Should I get an anti-virus for my Apple Mac is a question we don’t get asked often…but one that perhaps should be asked more often.
Macs, be it an iMac or Macbook, have long had a reputation of being immune to virus’, and for good reasons, including:
- The operating system has been a lot more secure than it’s equivalent Windows version,
- Not many virus’ had been written for Macs because that system was never very popular, in relative terms, compared to Windows machines (why write a virus for a system which isn’t used widely?)
- Mac users have classically been more than causal computer users more able avoid actions likely to result in a virus.
- Mac users have tended to be wealthier than Windows users and consequently more likely to pay for reputable software which helps to avoid infected freeware that plagues free software on Windows PCs.
Things change, and now many of the above points are far less true. Macs are still pretty secure, but the massive increase in popularity has attracted attention of virus writers. Users of Macs now include not just experienced computer users, but everyone. Ultimately, a computer is only as secure as operations completed on it by the user.
The graph from Kaspersky above shows the increase in Malware in Macs over time. It shows that there in a vast increase in Mac infections over the recent years.
It seems fairly obvious that anything to help keep you Mac secure would be a good idea. Sheffield Computer Services recommends getting an antivirus program for your Mac.
Two anti virus programs that consistently score well in tests are:
- Avast from https://www.avast.com/en-gb/free-mac-security (you can also pay for a full version.
- Kaspersky from www.kaspersky.co.uk/mac-security (paid only version)
Why not get some protection? None are 100% perfect, but certainly better than none. Prevention better than cure. Etc. Etc.
What ever you do, make sure you keep backups of your files and programs. Either copy things manually to a USB stick or hard drive, or use ‘Time Machine’ (set up via the settings panel) to do it automatically for you.
If you need some help setting things up, just get in contact with us on 01144070128, 07552380585 or help@sheffieldcomputerservices.co.uk.
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