How secure is a Mac? Are Macs really more secure than Windows?

While it’s true that Macs are less likely to be attacked on the basis that there are fewer Macs than PCs–in fact Malware on Macs is decreasing–Mac users can be a very lucrative target and hence considered worth the effort. As a result Macs can get targeted by malware and viruses.

Indeed, even Apple’s software chief Craig Federighi said (in the trial between Apple and Epic) that: “Today, we have a level of malware on the Mac that we don’t find acceptable.” While his motive was to point out that there is a benefit to forcing iPhone and iPad users to only install apps via the iOS App Store, the point is that even Apple staff admit there are Mac viruses. (Here’s What to do if you think your Mac has a virus.)

Macs are generally safer than PCs though. This is partly because the Mac operating system is Unix-based and therefore more difficult to exploit, it’s also because Apple has such tight control over the hardware and software, and Macs are safer due to of the various protections and security measures built in to the Mac and the Mac operating system that makes Macs more difficult to exploit.

But that doesn’t mean you should believe your Mac impenetrable. Macs have been targeted by hackers and viruses and over the years Apple has had to get serious about the measures included in macOS to keep its users safe.

In this article we will run through the various ways Apple keeps your Mac secure, and the things you can do to stay safe. For more advice about how to keep your Mac secure read our Mac security tips.

Another thing to note is that the M-series chips that Apple started using in November 2020 are considered more secure than Intel processors. However, malware known as Silver Sparrow was found on the M1 Mac shortly after launch.

How Apple protects your Mac

There are various ways that Apple protects your Mac from malware and viruses as you will see if you read on. There are of course other things you can do to supplement these measures, such as running an antivirus software or using a VPN to encrypt your traffic. We have separate advice about the best antivirus for Mac and best VPN. There is also an element of being cautious and…