Is macOS more secure than Windows? This malware report has the answer
The latest malware report from Elastic Security Labs lays out the security situation for macOS, Windows and Linux -- and the results might surprise you.
Koichiko
By
Alex Blake
April 28, 2023 7:08AM 
It’s a long-held belief that Macs are less at risk of malware and viruses than Windows PCs, but how true is that? Well, a new report has shed some light on the situation — and the results might surprise you.
According to threat research firm Elastic Security Labs, roughly 39% of all malware infections happen on Windows PCs. In good news for Apple fans, only 6% of breaches occurred on macOS, making Mac systems far less vulnerable than their Windows counterparts.
Sora Shimazaki / PexelsYet Linux infections topped both Windows and macOS, counting for 54% of all infections. That large number is explained by the increasing usage of cloud devices that use Linux as their operating system. Many of these devices are poorly secured, making them tempting targets for bad actors wishing to gain access to a company’s internal systems.
Trojans were by far the most popular category of malware, with 80.5% of infections being made using this technique. Trailing far behind were cryptocurrency miners (11.3%) and ransomware (3.7%). Most trojan infections happened on Windows PCs, with Cobalt Strike prevailing as the trojan of choice for malware authors with a 34.5% share of infections.
Macs are vulnerable too
piranka/Getty ImagesWhile the report suggests that macOS is apparently a low priority for hackers and malware developers, it’s not all good news for users of Apple’s systems. Elastic Security Labs notes that nefarious use of the XMRig cryptocurrency miner “exploded” on macOS and that this kind of attack could become an “increasingly popular” way of targeting Mac users.
By far the most prevalent malware detection on macOS was MacKeeper, an app that has been designated as a “potentially unwanted program” by many antivirus apps due to the wide range of potentially exploitable permissions and access to macOS processes it obtains.
It’s well worth downloading the full report to see the complete list of findings unearthed by Elastic Security Labs. With the strong prevalence of trojans on all systems, it’s important you know how to secure your computer and protect yourself from attack. Sure, macOS is less at risk than Windows, but it only takes one careless mistake to get infected, no matter what you’re using.
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In ancient times, people like Alex would have been shunned for their nerdy ways and strange opinions on cheese. Today, he fits right in at Digital Trends, where he writes about all things Apple, from the latest devices to ongoing developments and everything in between. He’s loved tech ever since he realized video games were about as fun as real people, but easier to manage and much cheaper.
He was first drawn to Apple thanks to its combination of beautiful design and aspirational price tags that helped remind him of his place somewhere between grunt and serf. He’s written for brands like TechRadar, GamesRadar and MacFormat, and runs a popular blog dedicated to EA’s FIFA series. They say that if the wind’s just right and you really listen hard enough, you can hear him ranting about FIFA’s career mode from anywhere in the world.
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