Mac Auto Fixer, as well as the shenanigans of long-running baddie called Advanced Mac Cleaner, demonstrate this disconcerting trend. These malicious programs install themselves surreptitiously, report inexistent issues on the Mac and demand a payment for a pseudo remediation.

Ransomware infecting Macs hasn’t reached appreciable heights yet, but it’s evolving from primitive Safari lockers to real file-encrypting blackmail viruses. The sample known as KeRanger, for example, actually encrypted personal data on thousands of macOS based machines back in 2016.

Speaking of MacBook Pro malware prevention, it’s noteworthy that most pests tailgate their way into new hosts via software bundling. Therefore, you should treat all app installs with caution and make sure no harmful entities lurk underneath the default setup option. In summary, Mac malware is already an issue, it’s growing, and users should take more security efforts than they used to.

Mac malware didn’t splash onto the scene all of a sudden – it’s an evolutionary process that’s been going on for years. Cybercriminals are now busier than ever trying to undermine the status of macOS as one of the most secure software platforms, and they are succeeding in some of these efforts. Computers by Apple, both desktops and hi-tech laptops such as MacBook Pro, are equally susceptible to a number of different virus types. This article will shed light on the most prolific malware species endangering Macs these days.

The overwhelming majority of contamination instances comes down to adware. These infections exist on the thin edge between outright harmful code and benign software, which is why they are flagged as potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) and these campaigns are difficult to stop in their tracks. There are two main ‘flavors’ of adware: apps that embed unwanted ads into web pages, on the one hand; and ones that cause browser redirects, on the other. In either case, the actual troublemakers are aggressive browser add-ons that sneak into Macs alongside freeware and shareware. One of the most widespread Mac hijackers to date is Chumsearch, which is a malicious browser extension that forwards traffic to an affiliated rogue search engine.

MacBook Pro users are also likely to fall victim to scareware. These are deceptive applications that pretend to be system utility tools or antiviruses but actually brainwash victims into buying their license. The app called Advanced Mac Cleaner is one of the oldest samples from this category that has additionally spawned spinoffs, such as Mac Tonic and Mac Auto Fixer. All of them claim to detect numerous security and system performance issues and then ask for money to fix them.

Cryptocurrency mining malware is gearing up for a rise in the macOS environment as well. Its goal is to harness the CPU and GPU resources of the hosts in order to mine Monero, Bitcoin or other forms of decentralized currency. The latest major outbreak of this malware took place in May 2018 and involved the ‘mshelper’ crypto miner.

Mac ransomware is out there, too, but it’s not a huge issue so far. In fact, most of these incidents are confused with persistent browser locking, where the infection displays a ransom note in Safari and prevents the victim from visiting any other site. A simple browser reset is what fixes the problem. Data-encrypting ransomware targeting Macs is also around, with the specimen called KeRanger being the most notorious example, but massive distribution of this bad code isn’t the case at this point.

To recap, viruses are making themselves increasingly felt in the Mac ecosystem. Avoiding them is a matter of proper software installation hygiene most of the time, therefore you should be careful when installing apps from shady sources and be sure to check these setups for covertly bundled objects.

A phishing scam has targeted Mac users by redirecting them from legitimate websites to fake websites which tell them that their computer is infected with a virus. The user is then offered Mac Defender 'anti-virus' software to solve the issue.
This “anti-virus” software is malware (i.e. malicious software). Its ultimate goal is to get the user's credit card information which may be used for fraudulent purposes.
The most common names for this malware are MacDefender, MacProtector and MacSecurity.

Apple released a free software update (Security Update 2011-003) that will automatically find and remove Mac Defender malware and its known variants.
The Resolution section below also provides step-by-step instructions on how to avoid or manually remove this malware.

Resolution

How to avoid installing this malware

If any notifications about viruses or security software appear, quit Safari or any other browser that you are using. If a normal attempt at quitting the browser doesn’t work, then Force Quit the browser.

In some cases, your browser may automatically download and launch the installer for this malicious software. If this happens, cancel the installation process; do not enter your administrator password. Delete the installer immediately using the steps below.

1. Go into the Downloads folder, or your preferred download location.
2. Drag the installer to the Trash.
3. Empty the Trash.

How Do I Check For Viruses On My Macbook

How to remove this malware

How Do I Check For Viruses On My Macbook Air

If the malware has been installed, we recommend the following actions:

How Do I Check For Viruses On My Macbook Air

• Do not provide your credit card information under any circumstances.
• Use the Removal Steps below.

Removal steps

1. Move or close the Scan Window.
2. Go to the Utilities folder in the Applications folder and launch Activity Monitor.
3. Choose All Processes from the pop up menu in the upper right corner of the window.
4. Under the Process Name column, look for the name of the app and click to select it; common app names include: MacDefender, MacSecurity or MacProtector.
5. Click the Quit Process button in the upper left corner of the window and select Quit.
6. Quit Activity Monitor application.
7. Open the Applications folder.
8. Locate the app ex. MacDefender, MacSecurity, MacProtector or other name.
9. Drag to Trash, and empty Trash.

Do Macs Get Viruses

Malware also installs a login item in your account in System Preferences. Removal of the login item is not necessary, but you can remove it by following the steps below.

• Open System Preferences, select Accounts, then Login Items
• Select the name of the app you removed in the steps above ex. MacDefender, MacSecurity, MacProtector
• Click the minus button

Use the steps in the “How to avoid installing this malware” section above to remove the installer from the download location.

Note: Apple provides security updates for the Mac exclusively through Software Update and the Apple Support Downloads site. User should exercise caution any time they are asked to enter sensitive personal information online.